Post-acute COVID-19 symptoms, a potential link with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A 6-month survey in a Mexican cohort, by J Antonio Gonzalez-Hermosillo, Jhanea Patricia Martinez-Lopez, Sofia Antonieta Carrillo-Lampon, Dayanara Ruiz-Ojeda, Sharon Herrera-Ramirez, Luis M. Amezcua-Guerra, Maria del Rocio Martinez-Alvarado in Brain Sciences Vol 11, #6, p 760, June 8, 2021

Research abstract:

The aim of this study was to describe the clinical evolution during 6 months of follow-up of adults recovered from COVID-19. We tried to determine how many met the definition of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/ Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS). A total of 130 patients (51.0 p/m 14 years, 34.6% female) were enrolled. Symptoms were common, participants reported a median number of 9 (IQR 5-14) symptoms.

Fatigue was the most common symptom (61/130; 46.9%). Patients with fatigue were older 53.9 p/m 13.5 years compared with 48.5 p/m 13.3 years in those without fatigue (p=0.02) and had a longer length of hospital stay, 17 p/m 14 days vs. 13 p/m 10 days (p=0.04).

There was no difference in other comorbidities between patients with fatigue and those without it, and no association between COVID-19 severity and fatigue. After multivariate adjustment of all baseline clinical features, only age 40 to 50 years old was positively associated with fatigue, OR 2.5 (95% CI 1.05-6.05) p=0.03.

In our survey, only 17 (13%) patients met the Institute of Medicine’s criteria for ‘systemic exertion intolerance disease,’ the new name of ME/CFS.

In conclusion, in some patients, the features of post-acute COVID-19 syndrome overlap with the clinical features of ME/CFS.