ME/CFS Incidence Is Higher Following COVID-19

A large study confirmed that COVID-19 can be followed by new-onset myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

The NIH's RECOVER study was a longitudinal, observational cohort study of people that involved 11,785 people who developed acute COVID-19 and were treated at U.S. practices. In this new analysis, researchers compared the incidence of new-onset myalgic encephalomyelitis/ chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) by 6 months among ≈12,000 nonhospitalized patients from this cohort and ≈1450 matched control patients with negative SARS-CoV-2 tests. Diagnoses of ME/CFS were established for patients meeting all four Institute of Medicine criteria — fatigue accompanied by physical impairment, postexertional malaise, unrefreshing sleep, and either cognitive impairment or orthostatic intolerance.

The proportion of post-COVID–19 patients who developed new-onse…

Reviewing Author

Anthony L. Komaroff, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardSerImmune Inc.; DxTerity

Grant / Research SupportNIH (1U54NS105542-01)

Editorial BoardsHarvard Health Letter; UpToDate

Anthony L. Komaroff, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardSerImmune Inc.; DxTerity

Grant / Research SupportNIH (1U54NS105542-01)

Editorial BoardsHarvard Health Letter; UpToDate

ME/CFS Incidence Is Higher Following COVID-19

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Reviewing Author