A recent study conducted by UCLA revealed that the rates of subsequent myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) following an acute illness were similar for individuals who had COVID-19 and those who did not.
Researchers from a large, multi-site study found that approximately 3% to 4% of participants developed symptoms resembling ME/CFS after testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection. Interestingly, the prevalence of similar symptoms was also found in individuals who tested negative for COVID-19. The data for the study was gathered from surveys conducted three months to a year after the patients’ initial illnesses.
ME/CFS is a prolonged, multisystem disorder with no definite cause or cure. It manifests as extreme fatigue, cognitive difficulties, and other symptoms that significantly impair daily functioning. Although the exact cause of ME/CFS is unknown, researchers suspect a connection to prior infections, as many patients report falling ill before experiencing ME/CFS symptoms.
Dr. Joann Elmore, a professor at UCLA and co-senior author of the study, stated, “The occurrence of ME/CFS is not higher in individuals with COVID-19 compared to those with other acute illnesses. Nonetheless, a 3 to 4% prevalence rate of ME/CFS following acute COVID-19 infections could pose a substantial burden on society and healthcare systems, considering the large number of individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2.”
The study, slated for publication in the peer-reviewed JAMA Network Open on July 24, was part of the INSPIRE project, funded by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It involved 4,700 participants who exhibited COVID-like symptoms between December 11, 2020, and August 29, 2022, with a majority of participants being female.
At the three-month mark, the average percentage of participants with ME/CFS was 3.4% for COVID-positive individuals and 3.7% for the COVID-negative group, with no significant differences observed over the 12-month follow-up period.
However, the researchers acknowledged several limitations in the study’s findings. Disparities in participants’ attributes at the study’s commencement between the COVID-positive and -negative groups may not have been entirely addressed. Moreover, new COVID infections were more prevalent in the months following the acute illness in the COVID-negative group than in those who initially tested positive. Additionally, there could have been inaccuracies in COVID test results, potentially leading to misclassification of participants. Lastly, the evaluation of ME/CFS relied on self-reported symptoms and could be influenced by recall bias.
Other contributors to the study include researchers from different institutions such as UCLA, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Yale University, UC San Francisco, Rush University, Thomas Jefferson University, the University of Washington, UTHealth Houston, the University of Texas Southwestern, and Tendo Systems, Inc. The study was financially supported by the CDC (75D30120C08008).
