Summary
- The following study, published on April 11th, analysed 6.5 million health records and found overlapping symptoms between Long COVID (PASC) and ME/CFS, including fatigue, breathing difficulties, and cognitive issues.
- PASC was more often linked with cardiac and respiratory issues, while ME/CFS was more associated with pain and sleep disturbances.
- Dr Charles Shepherd, MEA Hon. Medical advisor notes that this paper ‘…doesn't tell us anything really new or definitive about the well recognised clinical similarities and differences between the two conditions.'
On the 11th of April, Nature published the following research paper, “Identifying commonalities and differences between EHR representations of PASC and ME/CFS in the RECOVER EHR cohort.”
Extracts
Post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC; also known as Long COVID) and myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) appear to share much in common. Understanding their similarities and differences could help to guide treatment for these complex illnesses.
We analyzed data from 6.5 million adult patients from the National COVID Cohort Collaborative to evaluate patterns in their health records. We find several conditions associated with both PASC and ME/CFS diagnoses, such as difficulty breathing, fatigue, and concentration difficulties.
Nevertheless, cardiopulmonary conditions are somewhat more commonly associated with PASC diagnosis, whereas other conditions, such as pain and sleep disturbances, are more associated with ME/CFS diagnosis.
Overall, the similarities we see could support overlapping symptom management approaches across these illnesses.
MEA Comment:
Although this research has been very carefully planned and carried out, and it contains a great deal of interesting statistical information about the symptomatology of both Long Covid and ME/CFS, it doesn't tell us anything really new or definitive about the well recognised clinical similarities and differences between the two conditions.
Neither does it tell us anything new that is going to be helpful in the practical management of Long Covid and ME/CFS.
Dr Charles Shepherd,
Trustee and Hon. Medical Adviser to the ME Association,
Member of the 2018-2021 NICE guideline on ME/CFS committee,
Member of the 2002 Chief Medical Officer's Working Group on ME/CFS
