Wood, Mariah S, Halmer, Nicole, Bertolli, Jeanne et al. · PloS one · 2024 · DOI
This study found that about 1.67% of adults in a large California health system have ME/CFS-like illness. While COVID-19 can trigger ME/CFS in some people, only about 14% of those with ME/CFS-like illness developed it after having COVID-19. People with ME/CFS-like illness reported significant difficulties with physical activities, work, relationships, and mental health compared to those without the condition.
This study provides important population-level estimates of ME/CFS prevalence in a large, diverse healthcare system and clarifies that while COVID-19 can trigger ME/CFS in some individuals, it was not responsible for a substantial increase in ME/CFS cases during the study period. The finding that ME/CFS affects nearly 1.7% of adults underscores the significant public health burden and urgent need for improved diagnosis and treatment options.
This study does not establish a causal link between COVID-19 and ME/CFS development—it only shows that 14% of ME/CFS cases reported onset after COVID-19. The cross-sectional design cannot determine temporal relationships or rule out recall bias. The findings also cannot be generalized beyond integrated health systems or to populations with different vaccination and infection patterns.
About the PEM badge: “PEM required” means post-exertional malaise was an explicit required diagnostic criterion for participant inclusion in this study — not that PEM was studied, observed, or discussed. Studies using criteria that do not require PEM (e.g. Fukuda, Oxford) are tagged “PEM not required”. How the atlas works →
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