Predictors of chronic fatigue in adolescents six months after acute Epstein-Barr virus infection: A prospective cohort study.
Pedersen, Maria, Asprusten, Tarjei Tørre, Godang, Kristin et al.·Brain, behavior, and immunity·2019
This study followed 200 teenagers who had an acute Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection to see which factors predicted who would develop lasting fatigue six months later. Researchers measured many baseline characteristics including pain sensitivity, mood, memory, physical activity level, and blood markers like vitamin B12 and inflammation levels. They found that fatigue six months after EBV was most strongly predicted by things like sensory sensitivity, pain, anxiety, and how active the teenager was—rather than by immune system markers alone.