Evidence browser

The contested meaning of "long COVID" - Patients, doctors, and the politics of subjective evidence.

Roth, Phillip H, Gadebusch-Bondio, Mariacarla·Social science & medicine (1982)·2022

This study examines how patients created and spread the term "long COVID" by sharing their personal experiences online, which eventually led doctors and health officials to recognize it as a real condition. The researchers compare this process to how ME/CFS patients have struggled for recognition over decades, showing that social media and patient voices can shape how medicine understands and responds to complex illnesses.

Transient receptor potential melastatin 3 dysfunction in post COVID-19 condition and myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome patients.

Sasso, Etianne Martini, Muraki, Katsuhiko, Eaton-Fitch, Natalie et al.·Molecular medicine (Cambridge, Mass.)·2022

This study examined a specific ion channel called TRPM3 in immune cells from patients with ME/CFS and long COVID, comparing them to healthy people. Researchers found that both ME/CFS and long COVID patients had similar problems with how this ion channel functions. The findings suggest that broken ion channels might be part of why these conditions cause long-lasting fatigue and other symptoms.

Assessment of Hearing and Vestibular Functions in a Post-COVID-19 Patient: A Clinical Case Study.

Andreeva, Irina Germanovna, Gvozdeva, Alisa, Pimenova, Vera et al.·Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland)·2022

This study examined one patient who had both long COVID and chronic fatigue syndrome. Doctors tested their hearing and balance systems, and found problems with how the brain processes sounds—particularly difficulty with rapid sound changes and understanding speech. Interestingly, the nerve fibers in the skin and eyes were normal, suggesting the problem is in how the brain handles auditory information rather than in damaged nerves. The researchers suggest that this auditory processing difficulty may add extra strain to the nervous system and worsen fatigue during daily activities.

Cognitive Impairment

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredMechanistic

Characterising DSCATT: A case series of Australian patients with debilitating symptom complexes attributed to ticks.

Schnall, Jesse, Oliver, Georgina, Braat, Sabine et al.·The Australian and New Zealand journal of psychiatry·2022

Researchers studied 29 Australian patients who believed their symptoms were caused by tick bites. Most had severe tiredness, headaches, and joint pain, and many had previously been diagnosed with conditions like ME/CFS or fibromyalgia. When doctors tested these patients, they found no evidence of Lyme disease or other common infections from ticks. The study suggests that tick-attributed illness in Australia remains unexplained and may overlap with other medically unexplained conditions.

Diagnostics

Differential Impacts of HHV-6A versus HHV-6B Infection in Differentiated Human Neural Stem Cells.

Bahramian, Elham, Furr, Mercede, Wu, Jerry T et al.·Frontiers in immunology·2022

This study examined how two closely related viruses called HHV-6A and HHV-6B infect different types of nerve cells in the brain. Researchers found that both viruses can infect certain brain cells that use glutamate and dopamine (chemical messengers), but neither virus infected a third type of brain cell that uses GABA. Importantly, HHV-6A appeared to cause more damage to infected cells than HHV-6B, suggesting it may be more harmful to nerve tissue.

Neuroinflammation

Bioinformatics and systems biology approach to identify the pathogenetic link of Long COVID and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Lv, Yongbiao, Zhang, Tian, Cai, Junxiang et al.·Frontiers in immunology·2022

Researchers compared the genes involved in Long COVID (lasting symptoms after COVID-19 infection) and ME/CFS to see if they share common biological causes. They found 9 genes that appear in both conditions and identified five key proteins that may be driving the shared symptoms. The study suggests these conditions may have overlapping mechanisms, pointing toward potential new treatments worth testing in future research.

E3 PreliminaryBehavioralPEM unclear

‘The Lightning Process’ and chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis.

Vallings, Rosamund·Journal of primary health care·2022

This study examines 'The Lightning Process,' a coaching program that some people claim can help with ME/CFS. The author, a doctor experienced in ME/CFS care, analyzed what is known about this approach and its effects on patients with this illness. The study raises concerns about whether the program is safe and effective for people with ME/CFS.

Interventions

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

COVID-19 in the perioperative setting: A review of the literature and the clinical landscape.

O'Glasser, Avital Y, Schenning, Katie J·Perioperative care and operating room management·2022

This article reviews what doctors know about surgical risks for people who have had COVID-19. It discusses how hospitals have had to balance treating COVID-19 patients while also catching up on surgeries that were delayed during the pandemic. The authors highlight that COVID-19 survivors face higher risks during surgery and anesthesia, and they call for careful planning to keep these patients safe.

[Stress, asthenia and cognitive disorders].

Vasenina, E E, Gankina, O A, Levin, O S·Zhurnal nevrologii i psikhiatrii imeni S.S. Korsakova·2022

This article examines how extreme tiredness (asthenia) relates to ME/CFS and other conditions affecting mood and thinking. The authors explain that severe fatigue can start as the body's warning signal that energy is running out, but it can develop into a serious, disabling disease on its own. They discuss how fatigue often occurs together with depression, anxiety, and problems with memory or concentration, which can make it harder for doctors to figure out what's really causing a patient's symptoms.

Cognitive Impairment

EBV/HHV-6A dUTPases contribute to myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome pathophysiology by enhancing TFH cell differentiation and extrafollicular activities.

Cox, Brandon S, Alharshawi, Khaled, Mena-Palomo, Irene et al.·JCI insight·2022

This study found that some people with ME/CFS have abnormal immune responses linked to past infections with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and human herpesvirus 6A (HHV-6A). The researchers discovered that proteins from these viruses may trigger the immune system to produce excess amounts of certain signaling molecules, leading to confused immune cell behavior. This suggests a possible biological mechanism for how these common viruses might contribute to ME/CFS symptoms in some patients.

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

Breast implant illness: scientific evidence of its existence.

Cohen Tervaert, J W, Mohazab, N, Redmond, D et al.·Expert review of clinical immunology·2022

This review examined whether silicone breast implants cause a condition called breast implant illness (BII), which includes symptoms like chronic fatigue, joint pain, muscle pain, and brain fog. The authors concluded that there is a causal link between silicone implants and these systemic symptoms in some women, and that removing the implants typically resolves the symptoms.

Dissecting the Molecular Mechanisms Surrounding Post-COVID-19 Syndrome and Neurological Features.

Mohamed, Mohamed S, Johansson, Anton, Jonsson, Jörgen et al.·International journal of molecular sciences·2022

This study reviews how the virus that causes COVID-19 may damage the nervous system and brain, leading to long-term symptoms similar to those seen in other coronavirus outbreaks. The authors identify specific brain mechanisms—involving inflammation, nerve cell communication problems, and hormone regulation—that could explain why some people develop persistent neurological symptoms after COVID-19. These findings suggest potential targets for future treatments.

Neuroinflammation

Stellate ganglion block reduces symptoms of Long COVID: A case series.

Liu, Luke D, Duricka, Deborah L·Journal of neuroimmunology·2022

This small study looked at a procedure called a stellate ganglion block, which uses local anesthetic to temporarily quiet the nerve signals in the neck that control your 'fight or flight' response. Two Long COVID patients received this procedure, and their symptoms—including fatigue, brain fog, and dizziness upon standing—improved. The authors suggest that an imbalance in the autonomic nervous system (the system that controls automatic body functions) may be contributing to Long COVID symptoms.

Neuroinflammation

Understanding myalgic encephalomyelitis.

Marshall-Gradisnik, Sonya, Eaton-Fitch, Natalie·Science (New York, N.Y.)·2022

This article examines myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME/CFS), a serious illness that causes extreme tiredness, pain, and other symptoms that get worse after activity. The researchers note that ME/CFS and Long COVID (a condition affecting some people after COVID-19) share many similar features. Understanding these overlaps may help doctors better recognize and treat both conditions.

Impaired TRPM3-dependent calcium influx and restoration using Naltrexone in natural killer cells of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome patients.

Eaton-Fitch, Natalie, Du Preez, Stanley, Cabanas, Hélène et al.·Journal of translational medicine·2022

This study found that immune cells called natural killer cells in ME/CFS patients have a broken calcium channel (TRPM3) that prevents them from working properly. When researchers treated these cells overnight with a drug called naltrexone, the calcium channel started working better and the immune cells functioned more like those from healthy people. This suggests that ME/CFS may involve faulty ion channels and that naltrexone could potentially help restore immune cell function.

E3 PreliminaryPEM unclear

Understanding Patient-Provider Interaction, Treatment Acceptance, and Outcomes in Medically Unexplained Symptoms.

Bellman, Val, Zolnikov, Tara Rava·Cureus·2022

This study looked at how people with medically unexplained symptoms (MUS)—long-lasting health problems that doctors cannot identify through standard tests—experience their illness and interact with healthcare providers. Researchers interviewed patients to understand their daily struggles, frustrations with the medical system, and how healthcare experiences sometimes made things worse. The study found that patients often feel dismissed, misunderstood, and disabled by their conditions, and that better communication and training for doctors could help improve care.

Diagnostics

Autoimmune Autonomic Dysfunction Syndromes: Potential Involvement and Pathophysiology Related to Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Silicone Breast Implant-Related Symptoms and Post-COVID Syndrome.

Mahroum, Naim, Shoenfeld, Yehuda·Pathophysiology : the official journal of the International Society for Pathophysiology·2022

This article suggests that several chronic conditions—including ME/CFS, fibromyalgia, long COVID, and complex regional pain syndrome—may share a common cause: the immune system mistakenly producing antibodies that attack the autonomic nervous system (the part of your body that controls automatic functions like heart rate and blood pressure). The authors propose calling these conditions "autoimmune autonomic dysfunction syndromes" to highlight this shared mechanism and potentially help doctors diagnose and treat them more effectively.

Autonomic Nervous System

NeuroinflammationImmune System

The Role of Neuro-Immune Interaction in Chronic Pain Conditions; Functional Somatic Syndrome, Neurogenic Inflammation, and Peripheral Neuropathy.

Meade, Elaine, Garvey, Mary·International journal of molecular sciences·2022

This review article examines how the nervous and immune systems interact to cause chronic pain and fatigue in conditions like ME/CFS, fibromyalgia, and IBS. The authors explain that childhood trauma and ongoing stress can permanently change how the body's stress response system works, leading to long-term symptoms. They discuss how these systems become dysregulated and contribute to the wide range of symptoms people with these conditions experience.

Serum of Post-COVID-19 Syndrome Patients with or without ME/CFS Differentially Affects Endothelial Cell Function In Vitro.

Flaskamp, Lavinia, Roubal, Constanze, Uddin, Steven et al.·Cells·2022

This study examined blood samples from people with long COVID and those who developed ME/CFS after COVID-19, comparing them to healthy controls. Researchers tested whether certain proteins in these blood samples could harm the cells that line blood vessels. They found that the blood of ME/CFS patients contained more of these harmful proteins, and the blood samples from both patient groups affected blood vessel cells in different ways that could contribute to the fatigue and other symptoms these patients experience.