English presentation and English publications ->
The MECOV project contributes to increasing the understanding of ME, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Chronic Fatigue by a survey of both symptoms and symptom groups with a review of treatments and reported effects of treatments for different groups with long-term fatigue.
The large number of 2440 respondents, allow the survey to provide robust correlations such as between diagnostic groups and reported effects of treatments.
Based on the frequency and severity of different symptoms and with the criteria from DePaul University in Chicago, we have been able to calculate which diagnostic criteria each individual respondent meets from the Oxford criteria for patients with fatigue to the Canada criteria and the International consensus criteria, including different degrees of Post Exertional Malaise (PEM)
The respondents report whether they get better or worse from different types of treatment. About 3 out of 4 respondents with ME, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome or «just» Chronic Fatigue report reduced symptoms and improvement after activity pacing within their activity threshold. They also report that adapted diet and mineral and vitamin supplements provide improvements.
On the other hand, 3 out of 4 respondents with varying degrees of PEM report that their symptoms worsen through activity-based treatments such as cognitive therapy and graded exercise training. Also, half of respondents who «only» have fatigue without PEM report worsening, but in this group, there are also about ¼ who report improvement.
The survey shows reported effect of treatments for respondents with Long Covid and POTS and whether the situation for ME patients has changed over the past 10 years.
The survey concludes with 4 recommendations:
• The Directorate of Health should include DSQ symptom-based questionnaire diagnoses in the patient course in their new guidelines to come.
• Such symptom-based questionnaire diagnoses may provide the basis for possible treatment paths for patients with suspected ME, CFS or Chronic Fatigue.
• Symptom treatment must distinguish between patients without or with PEM after physical, mental and social exertion in two or three packages.
• Continued testing and evaluation of relationship between diagnoses based on symptoms recorded in questionnaires, clinical diagnoses and treatment.
Publications in English
Scientific article in Fatigue: biomedicine, health & behavior.
Scientific article in Fatigue: biomedicine, health & behavior. , 2024, Vol.12(4), p.261-277
Symptom-based survey diagnoses may serve to identify more homogenous sub-groups of fatigue and postviral diseases
Bjørn K Getz Wold;K Tveito;A Angelsen;G Bringsli;F Berglund;M Gustavsen;G M Andersen;E B Strand
ISSN: 2164-1846 , 2164-1862; DOI: 10.1080/21641846.2024.2370209
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/21641846.2024.2370209
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