Chronic post-COVID-19 syndrome and chronic fatigue syndrome: Is there a role for extracorporeal apheresis?

AbstractAs millions of patients have been infected by SARS-CoV-2 virus a vast number of individuals complain about continuing breathlessness and fatigue even months after the onset of the disease. This overwhelming phenomenon has not been well defined and has been called “post-COVID syndrome” or “long-COVID” [1]. There are striking similarities to myalgic encephalomyelitis also called chronic fatigue syndrome linked to a viral and autoimmune pathogenesis. In both disorders neurotransmitter receptor antibodies against ß-adrenergic and muscarinic receptors may play a key role. We found similar elevation of these autoantibodies in both patient groups. Extracorporeal apheresis using a special filter seems to be effective in reducing these antibodies in a significant way clearly improving the debilitating symptoms of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome. Therefore, such a form of neuropheresis may provide a promising therapeutic option for patients with post-COVID-19 syndrome. This method will also be effective when other hitherto unknown antibodies and inflammatory mediators are involved.

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Heterodox and Orthodox Discourses in the Case of Lyme Disease: A Synthesis of Arguments

Qualitative Health Research ◽

10.1177/1049732319846170 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 29 (11) ◽

pp. 1661-1673

Author(s):

Kate Hinds ◽

Katy Sutcliffe

Keyword(s):

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome ◽

Lyme Disease ◽

Critical Discourse Analysis ◽

Chronic Fatigue ◽

Critical Discourse ◽

Fatigue Syndrome ◽

Chronic Lyme Disease ◽

Medically Unexplained ◽

Patient Groups ◽

Insight Into

In this article, we examine the arguments made by authors of published academic articles concerning the debates surrounding chronic Lyme disease (CLD). CLD is an example of a contested condition and shares problems of legitimacy with other medically unexplained conditions such as chronic fatigue syndrome. We use a critical discourse analysis (CDA) approach to understand the arguments of the authors to establish the legitimacy, or not, of a CLD diagnosis. This enabled us to make sense of the nature of the stalemate between patient groups and advocates of the medical establishment, as performed by authors of academic articles. In this article, we bring together the arguments to explain the polemical debate and to support accounts that avoid the impasse to give us greater insight into the experience of chronic illness.

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A population-based study of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) experienced in differing patient groups: An effort to replicate Vercoulen et al.'s model of CFS

Journal of Mental Health ◽

10.1080/09638230500076165 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 14 (3) ◽

pp. 277-289 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Sharon Song ◽

Leonard A Jason

Keyword(s):

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome ◽

Chronic Fatigue ◽

Population Based ◽

Population Based Study ◽

Fatigue Syndrome ◽

Patient Groups ◽

S Model

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Humoral and cellular immune response after influenza vaccination in patients with postcancer fatigue and patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Journal of Clinical Oncology ◽

10.1200/jco.2012.30.15_suppl.9070 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 30 (15_suppl) ◽

pp. 9070-9070

Author(s):

Hetty Prinsen ◽

Jolanda de Vries ◽

Foekje Stelma ◽

Sasja Mulder ◽

Carla Van Herpen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Immune Response ◽

T Cell ◽

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome ◽

Cellular Immune Response ◽

Foxp3 Expression ◽

Chronic Fatigue ◽

Fatigue Syndrome ◽

Patient Groups ◽

Postcancer Fatigue ◽

Cellular Immune

9070 Background: Postcancer fatigue (PCF) is a frequently occurring problem, impairing quality of life. Patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) also suffer from severe fatigue symptoms. We hypothesized that in fatigued patients (PCF and CFS) alterations in immune response could explain fatigue symptoms. Therefore, we examined whether the humoral and/or cellular immune response after influenza vaccination differed between fatigued patients and non-fatigued individuals and between PCF and CFS patients. Methods: PCF (n=15) and CFS patients (n=22) were vaccinated against influenza. Age and gender matched non-fatigued cancer survivors (n=12) and healthy controls (n=23) were included for comparison. Antibody responses were measured at baseline and at day 21 by a hemagglutination inhibition test. T cell responses were measured at baseline and at day 7 by a lymphocyte proliferation and activation assay. Results: Both patient groups developed seroprotection rates comparable to the accompanying control groups. Functional T cell reactivity was observed in all groups. Proliferation at baseline was significantly lower in fatigued patients compared to non-fatigued individuals. A significant increase in proliferation from baseline to day 7 was observed in fatigued patients, but not in controls. At day 7, proliferation was not significantly different between fatigued patients and non-fatigued individuals. CD4+CD127-FoxP3+ expression was significantly higher in PCF patients compared to non-fatigued cancer survivors. Conclusions: We observed a lower T cell proliferation at baseline in fatigued patients compared to non-fatigued individuals, suggesting a difference in the baseline state of the immune system between fatigued patients and non-fatigued individuals. Furthermore, the difference in CD4+CD127-FoxP3+ expression between PCF and CFS patients suggests subtle differences in immune state between these two fatigued patient groups. However, since humoral and cellular immune responses after vaccination did not differ significantly between fatigued patients and non-fatigued individuals, vaccination of fatigued patients (PCF and CFS) can be effective.

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Immunoadsorption to remove ß2 adrenergic receptor antibodies in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome CFS/ME

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0193672 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 13 (3) ◽

pp. e0193672 ◽

Cited By ~ 22

Author(s):

Carmen Scheibenbogen ◽

Madlen Loebel ◽

Helma Freitag ◽

Anne Krueger ◽

Sandra Bauer ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome ◽

Adrenergic Receptor ◽

Chronic Fatigue ◽

Fatigue Syndrome ◽

Receptor Antibodies

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Cognitive deficits in patients suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome, acute infective illness or depression

The British Journal of Psychiatry ◽

10.1192/bjp.171.4.377 ◽

1997 ◽

Vol 171 (4) ◽

pp. 377-381 ◽

Cited By ~ 47

Author(s):

Ute Vollmer-Conna ◽

Denis Wakefield ◽

Andrew Lloyd ◽

Ian Hickie ◽

Jim Lemon ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome ◽

Cognitive Performance ◽

Acute Infection ◽

Reaction Times ◽

Response Speed ◽

Chronic Fatigue ◽

Mood Disturbance ◽

Healthy Controls ◽

Fatigue Syndrome ◽

Patient Groups

BackgroundPatients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) report neuropsychological symptoms as a characteristic feature. We sought to assess cognitive performance in patients with CFS, and compare cognitive performance and subjective workload experience of these patients with that of two disease comparison groups (non-melanchonic depression and acute infection) and healthy controls.MethodA computerised performance battery employed to assess cognitive functioning included tests of continuous attention, response speed, performance accuracy and memory. Severity of mood disturbance and subjective fatigue were assessed by questionnaire.ResultsAll patient groups demonstrated increased errors and slower reaction times, and gave higher workload ratings than healthy controls. Patients with CFS and non-melancholic depression had more severe deficits than patients with acute infection. All patient groups reported more severe mood disturbance and fatigue than healthy controls, but patients with CFS and those with acute infection reported less severe mood disturbance than patients with depression.ConclusionsAs all patients demonstrated similar deficits in attention and response speed, it is possible that common pathophysiological processes are involved. The differences in severity of mood disturbance, however, suggest that the pathophysiological processes in patients with CFS and acute infection are not simply secondary to depressed mood.

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Long- and short-term blood pressure andRR-interval variability and psychosomatic distress in chronic fatigue syndrome: authors’ reply 1

Clinical Science ◽

10.1042/cs19990155 ◽

1999 ◽

Vol 97 (3) ◽

pp. 319 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

D.A. DUPREZ ◽

M.L. DE BUYZERE ◽

B. DRIEGHE ◽

F. VANHAVERBEKE ◽

Y. TAES ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Blood Pressure ◽

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome ◽

Chronic Fatigue ◽

Short Term ◽

Fatigue Syndrome

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Diagnostic Concordance Between Categorical and Dimensional Instruments to Assess Personality Disorder in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

European Journal of Psychological Assessment ◽

10.1027/1015-5759/a000281 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 33 (3) ◽

pp. 158-165

Author(s):

Natalia Calvo ◽

Naia Sáez-Francàs ◽

Sergi Valero ◽

Jesús Castro-Marrero ◽

José Alegre Martín ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Personality Disorder ◽

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome ◽

Personality Assessment ◽

Chronic Fatigue ◽

Specific Pattern ◽

Harm Avoidance ◽

Assessment Instrument ◽

Compulsive Disorder ◽

Fatigue Syndrome ◽

Self Transcendence

Abstract. The study examines the relationship between a categorical and a dimensional personality assessment instrument in patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS). A total of 162 CFS patients were included in the study (91.4% women; mean age 47.5 years). All subjects completed the Spanish versions of the Personality Diagnostic Questionnaire-4+ (PDQ-4+) and the Temperament and Character Inventory-Revised (TCI-R). Results: 78 (48.1%) of the patients presented a Personality Disorder (PD), the most frequent being Cluster C, specifically Obsessive-compulsive disorder, followed by Avoidant disorder. PDs showed a specific pattern of correlation with temperament scales. All PD clusters correlated positively with Harm Avoidance and Self-Transcendence, and negatively with Reward Dependence, Self-Directedness, and Cooperativeness. In a logistic regression analysis, Self-Directedness and Cooperativeness predicted PD presence. The findings are consistent with previous studies in non-CFS samples and suggest that the combination of the Temperament and Character dimensions (low Self-Directedness and Cooperativeness and high Harm Avoidance and Self-Transcendence) correlates with PD severity, and that Self-Directedness and Cooperativeness are associated with PD presence in CFS patients. The integration of these two perspectives expands the current comprehension of personality pathology in CFS patients.

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