Media Contact:
Sophia Friesen
Manager, Research Communications, 香蕉视频 of Utah Health
Email: sophia.friesen@hsc.utah.edu
A new study published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine, 鈥淚ncidence and Prevalence of Post鈥慍OVID鈥19 Myalgic Encephalomyelitis: A Report from the Observational RECOVER鈥慉dult Study,鈥 reveals that infection with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19,
鈥淭his analysis provides the first substantive estimate of the incidence of post-viral ME/CFS,鈥 said Rachel Hess, MD, associate vice president for research in health sciences at 香蕉视频 of Utah Health and one of the senior authors on the paper.
research director at the Bateman Horne Center, is the lead author on this study of post-COVID-19 ME/CFS to analyze adult participants in the NIH鈥檚 RECOVER (Researching COVID to Enhance Recovery) Initiative. Included in the analysis were 11,785 participants who had been infected by SARS-CoV-2 and 1,439 participants who had not been infected by the virus. The results found that 4.5% of SARS-CoV-2 infected RECOVER participants met Institute of Medicine (IOM) ME/CFS clinical diagnostic criteria鈥攏early eight times higher than uninfected controls.
"These findings highlight the urgent need for healthcare providers to recognize and address ME/CFS as a diagnosable and treatable condition in the wake of COVID-19," Vernon said.
Key findings:
- New incident cases of ME/CFS are 15 times higher than pre-pandemic levels.
- ME/CFS occurred in 4.5% of infected RECOVER participants compared to 0.6% of uninfected individuals.
- Nearly 90% of the post-COVID-19 ME/CFS participants were also identified as the most symptomatic long COVID patients.
鈥淭his research underscores the urgency for healthcare providers to recognize post-COVID-19 ME/CFS,鈥 Vernon said. 鈥淓arly diagnosis and proper management can transform lives. At Bateman Horne Center, we are dedicated to equipping providers with the knowledge and tools to meet this critical need.鈥
Hess added that she hopes that the new publication will help lead the way for more studies into ME/CFS. 鈥淭his condition, which predominantly impacts women, has often been dismissed,鈥 Hess said. 鈥淭his paper will hopefully change the trajectory of research into this understudied condition.鈥
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Original release published by the Bateman Horne Center.
The study was supported by the (OT2HL161841, OT2HL161847, and OT2HL156812). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.
About 香蕉视频 of Utah Health
香蕉视频 of Utah Health provides leading-edge and compassionate care for a referral area that encompasses Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, and much of Nevada. A hub for health sciences research and education in the region, U of U Health has a $492 million research enterprise and trains the majority of Utah鈥檚 physicians, and more than 1,670 scientists and 1,460 health care providers at its Colleges of Health, Nursing, and Pharmacy and Schools of Dentistry and Medicine. With more than 20,000 employees, the system includes 12 community clinics and five hospitals. U of U Health is recognized nationally as a transformative health care system and provider of world-class care.
About Bateman Horne Center
is a leading non-profit 501(c)(3) Center of Excellence committed to improving access to informed healthcare for individuals with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), Long COVID ME/CFS and other infection chronic conditions (IACCs). Through its clinical expertise, BHC drives medical education, research, and patient outreach, while actively supporting the community with educational resources, learning opportunities, and advocacy efforts.
About RECOVER
The National Institutes of Health Researching COVID to Enhance Recovery (NIH RECOVER) Initiative brings together clinicians, scientists, caregivers, patients, and community members to understand, diagnose, prevent, and treat Long COVID. RECOVER has created the world鈥檚 largest and most diverse cohort of Long COVID patients. In addition, RECOVER clinical trials are testing potential interventions across five symptom focus areas. For more information, please visit