ArticleFatigue : biomedicine, health & behavior2021
COVID-19 Symptoms Over Time: Comparing Long-Haulers to ME/CFS.
Article in Fatigue : biomedicine, health & behavior, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 62 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
62 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Recent research in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome: an evidence map.Health technology assessment (Winchester, England) · 2025Pooled it
- Definition and measurement of post-COVID-19 conditions in real-world practice: a global systematic literature review.BMJ open · 2024Pooled it
- Fatigue and cognitive impairment in Post-COVID-19 Syndrome: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Brain, behavior, and immunity · 2022Pooled it
- A digital platform with activity tracking for energy management support in long COVID: a randomised controlled trial.Nature communications · 2026Trial
- Pathophysiological mechanisms of fatigue and multidisciplinary management strategies (Review).Experimental and therapeutic medicine · 2026Review
- Prevalence of long covid symptoms in Tuscany, Italy: a population-representative cross-sectional telephone survey.BMJ open · 2026Article
- Cognition, Cytokines, Blood-Brain Barrier, and Beyond in COVID-19: A Narrative Review.International journal of molecular sciences · 2026Review
- A Perspective on the Role of Metformin in Treating Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) and Long COVID.ACS pharmacology & translational science · 2025Review
- Metabolic neuroimaging of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome and Long-COVID.Immunometabolism (Cobham, Surrey) · 2025Review
- Assessing the Relationship in Symptomology of Myalgic Encephalitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Long COVID.American journal of medicine open · 2025Article
- Key Pathophysiological Role of Skeletal Muscle Disturbance in Post COVID and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS): Accumulated Evidence.Journal of cachexia, sarcopenia and muscle · 2025Review
- Correlation Between COVID-19 Recovery, Executive Function Decline, and Emotional State.Psychology research and behavior management · 2025Article
- Post-exertional malaise in Long COVID: subjective reporting versus objective assessment.Frontiers in neurology · 2025Article
- Complex chronic adverse events following immunization: a systemic critique and reform proposal for vaccine pharmacovigilance.Therapeutic advances in drug safety · 2025Article
- A tablet-based intervention study to alleviate cognitive and psychological symptoms in patients with post-Covid-19 condition.Frontiers in psychology · 2025Article
- Two neurocognitive domains identified for patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome and post-acute sequelae of COVID-19.Frontiers in neurology · 2025Article
- A pilot cross-sectional investigation of symptom clusters and associations with patient-reported outcomes in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Post COVID-19 Condition.Quality of life research : an international journal of quality of life aspects of treatment, care and rehabilitation · 2024Article
- Associations Between Acute COVID-19 Symptom Profiles and Long COVID Prevalence: Population-Based Cross-Sectional Study.JMIR public health and surveillance · 2024Article
- Long COVID: plasma levels of neurofilament light chain in mild COVID-19 patients with neurocognitive symptoms.Molecular psychiatry · 2024Article
- Illness presentation and quality of life in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome and post COVID-19 condition: a pilot Australian cross-sectional study.Quality of life research : an international journal of quality of life aspects of treatment, care and rehabilitation · 2024Article
2 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
Abstract
introductionOur objective was to determine which symptoms among long-hauler COVID-19 patients change over time, and how their symptoms compare to another chronic illness group. 278 long-haulers completed two symptom questionnaires at one time point, with one recounting experiences from an average of 21.7 weeks prior.
methodsWe used a comparison group of 502 patients diagnosed with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). Participants completed a standardized symptom questionnaire and a list of additional CDC COVID-19 symptoms.
resultsOver time, the long-haulers reported an overall reduction of most symptoms including unrefreshing sleep and post-exertional malaise, but an intensification of neurocognitive symptoms. When compared to ME/CFS, the COVID-19 sample was initially more symptomatic for the immune and orthostatic domains but over time, the long-haulers evidenced significantly less severe symptoms than those with ME/CFS, except in the orthostatic domain. Among the COVID-19 long haulers, several neurocognitive symptoms got worse over time, whereas improvements occurred in most other areas.
conclusionsThese types of differential patterns of symptoms over time might contribute to helping better understand the pathophysiology of those reporting prolonged illness following COVID-19.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.