Observational studyQuality of life research : an international journal of quality of life aspects of treatment, care and rehabilitation2026
Health-related quality of life changes in patients with Q-fever fatigue syndrome: a four-year follow-up study, 10 years post-infection.
Observational study in Quality of life research : an international journal of quality of life aspects of treatment, care and rehabilitation, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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Abstract
purposeQ-fever can cause long-term health complications such as Q-fever Fatigue Syndrome (QFS), which may severely impact patients' Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL). This study investigated change of HRQoL in QFS patients over time, and explored predictors associated with change using longitudinal data.
methodsIn this prospective observational study questionnaires were administered among Dutch individuals with self-reported QFS who were registered at Q-support, a foundation that supports, advises and informs Q-fever patients. Participants completed four annual questionnaires between 2021 and 2024, including EQ-5D-5L and EQ VAS to measure HRQoL. Changes in HRQoL were categorized as "improvement", "deterioration", or "stable", using an anchor-based minimal important difference approach. Multinomial logistic regression analyses identified predictors of change.
resultsA total of 199 patients were included in the final analysis. At baseline, median EQ-5D-5L utility index and EQ VAS scores were 0.647 (IQR: 0.352-0.774), and 50.0 (IQR: 34.0-60.0), respectively. After four years, 37% of patients showed improvement in EQ-5D-5L utility, 30% deterioration, and 33% remained stable. Female sex and higher baseline EQ-5D-5L utility were associated with lower odds of improvement or being stable.
conclusionMore than 10 years post-infection, HRQoL remains consistently low at group level among patients with QFS, with substantial long-term variability in individual outcomes. These findings underscore the chronic nature of QFS, its long-lasting consequences, and the importance of continued monitoring of individual health trajectories. Further studies are warranted to better understand the mechanisms underlying individual differences in recovery and to inform targeted interventions for this patient population.
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