Abstract
tDCS improves perceptions of fatigue in patients with Post-COVID-19-symptoms that are less than 6 months post-infection
Brain stimulation, Vol.16(1), pp.249-249
01/01/2023
DOI: 10.1016/j.brs.2023.01.396
PMCID: PMC9930600
Abstract
Many people report post-COVID-19 symptoms, regardless of the severity of their acute COVID-19 illness (i.e., hospitalized or not). Neurological symptoms are common among patients with post-COVID-19 symptoms, with fatigue as the most prevalent. Our previous studies have shown that people with post-COVID-19 fatigue experience increased perception of fatigue, rather than performance fatigability. In this study we compared symptom severity in people with post-COVID-19 fatigue that were ≤ (N = 11) or ≥ (N = 9) 6 months post-COVID-19 infection. Additionally, we assessed the effects four consecutive daily of sessions of 4 mA or sham tDCS over the motor cortex (M1) on perception of fatigue (via the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), Fatigue Assessment Scale (FAS), and the EQ-5D-5L Visual Analog Scale for Health (EQ-5D-5L VAS)). The subjects that were ≤ 6 months post initial infection reported higher FSS (≤ 6 months: 5.37, ≥ 6 months: 4.01, p < 0.01), FAS (≤ 6 months: 32.18, ≥ 6 months: 23.78, p < 0.01), and lower VAS scores (≤ 6 months: 64.00, ≥ 6 months: 77.78, p = 0.04) than subjects ≥ 6 months post initial infection. Moreover, the subjects that were ≤ 6 months post-infection and received 4 mA tDCS reported significantly decreased FSS (pre: 5.46, post: 4.86, p = 0.01), FAS (pre: 32.14, post: 27.57, p = 0.03), and significantly increased VAS scores (pre: 64.86, post: 75.92, p = 0.03). There were no significant differences in the other groups (≤ 6 months/sham, ≥ 6 months/sham, ≥ 6 months/4 mA tDCS; all p ≥ 0.051). Our data suggest that post-COVID-19 symptoms are most severe within 6 months post-COVID-19 infection and that 4 mA tDCS over M1 may decrease perceived fatigability in people with post-COVID-19 fatigue that are less than 6 months post-COVID-19 infection.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- tDCS improves perceptions of fatigue in patients with Post-COVID-19-symptoms that are less than 6 months post-infection
- Creators
- Thorsten RudroffAlexandra FietsamJustin DetersAndrew BryantJohn Kamholz
- Resource Type
- Abstract
- Publication Details
- Brain stimulation, Vol.16(1), pp.249-249
- Publisher
- Published by Elsevier Inc
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.brs.2023.01.396
- PMCID
- PMC9930600
- ISSN
- 1935-861X
- eISSN
- 1876-4754
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 01/01/2023
- Academic Unit
- Health and Human Physiology; Neurology
- Record Identifier
- 9984368160102771
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