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A comparison of pain, fatigue, and function between post-COVID-19 condition, fibromyalgia, and chronic fatigue syndrome: a survey study
Journal article   Peer reviewed

A comparison of pain, fatigue, and function between post-COVID-19 condition, fibromyalgia, and chronic fatigue syndrome: a survey study

Saman Haider, Adam J. Janowski, Joseph B. Lesnak, Kazuhiro Hayashi, Dana L. Dailey, Ruth Chimenti, Laura A. Frey-Law and Kathleen A. Sluka
Pain (Amsterdam), Vol.164(2), pp.385-401
02/2023
DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000002711
PMCID: PMC9797623
PMID: 36006296
url
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/9797623View
Open Access

Abstract

A growing number of individuals report prolonged symptoms following acute Coronavirus-19 (COVID-19) infection, known as post-COVID-19 condition (post-COVID-19). While studies have emerged investigating the symptom sequelae of post-COVID-19, there has been limited investigation into the characterization of pain, fatigue, and function in these individuals, despite initial reports of a clinical phenotype similar to fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS)/myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME). This study aimed to characterize multiple symptom domains in individuals reporting post-COVID-19 and compare its clinical phenotype with those with FMS and CFS. A total of 707 individuals with a single or comorbid diagnosis of post-COVID-19, FMS, and/or CFS completed multiple surveys assessing self-reported pain, fatigue, physical and cognitive function, catastrophizing, kinesiophobia, anxiety, depression, dyspnea, and sleep quality. In all 3 diagnoses, elevated pain, fatigue, anxiety, depression, catastrophizing, and kinesiophobia were reported. Physical and cognitive function were similarly impacted among individuals with post-COVID-19, FMS, and CFS; however, individuals with post-COVID-19 reported lower pain and fatigue than FMS and CFS. The comorbid diagnosis of post-COVID-19 with FMS and/or CFS further exacerbated pain, fatigue, and psychological domains when compared with post-COVID-19 alone. In summary, individuals with post-COVID-19 report a symptom phenotype similar to FMS and CFS, negatively impacting cognitive and physical function, but with less severe pain and fatigue overall. These findings may help direct future investigations of the benefit of a biopsychosocial approach to the clinical management of post-COVID-19.

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