TY - JOUR
T1 - A Case Study of Successful Application of the Principles of ME/CFS Care to an Individual with Long COVID
AU - Petracek, Lindsay S.
AU - Broussard, Camille A.
AU - Swope, Renee L.
AU - Rowe, Peter
N1 - Funding Information:
Acknowledgments: Rowe is supported by the Sunshine Natural Wellbeing Foundation Professorship in Chronic Fatigue and Related Conditions. There was no funding for this case report.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 by the authors.
PY - 2023/3
Y1 - 2023/3
N2 - Persistent fatigue is one of the most common symptoms of post-COVID conditions, also termed long COVID. At the extreme end of the severity spectrum, some individuals with long COVID also meet the criteria for myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), raising the possibility that symptom management approaches for ME/CFS may benefit some long COVID patients. We describe the long-term outcomes of a 19-year-old male who developed profound impairment consistent with ME/CFS after a SARS-CoV-2 infection early in the pandemic. We evaluated and treated him using our clinic’s approach to ME/CFS. This included a history and physical examination that ascertained joint hypermobility, pathological reflexes, physical therapy maneuvers to look for a range of motion restrictions in the limbs and spine, orthostatic testing, and screening laboratory studies. He was found to have profound postural tachycardia syndrome, several ranges of motion restrictions, and mast cell activation syndrome. He was treated according to our clinic’s guidelines for managing ME/CFS, which included manual physical therapy maneuvers and both non-pharmacologic measures and medications directed at postural tachycardia syndrome and mast cell activation. He experienced significant improvement in his symptoms over 30 months. His case emphasizes how the application of the principles of treating ME/CFS has the potential to provide a direction for treating long COVID.
AB - Persistent fatigue is one of the most common symptoms of post-COVID conditions, also termed long COVID. At the extreme end of the severity spectrum, some individuals with long COVID also meet the criteria for myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), raising the possibility that symptom management approaches for ME/CFS may benefit some long COVID patients. We describe the long-term outcomes of a 19-year-old male who developed profound impairment consistent with ME/CFS after a SARS-CoV-2 infection early in the pandemic. We evaluated and treated him using our clinic’s approach to ME/CFS. This included a history and physical examination that ascertained joint hypermobility, pathological reflexes, physical therapy maneuvers to look for a range of motion restrictions in the limbs and spine, orthostatic testing, and screening laboratory studies. He was found to have profound postural tachycardia syndrome, several ranges of motion restrictions, and mast cell activation syndrome. He was treated according to our clinic’s guidelines for managing ME/CFS, which included manual physical therapy maneuvers and both non-pharmacologic measures and medications directed at postural tachycardia syndrome and mast cell activation. He experienced significant improvement in his symptoms over 30 months. His case emphasizes how the application of the principles of treating ME/CFS has the potential to provide a direction for treating long COVID.
KW - adolescent
KW - chronic fatigue syndrome
KW - long COVID
KW - myalgic encephalomyelitis
KW - orthostatic intolerance
KW - post COVID-19 condition
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U2 - 10.3390/healthcare11060865
DO - 10.3390/healthcare11060865
M3 - Article
C2 - 36981522
AN - SCOPUS:85151152787
SN - 2227-9032
VL - 11
JO - Healthcare (Switzerland)
JF - Healthcare (Switzerland)
IS - 6
M1 - 865
ER -