(Austria) Medical University of Graz launches initiative for ME/CFS training

[forestglip]

Google translated article

Myalgic encephalomyelitis/Chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is a serious neuroimmunological disease that often results in a high degree of physical disability. According to estimates, around 50,000 people in Austria are affected by ME/CFS, around 5,000 of them in Styria alone. Experts criticize the current care of ME/CFS patients as inadequate because there is often a lack of knowledge about the symptoms and therapy of this disease. In order to meet this challenge, the Med University of Graz has launched a new training focus. From now on, students in the final part of their studies will receive special training in the area of ME/CFS in order to quickly and sustainably improve the care situation.

The “KPJ Skills” series of courses started today at the Med University of Graz. This series offers students in the final stage of their human medicine diploma course the opportunity to prepare specifically in theory and practice for the third part of their clinical-practical year (KPJ). A particular focus is on imparting knowledge and skills in the area of ME/CFS in order to give prospective doctors special, application-oriented knowledge on their way to the teaching hospitals and teaching clinics of the Med University of Graz. The teaching content is taught by experts in this field.

The anesthetist and pain doctor Thomas Weber was recruited as an expert for this initiative . Thomas Weber treats patients with ME/CFS in Styria and observes the development of the disease with concern.

 

[rvallee]

This could be good, but without seeing the content they are taught, my assumption is that it probably won't. The assumption that things are bad, even when they seem good, pretty much holds up... all the time.

But on the off chance that it's actually good: good. Maybe. Who knows?

 

[Yann04]

This could be good, but without seeing the content they are taught, my assumption is that it probably won't. The assumption that things are bad, even when they seem good, pretty much holds up... all the time

My counter (hopefilled) argument, is that this is Austria, where We&me seem to be scoring wins all the time, so maybe they had something to do with this and are able to make sure it is well done.

 

[Wyva]

There is actually an article about this in English:
https://www.krone.at/3403424
Med Uni launches first course on ME/CFS

5000 Styrians suffer from ME/CFS. Behind the combination of letters lies an insidious syndrome that robs those affected of any quality of life - some can no longer even get out of bed. The first course on the subject has now started at the Medical University of Graz.



Twelve medical students sit around the large table in the seminar room. Thomas Weber, an anesthetist with practices in Graz and St. Nikolai im Sausal, shows them videos of patients: Sandra (name changed) is in her late 20s and a teacher. She contracted Covid at the end of 2023. "Since then, I've had a fever every day, a sore throat, an increased heart rate of up to 160 even when walking, sleep disorders..." she says. "I'm threatened with disability and social isolation. We patients are left alone."

Thomas Weber shows a second video. All you can see is a dark room, a small green light, you can just make out a bed. The patient writes letters on the mattress with her index finger. Her parents try to guess what she wants to say. "The patient is 18 years old," says Weber.

The more the disease progresses, the worse it gets
That's how bad ME/CFS, short for myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome, can get. "Some patients even have to be artificially fed." Under stress, symptoms such as whole-body pain, brain fog and sleep disorders can worsen dramatically - sometimes even forever.

5000 Styrians are currently thought to be affected, two thirds are women, most of them between the ages of 30 and 50. "In 80 percent of cases, ME/CFS is triggered by an infectious disease," says Weber. This can be corona, for example, but also EPV (Epstein-Barr virus, which triggers mononucleosis) or influenza.

Corona led to explosion
Since the pandemic, cases have exploded and the syndrome has received more public attention. The Medical University of Graz has now taken a pioneering step: A course on ME/CFS is being offered as preparation for the Clinical Practical Year. "If the students are made aware of it, then that's an important step," says Thomas Wegscheider from the Clinical Skills Center at Med Uni. Because if they can recognize the disease and get help quickly, ME/CFS can be prevented from worsening. However, there is no cure.

"The need is huge. Around 15 new patients present to my practice every week. With timely treatment, you can regain a lot of quality of life."

Anästhesist Thomas Weber



Anaesthetist Weber, a pain expert who has started to specialize in this disease, knows how urgently a course is needed: "Of the twelve students, only three had ever heard of it. Most doctors don't know what ME/CFS is." Patients often have an odyssey of different doctors behind them and are wrongly diagnosed with a psychological condition. "The level of despair is very high, especially in severe cases."

There is already a center for the disease in Vienna - in the future there should be such a contact point in every federal state. Until then, says Weber, it is important to inform doctors and patients so that they can get help quickly.

 

[forestglip]

There is actually an article about this in English:
Med Uni launches first course on ME/CFS

Looks like they cheated too:

This article has been automatically translated

 

[alktipping]

Looks like they cheated too:

is it really cheating to use free tools to do a job for you saving you the expense of employing some one .

 

[Trish]

Does it say what the treatment they use is?

 

[EndME]

Does it say what the treatment they use is?

The article doesn't talk about specific treatments. They talk about how most medical students have never heard of ME/CFS before and that many patients have falsly been diagnosed with psychological suffering.

The people involved mentioned here are: Thomas Weber, Thomas Wegschneider und Vizerektor Erwin Petek.

From what I can tell from the article it all seems solid.

A bit more information can be found on the University website: https://www.medunigraz.at/news/detail/med-uni-graz-startet-initiative-zur-me-cfs-ausbildung. The WE&ME Foundation had reposted a Twitter post by Michael Stingl on this so I wouldn't be surprised if they are involved. Michael Stingl also commented "Dr. Weber ist großartig.", i.e. "Dr. Weber is great".

I can't really understand what "optimal care" is supposed to mean, but if it means awareness, following the available evidence and not recommending harmful and pseudoscientific approaches then a lot has already been won.