1. Sign our petition calling on Cochrane to withdraw their review of Exercise Therapy for 'CFS'.
    Dismiss Notice
  2. Guest, the 'News in Brief' for the week beginning 24th June 2024 is here.
    Dismiss Notice
  3. Welcome! Read the Core Purpose and Values of our forum.
    Dismiss Notice

Predicting Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome from Early Symptoms of COVID-19 Infection , 2023, Hua et al

Discussion in 'ME/CFS research' started by Sly Saint, Oct 14, 2023.

  1. Sly Saint

    Sly Saint Senior Member (Voting Rights)

    Messages:
    9,626
    Location:
    UK
    Abstract
    It is still unclear why certain individuals after viral infections continue to have severe symptoms. We investigated if predicting myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) development after contracting COVID-19 is possible by analyzing symptoms from the first two weeks of COVID-19 infection. Using participant responses to the 54-item DePaul Symptom Questionnaire, we built predictive models based on a random forest algorithm using the participants’ symptoms from the initial weeks of COVID-19 infection to predict if the participants would go on to meet the criteria for ME/CFS approximately 6 months later. Early symptoms, particularly those assessing post-exertional malaise, did predict the development of ME/CFS, reaching an accuracy of 94.6%. We then investigated a minimal set of eight symptom features that could accurately predict ME/CFS. The feature reduced models reached an accuracy of 93.5%. Our findings indicated that several IOM diagnostic criteria for ME/CFS occurring during the initial weeks after COVID-19 infection predicted Long COVID and the diagnosis of ME/CFS after 6 months.

    https://www.mdpi.com/2624-8611/5/4/73
     
    Sly Saint, Oct 14, 2023
    #1
    Michelle, Hutan, Sean and 1 other person like this.
  2. Trish

    Trish Moderator Staff Member

    Messages:
    53,405
    Location:
    UK
    Questionniares were filled in online by about 300 people at about 6 months of self identified Long Covid. The data for their symptoms at 2 weeks after infection were based on recall filled in at the same time point as the 6 months data, not done at the time, so liable to a high degree of recall bias. This was basically a data analysis exercise, no medical examinations were done.

    And it used the DePaul questionnaire with its flawed questions on PEM that focus on fatigue immediately after exercise, not delayed malaise.

    I doubt anything useful can be concluded from this.
     
    Trish, Oct 14, 2023
    #2
    Lou B Lou, RedFox, Michelle and 9 others like this.
  3. ME/CFS Skeptic

    ME/CFS Skeptic Senior Member (Voting Rights)

    Messages:
    3,667
    Location:
    Belgium
    Agree. Direct quote from the article:

    "Participants were asked to complete two symptom questionnaires, one of which detailed “present” symptoms and the other “recalled” symptoms from the first two weeks after COVID-19 diagnosis, an average of 21.7 weeks prior."
    ​
    It would be interesting data if it came from a longitudinal cohort.
     
    ME/CFS Skeptic, Oct 14, 2023
    #3
    RedFox, Michelle, Hutan and 6 others like this.
  4. Simon M

    Simon M Senior Member (Voting Rights)

    Messages:
    925
    Location:
    UK
    How is that not a straightforward reason for the journal to reject the paper?

    Added: journal information


    Psych
    Psych is an international, peer-reviewed, open access journal on psychiatric sciences and psychology, published quarterly online by MDPI.
     
    Simon M, Oct 14, 2023
    #4
    FMMM1, Michelle, Hutan and 5 others like this.
  5. Andy

    Andy Committee Member

    Messages:
    22,309
    Location:
    Hampshire, UK
    Andy, Oct 14, 2023
    #5
    Hutan, alktipping, Sean and 2 others like this.

Share This Page