Rheumatology and Long COVID: lessons from the study of fibromyalgia 2023,Calabrese

Abstract
Rheumatology, such as other subspecialties, has both a unique perspective to offer as well as an evolving role to play in the global COVID-19 pandemic. Our field has already contributed meaningfully to the development and repurposing of many of the immune-based therapeutics which are now standard treatments for severe forms of the disease as well as to the understanding of the epidemiology, risk factors and natural history of COVID-19 in immune-mediated inflammatory diseases.

Still in evolution is our potential to contribute to burgeoning research efforts in the next phase of the pandemic: the syndrome of postacute sequelae of COVID-19 or Long COVID. While our field brings many assets to the study of Long COVID including our expertise in the investigation of chronic inflammation and autoimmunity, our Viewpoint focuses on the strong similarities between fibromyalgia (FM) and Long COVID. While one can speculate on how embracing and confident practising rheumatologists already are regarding these interrelationships, we assert that in the emerging field of Long COVID the potential lessons from the field of fibromyalgia care and research have been underappreciated and marginalised and most importantly now deserve a critical appraisal.

https://ard.bmj.com/content/early/2023/05/24/ard-2023-224250?rss=1

 

It would seem that there are rheumatologists and then there are rheumatologists. Happily we have the pleasure of the company of the latter.

 

I’ve discussed Lenny Calabrese’s work elsewhere on the forum. I’ve always found it a rare amalgamation of arrogance, condescension, and charlatanry. Naturally, he’s treated as an expert opinion

 

The authors send greetings from the Hypothesis Nebula, a fictional realm.

 

Yeah, it seems that any initial hope of MDs experiencing LC would teach them something was badly misplaced. Turns out professional indoctrination beats personal experience most of the time. Good or bad intent, it often comes out the exact same. This isn't as damaging as what Garner is doing, but it ends up the exact same for all of us. The evidence for treating pain with this mumbo-jumbo is just as bad as the rest, it's all based on the same cheap logical fallacies and false attribution.

It really depends on how it ends up. If they recover, a few will have learned something, but more often than not they go back to the standard dogma. If they don't recover they simply cannot have any impact, so that most who can have an impact will end up doing mostly harm. Clearly there is no limit to how people can convince themselves that they were smart, when really they were just lucky.