Understanding long covid: a shortcut to solving ME/CFS? Simon McGrath

Not sure we are currently in a position to be able to "prove" that anyone (whether they are confirmed as having a history of COVID-19 or not) has ME, CFS.
Sure we are, as defined by whichever definition is selected to be used, which is, obviously, the only way we can currently define it - we are all well aware here that we don't currently have a biomarker for ME/CFS.
 
Sure we are, as defined by whichever definition is selected to be used, which is, obviously, the only way we can currently define it - we are all well aware here that we don't currently have a biomarker for ME/CFS.

Which is exactly my point.

On the subject of potential terminology, post COVID-19 symptoms and their relationship to ME, CFS, you might want to read this Letter (if you haven't already seen it):


https://www.s4me.info/threads/post-covid-19-syndrome-snomed-coding.16833/#post-290226

Wellcome Open Reasearch

OPEN LETTER
Why the Patient-Made Term 'Long Covid' is needed
[version 1; peer review: awaiting peer review]

Elisa Perego1, Felicity Callard
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5350-1963
2, Laurie Stras
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0129-2047
3, Barbara Melville-Jóhannesson4, Rachel Pope5, Nisreen A. Alwan
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4134-8463
6-8
 
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Not sure we are currently in a position to be able to "prove" that anyone (whether they are confirmed as having a history of COVID-19 or not) has ME, CFS.
I suspect we are in a better position than in most ME/CFS studies

(My highlighting in brown)

https://wellcomeopenresearch.org/articles/5-224

PDF: https://d212y8ha88k086.cloudfront.n...7e6-198188dab8b3_16307_-_felicity_callard.pdf

OPEN LETTER
Why the Patient-Made Term 'Long Covid' is needed
key highlight for me
"While similarities between some ‘Long Covid’ symptoms and symptoms from conditions such as Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) and dysautonomia need to be investigated47,48, there is a risk of prematurely framing studies of ‘Long Covid’ through other diseases. This might downplay emerging phenomena specifically linked to COVID-19 – such as the range of SARS-CoV-2 action via ACE2 receptors widespread in the body, and the temporally and spatially complex immune response to the virus – thereby missing thresholds for early intervention25,45."
.
Yes, it's important to go into this with an open mind. that doesn't exclude ME/CFS as one possibility for some patients (as stressed in my blog - we don't know anything for sure).

All researchers I saw expressing an opinion think it is possible that long covid has multiple causes, especially those linked to covid-19 eg organ damage, and that it could also include an entirely new illness. Could also include ME/CFS.

Given the depth of the research planned, esp the NIH intramural study, I expect progress. ME/CFS diagnosis relies heavily on the exclusion of alternative explanations. The body of research underway is well placed to find those exclusions.
 
Surely it should be called COVID-19.
Recognition of the long term effects in some patients should not depend on giving it another name.
If you have stroke, you don't give it a different name according to whether you died instantly, recovered slowly, or never recovered. I may be wrong but I've never heard of post-stroke syndrome.
Once it has a different name e.g. post-COVID, it will be treated like a non-disease state.
 
Surely it should be called COVID-19.
Recognition of the long term effects in some patients should not depend on giving it another name.
If you have stroke, you don't give it a different name according to whether you died instantly, recovered slowly, or never recovered. I may be wrong but I've never heard of post-stroke syndrome.
Once it has a different name e.g. post-COVID, it will be treated like a non-disease state.


There is a thread here, monitoring the progress and outcome of three requests submitted via the NHS Digital Submission Portal for creation of a new Concept term for SNOMED CT UK Edition, in order that a code is available for data collection:

Three potential Concept terms have now been requested by three submitters:

1 'Post COVID-19 syndrome (please double check with clinical bodies)'
2 'Post-COVID syndrome'
3 'Long Covid' and 'Suspected long Covid'

https://www.s4me.info/threads/post-covid-19-syndrome-snomed-coding.16833/
 
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