Variables | ME/CFS | Long COVID | Healthy controls | P-value 1 | P-value 2 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
(n = 31) | (n = 23) | (n = 31) | |||
Age, years | 49.3 ± 3.1 | 48.7 ± 2.4 | 41.7 ± 1.8 | n.s. | n.s. |
Female, n (%) | 20 (65) | 15 (65) | 22 (71) | n.s. | n.s. |
BMI, kg/m2 | 25.5 ± 0.6 | 25.8 ± 0.9 | 24.2 ± 0.6 | n.s. | n.s. |
Illness duration at the inclusion time, years | 7.4 ± 0.7 | 2.1 ± 0.6 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
SBP, mmHg | 128.1 ± 3.1 | 124.6 ± 2.9 | 115.6 ± 2.0 | < 0.0001 | 0.0038 |
DBP, mmHg | 81.8 ± 1.5 | 77.8 ± 1.3 | 71.4 ± 1.4 | < 0.0001 | 0.0006 |
HR, bpm | 73.6 ± 1.8 | 67.2 ± 2.2 | 65.5 ± 1.7 | 0.0036 | n.s. |
Self-reported symptoms, n (%) | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â |
Post-exertional malaise | 25 (80) | 23 (100) | 0 (0) | < 0.0001 | < 0.0001 |
Cognitive impairments | 6 (19) | 23 (100) | 0 (0) | 0.024 | < 0.0001 |
Unrefreshing sleep | 22 (70) | 20 (87) | 0 (0) | < 0.0001 | < 0.0001 |
Headache | 5 (16) | 17 (74) | 0 (0) | 0.050 | < 0.0001 |
Anxiety/depression | 10 (32) | 6 (26) | 0 (0) | 0.0008 | 0.004 |
Gastrointestinal disturbances | 10 (32) | 14 (61) | 0 (0) | 0.0008 | < 0.0001 |
Orthostatic intolerance | 10 (32) | 6 (26) | 0 (0) | 0.0008 | 0.004 |
Pre-existing comorbidities, n (%) | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â |
Fibromyalgia | 13 (41) | 7 (30) | 0 (0) | < 0.0001 | 0.0014 |
Hypertension | 7 (22) | 5 (22) | 0 (0) | 0.011 | 0.011 |
IBS | 4 (12) | 4 (17) | 0 (0) | 0.017 | 0.028 |
Hypothyroidism | 4 (12) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | < 0.0001 | n.s. |
Dyslipidemia | 4 (12) | 4 (17) | 0 (0) | n.s. | 0.028 |
Diabetes | 4 (12) | 3 (13) | 1 (3) | n.s. | n.s. |
Cardiovascular disease | 0 (0) | 5 (22) | 0 (0) | n.s. | 0.011 |
Cerebrovascular disorder | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | n.s. | n.s. |
Chronic COPD/asthma | 4 (12) | 1 (4) | 0 (0) | n.s. | n.s. |
CKD | 0 (0) | 1 (4) | 0 (0) | n.s. | n.s. |
COVID-19 status, n (%) | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â |
At home | 14 (45) | 4 (17) | 5 (16) | 0.026 | n.s. |
Outpatients | 1 (3) | 14 (61) | 5 (16) | n.s. | 0.0012 |
Hospitalized | 0 (0) | 5 (22) | 0 (0) | n.s. | 0.011 |
COVID-19 wave, n (%)a | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â |
Wave 1 | 20 (65) | 19 (83) | 0 (0) | < 0.0001 | < 0.0001 |
Wave 2 | 6 (19) | 4 (17) | 5 (16) | n.s. | n.s. |
Wave 3 | 3 (9) | 0 (0) | 7 (23) | n.s. | 0.016 |
Vaccination status, n (%)b | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â |
None dose | 1 (3) | 1 (4) | 0 (0) | n.s. | n.s. |
One dose | 30 (96) | 22 (96) | 31 (100) | n.s. | n.s. |
Two doses | 30 (96) | 16 (70) | 30 (96) | n.s. | 0.0078 |
Three or more doses | 19 (61) | 8 (35) | 22 (70) | n.s. | 0.013 |
Vaccine type, n (%) | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â |
Pfizer | 20 (64) | 17(74) | 24 (77) | n.s. | n.s. |
Oxford | 5 (16) | 4 (17) | 5 (16) | n.s. | n.s. |
Moderna | 4 (12) | 1 (4) | 2 (7) | n.s. | n.s. |
Janssen | 1 (3) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | n.s. | n.s. |
COVID-19 severityc | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â |
Asymptomatic | 20 (64) | 5 (22) | 29 (94) | 0.011 | < 0.0001 |
Mild/moderate | 10 (32) | 18 (78) | 2 (6) | 0.022 | < 0.0001 |
Severe | 1(4) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | n.s. | n.s. |
Critically severe | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | n.s. | n.s. |
Measuresd | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â |
FIS-40 | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â |
Global score (0-160) | 130.3 ± 3.3 | 127.5 ± 3.6 | 17.2 ± 2.6 | < 0.0001 | < 0.0001 |
 Physical | 34.2 ± 0.8 | 33.3 ± 1.0 | 5.1 ± 0.7 | < 0.0001 | < 0.0001 |
 Cognitive | 61.3 ± 2.0 | 59.1 ± 2.2 | 8.0 ± 1.3 | < 0.0001 | < 0.0001 |
 Psychosocial | 34.8 ± 0.9 | 35.2 ± 1.0 | 4.1 ± 0.7 | < 0.0001 | < 0.0001 |
PSQI | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â |
Global score (0–21) | 14.8 ± 0.7 | 14.0 ± 0.9 | 5.6 ± 0.4 | < 0.0001 | < 0.0001 |
 Subjective sleep quality | 2.2 ± 0.1 | 2.2 ± 0.1 | 0.7 ± 0.1 | < 0.0001 | < 0.0001 |
 Sleep latency | 2.1 ± 0.2 | 2.2 ± 0.2 | 1.3 ± 0.1 | < 0.0001 | 0.0003 |
 Sleep duration | 1.9 ± 0.1 | 1.8 ± 0.2 | 1.2 ± 0.1 | < 0.0001 | 0.0003 |
 Habitual sleep efficiency | 2.1 ± 0.2 | 1.8 ± 0.3 | 0.5 ± 0.1 | < 0.0001 | < 0.0001 |
 Sleep disturbances | 2.3 ± 0.1 | 2.0 ± 0.1 | 1.0 ± 0.04 | < 0.0001 | < 0.0001 |
 Use of sleeping medication | 2.0 ± 0.2 | 1.8 ± 0.3 | 0.3 ± 0.09 | < 0.0001 | < 0.0001 |
 Daytime dysfunction | 2.24 ± 0.1 | 2.1 ± 0.2 | 0.6 ± 0.08 | < 0.0001 | < 0.0001 |
HADS | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â |
Global score (0–42) | 24.8 ± 1.2 | 22.5 ± 1.7 | 6.5 ± 0.6 | < 0.0001 | < 0.0001 |
 Anxiety | 12.9 ± 0.6 | 11.2 ± 1.0 | 4.7 ± 0.4 | < 0.0001 | < 0.0001 |
 Depression | 11.9 ± 0.7 | 11.3 ± 0.9 | 1.8 ± 0.3 | < 0.0001 | < 0.0001 |
COMPASS-31 | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â |
Global score (0-100) | 56.0 ± 2.2 | 40.9 ± 3.7 | 11.8 ± 1.3 | < 0.0001 | < 0.0001 |
 Orthostatic intolerance | 23.7 ± 1.2 | 17.2 ± 2.2 | 5.1 ± 0.8 | < 0.0001 | < 0.0001 |
 Vasomotor | 1.7 ± 0.2 | 1.3 ± 0.3 | 0.08 ± 0.1 | < 0.0001 | < 0.0001 |
 Secretomotor | 10.0 ± 0.5 | 7.5 ± 0.9 | 1.1 ± 0.3 | < 0.0001 | < 0.0001 |
 Gastrointestinal | 12.4 ± 0.7 | 8.6 ± 1.0 | 4.0 ± 0.5 | < 0.0001 | < 0.0001 |
 Bladder | 4.4 ± 0.5 | 3.5 ± 0.8 | 0.5 ± 0.1 | < 0.0001 | < 0.0001 |
 Pupillomotor | 3.8 ± 0.2 | 2.6 ± 0.2 | 1.0 ± 0.1 | < 0.0001 | < 0.0001 |
OGS | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â |
Global score (0–20) | 12.8 ± 0.9 | 10.6 ± 1.0 | 0.9 ± 0.3 | < 0.0001 | < 0.0001 |
 Frequency of orthostatic symptoms | 2.7 ± 0.2 | 2.2 ± 0.2 | 0.3 ± 0.1 | < 0.0001 | < 0.0001 |
 Severity of orthostatic symptoms | 2.6 ± 0.2 | 2.3 ± 0.2 | 0.3 ± 0.07 | < 0.0001 | < 0.0001 |
 Conditions under which orthostatic symptoms occur | 2.7 ± 0.2 | 2.0 ± 0.2 | 0.2 ± 0.07 | < 0.0001 | < 0.0001 |
 Activities of daily living | 2.5 ± 0.2 | 2.3 ± 0.3 | 0.02 ± 0.02 | < 0.0001 | < 0.0001 |
 Standing time | 2.3 ± 0.3 | 1.7 ± 0.2 | 0.12 ± 0.08 | < 0.0001 | < 0.0001 |
SF-36 | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â |
Global score (0-100) | 27.0 ± 2.2 | 29.1 ± 3.0 | 86.9 ± 1.5 | < 0.0001 | < 0.0001 |
 Physical functioning | 34.3 ± 3.2 | 44.8 ± 5.6 | 97.1 ± 0.7 | < 0.0001 | < 0.0001 |
 Physical role functioning | 2.4 ± 1.5 | 1.1 ± 1.1 | 92.1 ± 2.5 | < 0.0001 | < 0.0001 |
 Bodily pain | 18.3 ± 2.4 | 29.6 ± 4.5 | 86.2 ± 2.4 | < 0.0001 | < 0.0001 |
 General health perception | 21.7 ± 2.4 | 27.8 ± 2.9 | 86.7 ± 1.5 | < 0.0001 | < 0.0001 |
 Vitality | 14.0 ± 2.7 | 20.0 ± 3.9 | 71.7 ± 2.3 | < 0.0001 | < 0.0001 |
 Social role functioning | 32.6 ± 3.6 | 33.4 ± 5.0 | 94.0 ± 1.8 | < 0.0001 | < 0.0001 |
 Emotional role functioning | 46.3 ± 6.9 | 34.8 ± 9.7 | 90.6 ± 3.2 | < 0.0001 | < 0.0001 |
 Mental health | 18.2 ± 2.5 | 44.6 ± 6.8 | 95.2 ± 3.4 | < 0.0001 | < 0.0001 |
 Physical health component summary scores (PCS) | 36.1 ± 3.7 | 21.2 ± 4.6 | 76.4 ± 2.2 | < 0.0001 | < 0.0001 |
 Mental health component summary scores (MCS) | 7.8 ± 3.1 | 11.2 ± 2.8 | 69.3 ± 2.6 | < 0.0001 | < 0.0001 |