Long Covid, chronic fatigue links may help with remedies - researcher

By RNZ

A study that confirms links between Long Covid and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) could be beneficial for advancing treatment for both diseases, a researcher says.

A study by Otago University found data gathered on cells of patients suffering chronic fatigue for 16 years mimicked that of Long Covid patients who’d suffered conditions for a year.

The study’s lead author - the University of Otago’s Emeritus Professor Warren Tate - told Morning Report they were initially looking at Long Covid patients and comparing aspects of their physiology to people with CFS.

He said they found the individual proteins of the immune system were highly dysregulated in both conditions, and that the production line for energy production was also similar.

Professor Tate said this finding could lead to a coordinated treatment strategy that could benefit both patient groups.

Warren Tate Photo / RNZ

“So we’ve identified two common pathways which means these are pathways where we should be able to direct the development of therapeutic approaches which will provide benefit to both groups of patients who are so severely debilitated,” he said.

Professor Tate said this was significant, as it meant the big investments into Long Covid in countries like the United States, could produce outcomes that would be useful for CFS - which has always been underfunded.

“What we’re hoping is that the outcomes of that can be translated back to the Chronic Fatigue Syndrome patients, just as what we found with Chronic Fatigue can be actually, the information can be translated to the new studies with Long Covid,” he said.

Professor Tate said while this might not lead to a cure for the diseases, he was optimistic it could help improve the quality of life for many patients.

- RNZ