Tag: lifestyle

Lifestyle, course of COVID-19, and risk of Long-COVID in non-hospitalized patients

Abstract:

Introduction: The coronavirus disease (COVID) 2019 pandemic remains a great challenge for the healthcare system. The widely reported prolonged signs and symptoms resulting from severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection (Long-COVID) require medical care. The aim of the study was to assess factors, including lifestyle variables, related to the course of COVID-19 infection and to assess their impact on prolonged symptoms in non-hospitalized patients with COVID-19.

Methods: A total of 1,847 (637 men and 1,210 women) non-hospitalized participants of the STOP-COVID registry of the PoLoCOV-Study who, following the COVID-19, underwent check-up examinations at the cardiology outpatient clinic were included in the analysis.

Results: The study participants (median age 51 [41-62] years) were evaluated at 13.4 (8.4-23.6) weeks following the diagnosis of COVID-19. Female sex (odds ratio [OR] 1.46 [95% CI 1.19-1.78]), body mass index (BMI; per 1 kg/m2: 1.02 [1.00-1.04]), hypertension (1.39 [1.07-1.81]), asthma (1.55 [1.06-2.27]), stress or overworking (1.54 [1.25-1.90]), and nightshift work (1.51 [1.06-2.14]) were independently related to the severity of symptoms during acute phase of the COVID-19 infection. The Long-COVID syndrome was independently related to the female sex (1.42 [1.13-1.79]), history of myocardial infarction (2.57 [1.04-6.32]), asthma (1.56 [1.01-2.41]), and severe course of the acute phase of the COVID-19 infection (2.27 [1.82-2.83]).

Conclusion: Female sex, BMI, asthma, hypertension, nightshifts, and stress or overworking are significantly related to the severity of the acute phase of the COVID-19 infection, while female sex, asthma, history of myocardial infarction, and the severity of symptoms in the acute phase of COVID-19 are the predictors of Long-COVID in non-hospitalized patients. We did not find an independent relation between Long-COVID and the studied lifestyle factors.

Source: Pływaczewska-Jakubowska M, Chudzik M, Babicki M, Kapusta J, Jankowski P. Lifestyle, course of COVID-19, and risk of Long-COVID in non-hospitalized patients. Front Med (Lausanne). 2022 Oct 24;9:1036556. doi: 10.3389/fmed.2022.1036556. PMID: 36353225; PMCID: PMC9637668. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9637668/ (Full text)

Fatigue and chronic fatigue syndrome-like complaints in the general population

Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Most knowledge on chronic fatigue (CF) and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is based on clinical studies, not representative of the general population. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of fatigue in an adult general population and to identify associations with lifestyle factors.

METHODS: Total 22,500 residents of Nijmegen were selected at random and interviewed by questionnaire. Data on 9062 respondents (43% response) were analysed, taken into account age, gender and concomitant disease. Subjects were classified into four groups: not fatigued (NF, reference group), short-term fatigue (SF, <6 months), chronic fatigue (CF, >or=6 months) and CFS-like fatigue (in accordance with the Center for Disease Control criteria for CFS, without clinical confirmation).

RESULTS: Our study population showed the following breakdown: NF 64.4% (95% CI 63.6-65.6%), SF 4.9% (95% CI 4.5-5.4%), CF 30.5% (95% CI 29.5-31.4%) and CFS-like fatigue 1.0% (95% CI 0.8-1.2%). Compared with the NF group, more of the CFS respondents were female [odds ratio (OR) = 1.9], obese (OR = 4.1), using analgesics (OR = 7.8), had a low alcohol intake (OR = 0.4), were eating less healthy food (OR = 0.5) and were physically less active (OR = 0.1). These associations largely applied to the SF and CF group. The fatigue could have been due to a concomitant disease in 34 and 55.5% of the SF and CF cases, respectively.

CONCLUSION: The prevalence of CF in the general population appears to be much higher than previously indicated. Even with strict criteria for CFS, it is estimated that approximately 1% of the adult population experiences this condition. Interestingly, a large part of this group remains unrecognized by the general practitioner. A striking similarity in lifestyle pattern between SF, CF and CFS calls for further research.

 

Source: van’t Leven M, Zielhuis GA, van der Meer JW, Verbeek AL, Bleijenberg G. Fatigue and chronic fatigue syndrome-like complaints in the general population. Eur J Public Health. 2010 Jun;20(3):251-7. doi: 10.1093/eurpub/ckp113. Epub 2009 Aug 18. http://eurpub.oxfordjournals.org/content/20/3/251.long (Full article)

 

The lifestyle of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome and the effect on fatigue and functional impairments

Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Little is known about the lifestyle of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and its influence on symptoms of CFS. The present study aimed to investigate the lifestyle of patients with CFS, and to assess whether lifestyle factors are related to fatigue and functional impairments.

METHODS: Two hundred and forty-seven patients fulfilling the Center for Disease Control criteria for CFS were included. Validated questionnaires were used to collect data on lifestyle factors, smoking, intake of alcohol, fat, fibres, fruit and vegetables, body mass index (BMI), fatigue severity and functional impairments.

RESULTS: Of the CFS patients, 23% smoked, 32% had an unhealthy BMI, and none had an unhealthy alcohol intake. A majority had an unhealthy food intake: 70% had unhealthy fat, fruit and vegetable intake, and 95% had unhealthy fibre intake. Compared with the general Dutch population, significantly fewer CFS patients were overweight. Significantly more female CFS patients abstained from alcohol, and fewer male CFS patients smoked. Unhealthy lifestyle factors were not significantly associated with fatigue severity or functional impairments.

CONCLUSIONS: CFS patients tend to lead a healthier lifestyle compared to the general Dutch population. However, no relationship was found between lifestyle factors and fatigue severity and functional impairments in CFS.

 

Source: Goedendorp MM, Knoop H, Schippers GM, Bleijenberg G. The lifestyle of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome and the effect on fatigue and functional impairments. J Hum Nutr Diet. 2009 Jun;22(3):226-31. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-277X.2008.00933.x. Epub 2009 Feb 17. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19226353

 

The relation of sleep difficulties to fatigue, mood and disability in chronic fatigue syndrome

Abstract:

The relationship of sleep complaints to mood, fatigue, disability, and lifestyle was examined in 69 chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) patients without psychiatric disorder, 58 CFS patients with psychiatric disorder, 38 psychiatric out-patients with chronic depressive disorders, and 45 healthy controls. The groups were matched for age and gender.

There were few differences between the prevalence or nature of sleep complaints of CFS patients with or without current DSM-IIIR depression, anxiety or somatization disorder. CFS patients reported significantly more naps and waking by pain, a similar prevalence of difficulties in maintaining sleep, and significantly less difficulty getting off to sleep compared to depressed patients.

Sleep continuity complaints preceded fatigue in only 20% of CFS patients, but there was a strong association between relapse and sleep disturbance. Certain types of sleep disorder were associated with increased disability or fatigue in CFS patients. Disrupted sleep appears to complicate the course of CFS. For the most part, sleep complaints are either attributable to the lifestyle of CFS patients or seem inherent to the underlying condition of CFS. They are generally unrelated to depression or anxiety in CFS.

 

Source: Morriss RK, Wearden AJ, Battersby L. The relation of sleep difficulties to fatigue, mood and disability in chronic fatigue syndrome. J Psychosom Res. 1997 Jun;42(6):597-605. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9226607