Tag: neurological symptoms

Health outcomes of sensory hypersensitivities in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome and multiple sclerosis

Abstract:

Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is a poorly understood chronic illness with many case definitions that disagree on key symptoms, including hypersensitivities to noise and lights. The aim of the current study was to understand the prevalence rates and characteristics of these symptoms amongst people with ME/CFS and to compare them to people with another chronic illness, multiple sclerosis (MS).

International datasets consisting of 2,240 people with either ME/CFS or MS have completed the DePaul Symptom Questionnaire (DSQ) and the Short Form Health Survey Questionnaire (SF-36). Hypersensitivities to noise and lights were indicated from items on the DSQ, and participants were analyzed against DSQ and SF-36 subscales through a multivariate analysis of covariance.

There were significantly higher percentages of people with hypersensitivities in the ME/CFS sample compared to the MS sample. Regardless of illness, participants that exhibited both hypersensitivities reported greater symptomology than those without hypersensitivities. Healthcare providers and researchers should consider these symptoms when developing treatment plans and evaluating ME/CFS case diagnostic criteria.

Source: Maeda KI, Islam MF, Conroy KE, Jason L. Health outcomes of sensory hypersensitivities in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome and multiple sclerosis. Psychol Health Med. 2023 Mar 28:1-12. doi: 10.1080/13548506.2023.2195670. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36977713. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36977713/

The neurological symptoms of COVID-19: a systematic overview of systematic reviews, comparison with other neurological conditions and implications for healthcare services

Abstract:

Aims: In response to the rapid spread of COVID-19, this paper provides health professionals with better accessibility to available evidence, summarising findings from a systematic overview of systematic reviews of the neurological symptoms seen in patients with COVID-19. Implications of so-called ‘Long Covid’ on neurological services and primary care and similarities with other neurological disorders are discussed.

Methods: Firstly, a systematic overview of current reviews of neurological symptoms of COVID-19 was conducted. Secondly, the implications of these findings are discussed in relation to the potential effect on neurological services and the similarities in the experience of patients with COVID-19 and those with other neurological disorders. A total of 45 systematic reviews were identified within seven databases, published between 11 April 2020 and 15 October 2020, following a search in June 2020, updated on 20 October 2020.

Results: The results indicated that COVID-19 exhibits two types of neurological symptoms; life-threatening symptoms such as Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) and encephalitis, and less devastating symptoms such as fatigue and myalgia. Many of these so-called lesser symptoms appear to be emerging as longer-term for some sufferers and have been recently labelled Long Covid. When compared, these less devastating symptoms are very similar to other neurological conditions such as chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and functional neurological disorder (FND).

Conclusion: Implications for neurological healthcare services in the United Kingdom (UK) may include longer waiting times and a need for more resources (including more qualified health professionals). There is also a possible change-effect on health professionals’ perceptions of other neurological conditions such as CFS and FND. Future research is recommended to explore changes in health professionals’ perceptions of neurological symptoms because of COVID-19.

Source: Wildwing T, Holt N. The neurological symptoms of COVID-19: a systematic overview of systematic reviews, comparison with other neurological conditions and implications for healthcare services. Ther Adv Chronic Dis. 2021 Jan 28;12:2040622320976979. doi: 10.1177/2040622320976979. PMID: 33796241; PMCID: PMC7970685. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7970685/  (Full text)

Chronic fatigue and minor psychiatric morbidity after viral meningitis: a controlled study

Abstract:

OBJECTIVE: To test the hypotheses that patients exposed to viral meningitis would be at an increased risk of developing chronic fatigue syndrome and would have an excess of neurological symptoms and physical impairment.

METHODS: Eighty three patients were followed up 6-24 months after viral meningitis and a postal questionnaire was used to compare outcome with 76 controls who had had non-enteroviral, non-CNS viral infections.

RESULTS: For the 159 patients and controls the prevalence of chronic fatigue syndrome was 12.6%, a rate higher than previously reported from primary care attenders, suggesting that moderate to severe viral infections may play a part in the aetiology of some fatigue states. Those with a history of meningitis showed a slight, non-significant increase in prevalence of chronic fatigue syndrome (OR 1.4; 95% CI 0.5-3.6) which disappeared when logistic regression and analysis was used to correct for age, sex, and duration of follow up (OR 1.0; 95% CI 0.3-2.8). Controls showed marginally higher psychiatric morbidity measured on the general health questionnaire-12 (adjusted OR 0.6; 95% CI 0.3-1.3) Both groups had similar rates of neurological symptoms and physical impairment. The best predictor of chronic fatigue was a prolonged duration time of off work after the illness (OR 4.93, 95% CI 1.3-18.8). The best predictor of severe chronic fatigue syndrome diagnosed by Center for Disease Control criteria was past psychiatric illness (OR 7.82, 95% CI 1.8-34.3). Duration of viral illness, as defined by days in hospital, did not predict chronic fatigue syndrome.

CONCLUSIONS: (1) The prevalence of chronic fatigue syndrome is higher than expected for the range of viral illnesses examined; (2) enteroviral infection is unlikely to be a specific risk factor for its development; (3) onset of chronic fatigue syndrome after a viral infection is predicted by psychiatric morbidity and prolonged convalescence, rather than by the severity of the viral illness itself.

 

Source: Hotopf M, Noah N, Wessely S. Chronic fatigue and minor psychiatric morbidity after viral meningitis: a controlled study. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1996 May;60(5):504-9. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC486361/ (Full article)