By David Tuller. DrPH
Proponents of psycho-behavioral interventions for ME/CFS and, more recently, Long Covid, have argued–unconvincingly and with a shortage of actual evidence–that the disabling symptoms can be attributed to the effects of deconditioning. Earlier today, I spoke with Dr Rob Wüst, an expert in muscle physiology and metabolism at Vrije [Free] University Amsterdam. Last year, Dr Wüst and colleagues reported in Nature Communications that exercise led to muscle abnormalities in Long Covid. (I interviewed him about that study.)
In a pre-print study posted last month, called “Skeletal muscle properties in long COVID and ME/CFS differ from those induced by bed rest,” Dr Wüst’s team compared the results of exercise in people with Long Covid and ME/CFS patients to the results from healthy people who spent 60 days bedridden. Earlier today, Dr Wüst and I discussed the new paper and its implications.
Very interesting, thanks.
This strikes me as a pretty important study for ME and Long Covid patients.
I think it would be well worth ME and Long Covid patients reading the discussion section of the preprint – link above – if they are able to.
There’s quite a bit to take in but I’m finding it easier by entering the reported differences of/between the 3 groups (bed rest, ME and Long Covid) into a chart as I go along so’s not to loose track. I suggest that others might want to do the same. I was struggling to remember what was being reported but seeing it in a chart in front of me helps considerably.
Excellent reporting as usual David. Thank you.
An important first step. Dr, Wust has the perfect background with his work for NASA. He is the consummate scientist who is careful not to oversell the results of his findings, but the logic indicating the path of future trials is unassailable.