Owen, Rebecca, Ashton, Ruth E M, Ferraro, Francesco V et al. · EClinicalMedicine · 2023 · DOI
Researchers gathered opinions from doctors, physiotherapists, patients with Long COVID, and scientists across multiple countries to agree on the best ways to support and treat Long COVID. Using three rounds of surveys, they found strong agreement that Long COVID needs specialized, personalized care plans that address individual symptoms like fatigue, brain fog, and breathing problems, with emphasis on pacing and gradually returning to daily activities.
This study provides an evidence-based consensus framework from international stakeholders to standardize fragmented Long COVID support approaches, directly addressing millions affected worldwide. For ME/CFS patients and researchers, the consensus recommendations—particularly regarding pacing, fatigue management, and consideration of pre-existing similar conditions—offer guidance for designing equitable, patient-centered interventions that may improve care quality and outcomes.
This consensus study does not prove that the agreed-upon interventions are clinically effective or superior to alternative treatments—it reflects expert and patient opinion, not outcomes data. The study does not test any interventions or establish causation; it identifies areas of agreement rather than providing mechanistic or efficacy evidence. Consensus among stakeholders does not guarantee applicability across all healthcare systems or cultural contexts.
About the PEM badge: “PEM required” means post-exertional malaise was an explicit required diagnostic criterion for participant inclusion in this study — not that PEM was studied, observed, or discussed. Studies using criteria that do not require PEM (e.g. Fukuda, Oxford) are tagged “PEM not required”. How the atlas works →
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