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Cited by 911Long-Term Effects of COVID-19COVID-19 Clinical Research StudiesCOVID-19 and Mental Health

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 76 of the 78 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.

Persistent fatigue following SARS-CoV-2 infection is common and independent of severity of initial infection

Open access
Townsend, Liam, Dyer, Adam H., Jones, Karen, Dunne, Jean, Mooney, Aoife, Gaffney, Fiona, O'Connor, Laura, Leavy, Deirdre, O'Brien, Kate, Dowds, Joanne, Sugrue, Jamie A., Hopkins, David, Martin-Loeches, Ignacio, Ni Cheallaigh, Cliona, Nadarajan, Parthiban, McLaughlin, Anne Marie, Bourke, Nollaig M., Bergin, Colm, O'Farrelly, Cliona, Bannan, Ciaran, Conlon, Niall·2020·PLOS ONE
DOI 10.1371/journal.pone.0240784PMC PMC7652254

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Abstract

Fatigue is a common symptom in those presenting with symptomatic COVID-19 infection. However, it is unknown if COVID-19 results in persistent fatigue in those recovered from acute infection. We examined the prevalence of fatigue in individuals recovered from the acute phase of COVID-19 illness using the Chalder Fatigue Score (CFQ-11). We further examined potential predictors of fatigue following COVID-19 infection, evaluating indicators of COVID-19 severity, markers of peripheral immune activation and circulating pro-inflammatory cytokines. Of 128 participants (49.5 ± 15 years; 54% female), more than half reported persistent fatigue (67/128; 52.3%) at median of 10 weeks after initial COVID-19 symptoms. There was no association between COVID-19 severity (need for inpatient admission, supplemental oxygen or critical care) and fatigue following COVID-19. Additionally, there was no association between routine laboratory markers of inflammation and cell turnover (leukocyte, neutrophil or lymphocyte counts, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, lactate dehydrogenase, C-reactive protein) or pro-inflammatory molecules (IL-6 or sCD25) and fatigue post COVID-19. Female gender and those with a pre-existing diagnosis of depression/anxiety were over-represented in those with fatigue. Our findings demonstrate a significant burden of post-viral fatigue in individuals with previous SARS-CoV-2 infection after the acute phase of COVID-19 illness. This study highlights the importance of assessing those recovering from COVID-19 for symptoms of severe fatigue, irrespective of severity of initial illness, and may identify a group worthy of further study and early intervention.

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Authors
Townsend, L., Dyer, A. H., Jones, K., Dunne, J., Mooney, A., Gaffney, F., O'Connor, L., Leavy, D., O'Brien, K., Dowds, J., Sugrue, J. A., Hopkins, D., Martin-Loeches, I., Ni Cheallaigh, C., Nadarajan, P., McLaughlin, A. M., Bourke, N. M., Bergin, C., O'Farrelly, C., Bannan, C., & Conlon, N.
Affiliations
  • Trinity College Dublin (IE)
  • St. James's Hospital (IE)
Corresponding author
Townsend, Liam
ORCID
Venue
PLOS ONE
Publisher
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Published
2020-11-09
Volume
15
Issue
11
Pages
e0240784
ISSN
1932-6203 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1371/journal.pone.0240784
PMC
PMC7652254
OpenAlex
W3102327145
Cited by
911
References
78
Citations by year
2026: 25 · 2025: 69 · 2024: 124 · 2023: 190 · 2022: 242 · 2021: 244 · 2020: 14
FWCI
74.27
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • PLoS ONE (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • medRxiv (acceptedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Funders
  • Wellcome Trust (203930/B/16/Z)
  • Health Research Board (203930/B/16/Z)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Clinical Neurology › Long-Term Effects of COVID-19
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Infectious Diseases › COVID-19 Clinical Research Studies
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › COVID-19 and Mental Health
Keywords
post-COVID-19 fatigue, persistent fatigue, COVID-19 pandemic, post-viral fatigue, Chalder Fatigue Questionnaire, COVID-19 severity, inflammatory cytokines, interleukin-6, soluble interleukin-2 receptor, peripheral immune activation, depression, anxiety, sex differences, C-reactive protein, lactate dehydrogenase
MeSH terms
Betacoronavirus, COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, Adult, Aged, Fatigue, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Pneumonia, Viral, Severity of Illness Index, Interleukin-6, Prevalence, Coronavirus Infections, Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit, Pandemics

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