Table 1.
Clinical characteristics of long-haul COVID patients (group 1), of ME/CFS patients with Ebstein Barr virus as a trigger (group 2) and of ME/CFS patients with an insidious onset of the disease (group 3).
| Group 1 (n = 14) | Group 2 (n = 14) | Group 3 (n = 14) | p-Value | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Male/female * | 2/12 (14/86%) | 2/12 (14/86%) | 2/12 (14/86%) | 1.0 |
| Age (years) | 34 (10) | 34 (10) | 34 (10) | F (2, 42) = 0.0006; p = 0.99 |
| Height (cm) | 175 (10) | 174 (10) | 175 (8) | F (2, 42) = 0.11; p = 0.89 |
| Weight (kg) | 72 (15) | 68 (17) | 76 (23) | F (2, 42) = 0.70; p = 0.50 |
| BMI (kg/m2) | 23.5 (4.8) | 22.3 (4.5) | 24.7 (6.4) | F (2, 42) = 0.76; p = 0.47 |
| BSA (m2) | 1.87 (0.20) | 1.81 (0.24) | 1.90 (0.28) | F (2, 42) = 0.52; p = 0.60 |
| Disease duration (years) # | 1 (1–2) | 16 (9–23) | 11 (4–16) | X2(3) = 29.25; p < 0.0001. Post-hoc tests: 1 vs. 2 p < 0.0001; 1 vs. 3 p = 0.0001 |
| Disease severity * & (mild/moderate/severe) | 0/11/3 (0/85/15%) | 2/10/2 (14/82/14%) | 2/7/5 (14/50/36%) | 0.36 |
| OI in daily life yes/no * | 14/0 (0/100%) | 14/0 (0/100%) | 14/0 (0/100%) | 1.0 |
p-values: Chi-square analysis (3 × 2 or 3 × 3 table) (*), ordinary one-way ANOVA or Kruskal–Wallis test (#) where appropriate. BMI: body mass index; BSA: body surface area (formula duBois); POTS: postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome; normHRBP: normal heart rate and blood pressure response; OI: orthostatic intolerance; # Median (IQR); &: severity grading according to the ME criteria [18].