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People with Long COVID and ME/CFS Exhibit Similarly Impaired Dexterity and Bimanual Coordination: A Case-Case-Control Study

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Forthcoming
  • Nilihan E.M. Sanal-Hayes
  • Lawrence D. Hayes
  • Marie Mclaughlin
  • Ethan C.J. Berry
  • Nicholas F. Sculthorpe
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<mark>Journal publication date</mark>8/02/2024
<mark>Journal</mark>The American Journal of Medicine
Publication StatusAccepted/In press
<mark>Original language</mark>English

Abstract

Purpose
Dexterity and bimanual coordination had not previously been compared between people with long COVID and people with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). Therefore, this study determined dexterity and bimanual coordination in people with long COVID (∼16-month illness duration; n = 21) and ME/CFS (∼16-year illness duration; n = 20), vs age-matched healthy controls (n = 20).

Methods
Dexterity and bimanual coordination was determined using the Purdue pegboard test.

Results
The main findings of the present investigation were that people with ME/CFS and people with long COVID were generally comparable for Purdue pegboard tests (P > .556 and d < 0.36 for pairwise comparisons). It is worth noting however, that both these patient groups performed poorer in the Perdue pegboard test than healthy controls (P < .169 and d > 0.40 for pairwise comparisons).

Conclusions
These data suggest that both people with long COVID and people with ME/CFS have similarly impaired dexterity and bimanual coordination. Therefore, there is an urgent need for interventions to target dexterity and bimanual coordination in people with ME/CFS, and given the current pandemic, people with long COVID.