Scientists from the Netherlands have researched the cause of Long Covid. They present their results in a study. But are these also valid?
Amsterdam/Essen – Statistics and studies should generally be viewed with caution and require careful examination. Ultimately, if the results are to be presented to a broad public, they must be valid. There can be no doubt about their meaningfulness. This applies not least to examinations in the medical field.
Specifically, scientists from the Netherlands looked at how the various symptoms of a Long Covid disease come about. This includes, among other things, headaches, shortness of breath and heart problems, but also fatigue and persistent muscle pain.
New study provides results on the reason for Long Covid – and lets test subjects ride a bike
The researchers conducted their study in the scientific journal Nature Communications published. It is said here that biological changes in the muscle cells are said to be the reason for the symptoms. Led by study author Brent Appelman, the research team examined a total of 25 people suffering from Long Covid and 21 healthy people as a control group.
Both were given a specific task: to ride a bike for 15 minutes. According to the study, this exercise would have the Long Covid symptoms worsened in people suffering from Long Covid. This phenomenon is called exercise intolerance.
Both a week before cycling and a day after, the research team analyzed the participants' blood and muscle tissue. Abnormalities appeared in the Long Covid patients at both times. And: after exercise, these would have worsened.
Reason for Long Covid finally known? Doctors question the results of the study
According to the researchers, with this knowledge from the study, new therapies can be worked on to treat Long Covid patients. But it is important to treat the results with caution, says Christoph Kleinschnitz. He works at the Essen Clinic for Neurology and is himself active in the area of Long Covid research. “I think the results of the study are overrated and the significance is very limited,” says Kleinschnitz bild.de firmly.
These are the symptoms of Long Covid disease
- limited resilience (stress intolerance)
- shortness of breath
- persistent cough
- Muscle weakness
- Muscle aches
- Concentration and memory problems (brain fog)
- sleep disorders
- psychological problems (depressive symptoms/anxiety; hereafter refers the Federal Center for Health Education)
The doctor also knows how to justify this. Among other things, he speaks of the wrong control group. “You would have had to use an inactivated group, for example bedridden people. It is known that inactivity quickly leads to changes in the body and muscle breakdown. You can’t compare Long Covid patients with heal
thy people,” says Kleinschnitz.
According to experts, the Long Covid study has “no significance” in everyday clinical practice
But that's not all the criticism of the study from the Netherlands. According to the doctor, there are also too few test subjects. This would mean that the results would not be representative. The patients also had it before theirs Long Covid disease, the risk of which has been proven to be reduced by 40 percent through vaccination, a metabolic-muscle disease? This is not clear, says Kleinschnitz.
He also says that the study addresses cell death in Long Covid patients. This would result in “those affected having paralysis”. Accordingly, he is critical of the medical survey. And is of the opinion that it has “no meaning” in everyday clinical practice. (han)
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