“Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Post-Covid Fatigue Syndrome: Study by Amsterdam UMC”

Editorial Medicalfacts/ Janine Budding 08 mei 2023 – 22:26

People with persistent fatigue after a covid-19 infection benefit from cognitive behavioral therapy. After the treatment, most patients are less tired and can concentrate better. Other physical complaints also decrease. This has emerged from research by Amsterdam UMC and Radboudumc, together with three other hospitals. Researcher Hans Knoop of Amsterdam UMC: “The improvements were still present even after six months.” The fact that behavioral therapy helps does not mean that the cause of the complaints is psychological. The study is published in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases.

Post-covid syndrome

Some people continue to have complaints after covid-19. This is called ‘long covid’ or post-covid syndrome. The most common complaint is severe and disabling fatigue. In the ReCOVer study, funded by ZonMw, the effect of cognitive behavioral therapy on this fatigue was investigated in a group of 114 patients. For this study, patients who received behavioral therapy were compared with patients who were treated in a usual way. This usual care often consisted of supervision by the general practitioner or specialist, physiotherapy and/or occupational therapy.

Sleep-wake rhythm

Cognitive behavioral therapy for patients with persistent fatigue after a Covid-19 infection focuses on dealing with the problematic fatigue. Knoop: “For example, we look with people at how they can improve their sleep-wake rhythm. We also help them to become more active again with small steps. For example, by going for short walks.”

Concentrate better

Cognitive behavioral therapy has clear results for these patients. Most participants experienced significantly less fatigue and improved concentration after cognitive behavioral therapy. They also made significant progress socially. In addition, the results proved to be stable over time. After six months, the differences with usual care were still present.
Knoop: “Our research shows that the complaints have not worsened. Compared to usual care, new complaints also occurred less often. Cognitive behavioral therapy therefore appears to be a safe treatment.”

Keep looking

The researchers emphasize that the fact that behavioral therapy can help does not mean that the cause of the complaints is psychological. Furthermore, not everyone benefits from behavioral therapy. It is therefore very important to continue to search for other effective treatments and the physical causes of the post-covid syndrome.

Source: Amsterdam UMC

Editorial Medicalfacts/ Janine Budding

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