ReCOVer
Trial question
What is the effect of CBT on severe fatigue following COVID-19?
Study design
Multi-center
Open label
RCT
Population
Characteristics of study participants
73.0% female
27.0% male
N = 114
114 patients (83 female, 31 male).
Inclusion criteria: patients being severely fatigued 3-12 months following COVID-19.
Key exclusion criteria: known psychiatric or somatic condition that can explain fatigue; current participation in a multi-disciplinary rehabilitation program aimed to ameliorate the consequences of COVID-19; objective hypoxemia at rest for which oxygen therapy at home is indicated.
Interventions
N=57 CBT (targeting perpetuating factors of fatigue known as Fit after COVID, provided for 17 weeks).
N=57 care as usual (no access to Fit after COVID, but not restricted in seeking care including psychological interventions for fatigue or other symptoms).
Primary outcome
Reduction in fatigue severity
31.1
39.9
39.9
29.9
19.9
10.0
0.0
Cognitive behavioral
therapy
Care as
usual
Significant
decrease ▼
Significantly lower reduction in fatigue severity (31.1 vs. 39.9; AD -8.8 , 95% CI -11.9 to -5.8).
Secondary outcomes
Significantly greater improvement in physical functioning (78.8 vs. 71.6; AD 7.1 , 95% CI 2.9 to 11.3).
Significantly lower reduction in social impairment (11.8 vs. 18.4; AD -6.6 , 95% CI -9.1 to -4.2).
Significantly lower reduction in somatic symptoms (8.2 vs. 10.1; AD -2 , 95% CI -2.9 to -1).
Conclusion
In patients being severely fatigued 3-12 months following COVID-19, CBT was superior to care as usual with respect to reduction in fatigue severity.
Reference
Tanja A Kuut, Fabiola Müller, Irene Csorba et al. Efficacy of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Targeting Severe Fatigue Following Coronavirus Disease 2019: Results of a Randomized Controlled Trial. Clin Infect Dis. 2023 Sep 11;77(5):687-695.
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