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Status unknownNCT05323318PostCoV2PsyUpdated Mar 14, 2023

Neuropsychological Sequelae and Long COVID-19 Fatigue

An observational study in Anxiety Depression, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Mental Fatigue, sponsored by Centro Hospitalar Universitario do Algarve. Status unknown at 6 sites in Portugal. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 95 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2023-03-14.

Sponsored by Centro Hospitalar Universitario do Algarve · Observational

The sponsor has not verified this record recently (last verified Mar 2023), so the status shown — last known as Recruiting — may be out of date.
Study type
Observational
Model
Cohort
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrollment
200
Ages
18 Years to 95 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

An association of fatigue with post-viral neuropsychological disturbs has been reported. Among patients hospitalized with COVID-19 there is an increased incidence of anxiety and depression symptoms. In addition, a quarter of patients experience at least mild symptoms of acute post traumatic stress disorder. (Mazza, M. G. et al 2020). The prevalence of chronic fatigue syndrome had a correlation with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in a study conducted after the outbreak of the COVID-19 in Iran (Silmani et al, 2021), that showed 5.8% of subjects suffering from PTSD after 6 months of SARS-CoV-2 infection onset.

In this Study we propose to use a tool to quantify the degree of physical and psychological fatigue in post-COVID-19 patients, and assess the correlation of fatigue with the neuropsychiatric sequelae in hospitalized and non hospitalized patients.

Read the detailed description

This study will address the neuropsychiatric sequelae that remain for at least 6 months after SARS-CoV-2 acute infection, as depression, anxiety and/or post-traumatic stress disorder.

The patiensts will be assessed at the post-COVID-19 outpatient clinics of five Portuguese Hospitals. In the first visit (T1) will be collected the demographic characteristics; the medical history; and the screening of acute disease symptoms and severity. In the second visit (T2), the time frame will be at least 6 months after the positive test and no longer than 9 months, a set of structured questionnaires will be provided, including: the Chalder Fatigue Scale, Anxiety and Depression Hospital Scale (HADS), The Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms-14 (PTSS-14) adapted to COVID-19 and the EuroQol 5-Dimensions (EQ-5D).

02

Conditions studied

  • Anxiety Depression
  • Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
  • Mental Fatigue
  • COVID-19
  • Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic

Keywords

  • SARS-CoV-2, fatigue, psychological disorders
03

In context

COVID-19

7,640 studies on the registry are indexed under COVID-19; 488 are open to participants now.

This study's planned enrollment of 200 is below the median of 261 across 3,136 observational studies indexed under COVID-19.

Browse COVID-19 studies →

Lead sponsor

Centro Hospitalar Universitario do Algarve is the lead sponsor of 4 studies on the registry; 1 is open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

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Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years to 95 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Sampling method
Non-probability sample

Study population

The study will be conducted in five Portuguese Hospitals, Universitary and district, in which a follow-up post-COVID-19 medical consultation has been implemented

Inclusion criteria

  • ≥18 years;
  • Previous COVID-19 at least six months after the diagnosis duly documented in the clinical record;
  • Persistent symptoms after cure criteria defined by WHO Symptomatic patients that attend the post-COVID-19 follow-up consultation of the study centres.
  • SARS-CoV-2 RNA confirmed by a positive real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction on a nasopharyngeal swab.
  • SARS-CoV-2 antigen confirmed on a nasopharyngeal swab, by a healthcare professional.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Patients with PTSD previous diagnosis
  • Severe psychiatric disorders documented in the clinical record
  • Patients not able to respond the questionnaire
  • Patients who had a concomitant severe neurological disorder
  • Clinical and radiological diagnosis of Stroke with sequelae
  • Clinical diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease
  • Clinical diagnosis of Parkinson's disease
  • Patients with persistent fatigue symptoms in the 6 months before SARS-CoV 2 infection
05

Study design

Observational model
Cohort
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrollment
200 participants (estimated)
Patient registry
No

Groups and cohorts

  • Neuropsychological Sequelae

    Post-COVID-19 symptomatic patients with neuropsychological sequelae

    Other: Neuropsychological Sequelae

  • Without Neuropsychological Sequelae

    Post-COVID-19 symptomatic patients Without neuropsychological sequelae

Interventions

  • OtherNeuropsychological Sequelae

    Neuropsychological Sequelae after SARS-CoV-2 symtomatic infection

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What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Prevalence of fatigue in patients with post-COVID-19 depression and/or anxiety

    Fatigue will be assessed with the Chalder fatigue scale: - Global score (0-33), that also spans two dimensions-physical fatigue (measured by items 1-7) and psychological fatigue (measured by items 8-11). This is a Likert scoring system that allows for means and distributions to be calculated for both the global total as well as the two sub-scales. Depression and anxiety will be assessed with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale * Depression HADS subscale scoring: Normal 0-7; Boderline abnormal 8-10; Abnormal 11-21 * Anxiety HADS subscale scoring: Normal 0-7; Borderline 8-10; Abnormal 11-21

    Time frame: 6-9 months

  2. Prevalence of fatigue in patients with post-COVID-19 post-traumatic stress disorder

    Fatigue will be assessed with the Chalder fatigue scale (global and binary score). PTSD will be assessed with the Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome 14 Questions Inventory (PTSS-14) adapted to COVID-19: - Positive case between 46-98 points

    Time frame: 6-9 months

Secondary outcomes

  1. Impact of post-COVID-19 fatigue in quality of life.

    Fatigue will be assessed with the Chalder fatigue scale (binary score and global score). Quality of live will be assessed by the original EQ-5D questionnaire, that comprises two parts: - EQ-5D-3L, health state classification scheme of five items (mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort, and anxiety/depression), each having three alternatives (1= no problems, 2= moderate problems, and 3= severe problems). Calculating a single index score combines these five dimensions. The index value of a particular health state thus indicates the preference for being in that health state in relation to death, which has been set equal to 0 and best possible health (eg, no problems on any of the five items) which has been set to 1.0. - EQ VAS, a visual analog scale to health state ranging from 0 (worst possible health state) to 100 (best possible health state).

    Time frame: 6-9 months

  2. Impact of post-COVID-19 neuropsychological sequelae in quality of life

    Evaluate if the positive cases for anxiety, depression and/or PTSD have lower quality of live (The tools will be the same of previous outcomes).

    Time frame: 6-9 months

  3. Evaluate if neuropsychological are associated with severity of acute COVID-19

    Depression and anxiety will be assessed with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale * Depression HADS subscale scoring: Normal 0-7; Boderline abnormal 8-10; Abnormal 11-21 * Anxiety HADS subscale scoring: Normal 0-7; Borderline 8-10; Abnormal 11-21 Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms-14 instrument, adapted in this protocol for COVID-19 survivors: - PTSS 14 scoring \> 45 points Acute COVID-19 severity will be categorized as mild illness (mild symptoms without the radiographic appearance of pneumonia), pneumonia (having symptoms and the radiographic evidence of pneumonia, with no requirement for supplemental oxygen), severe pneumonia (having pneumonia, including one of the following: respiratory rate \> 30 breaths/minute; severe respiratory distress; or SpO2 ≤ 93% on room air at rest), and critical cases (e.g. respiratory failure requiring mechanical ventilation or nasal high flow oxygen, septic shock, other organ failure occurrence or admission into the ICU).

    Time frame: 6-9 months

07

Study locations

3 of 6 sites recruiting
  • Hospital Particular de Alvor
    Alvor, 8500-322, Portugal
    • ANA FONTES, PHD · Contact · anafontes@grupohpa.com · 282420400
    • Ligia Pires, MD · Contact
    • Ligia Pires, MD · Principal investigator
    • Armin Bidarian, PHD · Sub investigator
    Recruiting
  • Hospital Professor Doutor Fernando Fonseca (Hff)
    Amadora, 2720-276, Portugal
    Completed
  • Hospital de Faro (Chua)
    Faro, 8000-386, Portugal
    Completed
  • Hospital de Portimao
    Portimao, 8500-338, Portugal
    • Ligia S Pires, MD · Contact · alves1029@hotmail.com · +351282450300
    • Inês Simões, MD · Contact · inesgsimoes@gmail.com · +351282450300
    • Ligia Pires, MD · Principal investigator
    • Claudia Reis, MD · Sub investigator
    • Rita Falcão, MD · Sub investigator
    • Rute Martins, MD · Sub investigator
    Recruiting
  • Hospital de Sao Sebastiao (Chedv)
    Santa Maria Da Feira, 4520-211, Portugal
    • Ana Sofia Barroso, MD · Contact · anasofiabarroso@gmail.com · +351 256 379 700
    • Jorge Ferreira, Prof · Contact · pneumologia@chedv.min-saude.pt · +351 256 379 700
    • Ana Sofia Barroso, MD · Principal investigator
    • Jorge Ferreira, Prof · Sub investigator
    • Lucia Gonzalez, Nurse · Principal investigator
    Recruiting
  • Hospital de Vila Franca de Xira (Hvfx)
    Vila Franca de Xira, 2600-009, Portugal
    Suspended
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References and documents

Publications

  • Ferreira LN, Ferreira PL, Pereira LN, Oppe M. The valuation of the EQ-5D in Portugal. Qual Life Res. 2014 Mar;23(2):413-23. doi: 10.1007/s11136-013-0448-z. Epub 2013 Jun 8. PubMed 23748906 ↗
  • Jackson C. The Chalder Fatigue Scale (CFQ 11). Occup Med (Lond). 2015 Jan;65(1):86. doi: 10.1093/occmed/kqu168. No abstract available. PubMed 25559796 ↗
  • Chalder T, Berelowitz G, Pawlikowska T, Watts L, Wessely S, Wright D, Wallace EP. Development of a fatigue scale. J Psychosom Res. 1993;37(2):147-53. doi: 10.1016/0022-3999(93)90081-p. PubMed 8463991 ↗
  • Rasa S, Nora-Krukle Z, Henning N, Eliassen E, Shikova E, Harrer T, Scheibenbogen C, Murovska M, Prusty BK; European Network on ME/CFS (EUROMENE). Chronic viral infections in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). J Transl Med. 2018 Oct 1;16(1):268. doi: 10.1186/s12967-018-1644-y. PubMed 30285773 ↗
  • Simani L, Ramezani M, Darazam IA, Sagharichi M, Aalipour MA, Ghorbani F, Pakdaman H. Prevalence and correlates of chronic fatigue syndrome and post-traumatic stress disorder after the outbreak of the COVID-19. J Neurovirol. 2021 Feb;27(1):154-159. doi: 10.1007/s13365-021-00949-1. Epub 2021 Feb 2. PubMed 33528827 ↗
  • Mazza MG, De Lorenzo R, Conte C, Poletti S, Vai B, Bollettini I, Melloni EMT, Furlan R, Ciceri F, Rovere-Querini P; COVID-19 BioB Outpatient Clinic Study group; Benedetti F. Anxiety and depression in COVID-19 survivors: Role of inflammatory and clinical predictors. Brain Behav Immun. 2020 Oct;89:594-600. doi: 10.1016/j.bbi.2020.07.037. Epub 2020 Jul 30. PubMed 32738287 ↗

Individual participant data

Plan to share: Undecided

09

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Mar 14, 2023, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT05323318
Lead sponsor
Centro Hospitalar Universitario do Algarve
Collaborators
Universidade do Algarve, Universidade do Porto
Responsible party
Ligia Pires (Principal Investigator, Centro Hospitalar Universitario do Algarve) — Principal investigator
First posted
Apr 12, 2022
Start date
Apr 1, 2022
Primary completion
Mar 30, 2023 (estimated)
Completion
Apr 30, 2023 (estimated)
Last update
Mar 14, 2023

Study contacts

Ligia Pires, MD
Contact
alves1029@hotmail.com
+351282450300 ext. 43168
Inês Simões, MD
Contact
inesgsimoes@gmail.com
+351282450300 ext. 43066
Ligia Pires, MD
study chair · Centro Hospitalar Universitario do Algarve
Joana Berger, PHD
study director · Universitat Bern
Ligia Pires, MD
principal investigator · Centro Hospitalar Universitario do Algarve
Marta Drummond, PHD
principal investigator · Universidade do Porto

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
Yes
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Not currently enrolling

This study is status unknown, as verified in Mar 2023. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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