Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41877330›Full record

ArticleBMJ open2026

Prevalence of severe fatigue after SARS-CoV-2 infection in Norway: a prospective 2-year follow-up study.

Kristine Karlsrud Berg, Marjut Sarjomaa, Yngvar Tveten, Carina Thilesen, Anne Kristin Moeller Fell, Svein Arne Nordbø, Harald Reiso, Randi Eikeland

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMJ open, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Kristine Karlsrud BergDepartment of Medical Microbiology, Sørlandet Hospital Trust, Kristiansand, Norway krkber@sshf.no.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0000-1684-9859
Marjut SarjomaaDepartment of Infection Control, Telemark Hospital Trust, Skien, Norway.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0559-7251
Yngvar TvetenDepartment of Clinical Microbiology, Telemark Hospital Trust, Skien, Norway.
Carina ThilesenMedical Microbiology, Unilabs Laboratory Medicine, Skien, Telemark, Norway.
Anne Kristin Moeller FellDepartment of Community Medicine and Global Health, Institute of Health and Society, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3345-774X
Svein Arne NordbøDepartment of Medical Microbiology, St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway.
Harald ReisoThe Norwegian Advisory Unit on Tick-borne Diseases, Sørlandet Hospital Trust, Arendal, Norway.
Randi EikelandThe Norwegian Advisory Unit on Tick-borne Diseases, Sørlandet Hospital Trust, Arendal, Norway.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesThis study aims to estimate the prevalence of long-lasting severe fatigue and identify possible risk factors in a 2-year follow-up of patients with predominantly mild-to-moderate SARS-CoV-2 infection.

designProspective cohort study.

settingA community-based cohort from Telemark and Agder Counties, Norway.

participantsA total of 159 PCR-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 positive individuals in the period between 28 February and 17 December 2020 were included at 12 months after SARS-CoV-2 infection, and 93 responded at 24 months follow-up. OUTCOME MEASURES: Fatigue was assessed using the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), and health-related quality of life using the RAND version of health-related quality of life Short Form 36 (SF-36), developed by the RAND Corporation. SARS-CoV-2 antibodies were measured at 12 and 24 months.

resultsSevere fatigue (FSS ≥5) was reported by 36% at 12 months and 31% at 24 months. A higher proportion of women than men reported severe fatigue at 12 months (p=0.08). The number of acute-phase symptoms was associated with severe fatigue. No association was found between severe fatigue and anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody levels, demographic variables or reinfection status. The severe fatigue group scored significantly lower on all domains of SF-36.

conclusionIn this cohort, severe fatigue was common, greatly impacted quality of life and persisted for up to 2 years following SARS-CoV-2 infection. Fatigue severity was associated with symptom burden in the acute phase but not with antibody levels or other demographic variables. These findings underscore the need for long-term follow-up and support for affected individuals.

Indexed as

COVID-19FatigueQuality of LifeAdultAgedFemaleFollow-Up StudiesHumansMaleMiddle AgedNorwayPost-Acute COVID-19 SyndromePrevalenceProspective StudiesRisk FactorsSARS-CoV-2COVID-19FatiguePatient Reported Outcome MeasuresSARS-CoV-2 Infection

Identifiers

PMID41877330
PMCPMC13084821

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.