ArticleSports medicine - open2026
Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing Reveals Functional Limitations and Work Disability in Severe Post-COVID-19 and ME/CFS Patients.
Article in Sports medicine - 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.
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Abstract
backgroundPatients severely affected by post-COVID-19 condition (PCC) and myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) often experience long-term work incapacity, contributing to a growing economic burden. Organ-centered clinical diagnostics frequently fail to explain their work disability.
objectivesWe aimed to objectively assess physical work ability using cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) in a cohort of long-standing and severely affected PCC patients. We hypothesized: (1) patients with ME/CFS exhibit lower peak oxygen uptake (VO₂
methodsThe study was conducted in the Department of Sports Medicine, Prevention and Rehabilitation at Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz (Mainz, Germany). Between July 31, 2023, and March 31, 2025, a total of 92 PCC patients with suspected occupational disease underwent symptom-limited CPET and completed the Canadian Consensus Criteria, Bell Disability Scale (Bell-Score), and DePaul Symptom Questionnaire (Post-Exertional Malaise) Short Form (DSQ-PEM).
resultsNearly half of the patients (49%) met ME/CFS criteria and 79% screened positive on the DSQ-PEM. ME/CFS patients showed significantly lower VO₂
conclusionsSeverely affected PCC patients exhibit objective work disability, particularly those with ME/CFS. VO₂
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