TY - JOUR
T1 - A randomised controlled trial testing the efficacy of Fit after COVID, a cognitive behavioural therapy targeting severe post-infectious fatigue following COVID-19 (ReCOVer)
T2 - study protocol
AU - Kuut, T. A.
AU - Müller, F.
AU - Aldenkamp, A.
AU - Assmann-Schuilwerve, E.
AU - Braamse, A.
AU - Geerlings, S. E.
AU - Gibney, K. B.
AU - Kanaan, R. A. A.
AU - Nieuwkerk, P.
AU - Olde Hartman, T. C.
AU - Pauëlsen, D.
AU - Prins, M.
AU - Slieker, K.
AU - van Vugt, M.
AU - Bleeker-Rovers, C. P.
AU - Keijmel, S. P.
AU - Knoop, H.
N1 - Funding Information: The study is funded by ZonMW, grant number 10430012010025. In May 2020, additional funding from ECCF for the conduction of the long-term follow-up was secured. The funders have no role in the design or conduct of the study, or writing of the manuscript. Publisher Copyright: © 2021, The Author(s).
PY - 2021/12/1
Y1 - 2021/12/1
N2 - Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) results in debilitating long-term symptoms, often referred to as Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 Infection (PASC), in a substantial subgroup of patients. One of the most prevalent symptoms following COVID-19 is severe fatigue. Prompt delivery of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), an evidence-based treatment that has shown benefit in reducing severe fatigue in other conditions, may reduce post-COVID-19 fatigue. Based on an existing CBT protocol, a blended intervention of 17 weeks, Fit after COVID, was developed to treat severe fatigue after the acute phase of infection with SARS-CoV-2. Method: The ReCOVer study is a multicentre 2-arm randomised controlled trial (RCT) to test the efficacy of Fit after COVID on severe post-infectious fatigue. Participants are eligible if they report severe fatigue 3 up to and including 12 months following COVID-19. One hundred and fourteen participants will be randomised to either Fit after COVID or care as usual (ratio 1:1). The primary outcome, the fatigue severity subscale of the Checklist Individual Strength (CIS-fatigue), is assessed in both groups before randomisation (T0), directly post CBT or following care as usual (T1), and at follow-up 6 months after the second assessment (T2). In addition, a long-term follow-up (T3), 12 months after the second assessment, is performed in the CBT group only. The primary objective is to investigate whether CBT will lead to a significantly lower mean fatigue severity score measured with the CIS-fatigue across the first two follow-up assessments (T1 and T2) as compared to care as usual. Secondary objectives are to determine the proportion of participants no longer being severely fatigued (operationalised in different ways) at T1 and T2 and to investigate changes in physical and social functioning, in the number and severity of somatic symptoms and in problems concentrating across T1 and T2. Discussion: This is the first trial testing a cognitive behavioural intervention targeting severe fatigue after COVID-19. If Fit after COVID is effective in reducing fatigue severity following COVID-19, this intervention could contribute to alleviating the long-term health consequences of COVID-19 by relieving one of its most prevalent and distressing long-term symptoms. Trial registration: Netherlands Trial Register NL8947. Registered on 14 October 2020.
AB - Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) results in debilitating long-term symptoms, often referred to as Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 Infection (PASC), in a substantial subgroup of patients. One of the most prevalent symptoms following COVID-19 is severe fatigue. Prompt delivery of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), an evidence-based treatment that has shown benefit in reducing severe fatigue in other conditions, may reduce post-COVID-19 fatigue. Based on an existing CBT protocol, a blended intervention of 17 weeks, Fit after COVID, was developed to treat severe fatigue after the acute phase of infection with SARS-CoV-2. Method: The ReCOVer study is a multicentre 2-arm randomised controlled trial (RCT) to test the efficacy of Fit after COVID on severe post-infectious fatigue. Participants are eligible if they report severe fatigue 3 up to and including 12 months following COVID-19. One hundred and fourteen participants will be randomised to either Fit after COVID or care as usual (ratio 1:1). The primary outcome, the fatigue severity subscale of the Checklist Individual Strength (CIS-fatigue), is assessed in both groups before randomisation (T0), directly post CBT or following care as usual (T1), and at follow-up 6 months after the second assessment (T2). In addition, a long-term follow-up (T3), 12 months after the second assessment, is performed in the CBT group only. The primary objective is to investigate whether CBT will lead to a significantly lower mean fatigue severity score measured with the CIS-fatigue across the first two follow-up assessments (T1 and T2) as compared to care as usual. Secondary objectives are to determine the proportion of participants no longer being severely fatigued (operationalised in different ways) at T1 and T2 and to investigate changes in physical and social functioning, in the number and severity of somatic symptoms and in problems concentrating across T1 and T2. Discussion: This is the first trial testing a cognitive behavioural intervention targeting severe fatigue after COVID-19. If Fit after COVID is effective in reducing fatigue severity following COVID-19, this intervention could contribute to alleviating the long-term health consequences of COVID-19 by relieving one of its most prevalent and distressing long-term symptoms. Trial registration: Netherlands Trial Register NL8947. Registered on 14 October 2020.
KW - COVID-19
KW - Cognitive behavioural therapy
KW - Internet therapy
KW - Long COVID
KW - Long-Haul COVID-19 Fatigue
KW - Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 Infection (PASC)
KW - Post-COVID-19 syndrome
KW - Randomised controlled trial
KW - Study protocol
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85120727075&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-021-05569-y
DO - https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-021-05569-y
M3 - Article
C2 - 34857010
SN - 1745-6215
VL - 22
JO - Trials
JF - Trials
IS - 1
M1 - 867
ER -