The British Medical Journal (BMJ) recently published a review of ‘Interventions for the management of long covid‘ recommending cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and rehabilitation programmes as treatment.
Dr David Tuller has written a letter (featured on his blog) to the editor of the BMJ, which has been co-signed by Dr Charles Shepherd, MEA Hon. Medical Advisor, alongside other medical professionals based upon seeking a correction.
Letter to the Editor
Dear Dr Abbasi,
A recent paper in The BMJ, Interventions for the management of long covid (post-covid condition): living systematic review, from Zeraatkar et al,drew a crucial conclusion from a trial whose findings were seriously misrepresented. That trial report, also published by The BMJ, has already been corrected. The review needs a similar correction.
Zeraatkar et al recommended a mental and physical health rehabilitation program and cognitive behavior therapy as reasonable interventions for people suffering from the prolonged symptoms that characterize Long Covid. Each recommendation was based on a single clinical trial.
The basis for the first recommendation was Clinical effectiveness of an online supervised group physical and mental health rehabilitation programme for adults with post-covid-19 condition (REGAIN study): multicentre randomised controlled trial, from McGregor et al. The paper was published by The BMJ in February of this year and then corrected in May. The initial version failed to note in major sections—such as the conclusion of the abstract—that the sample included only patients who had been hospitalized for acute Covid-19. Given the significant differences between Long Covid patients who have and have not been hospitalized, the trial findings cannot automatically be extrapolated to everyone with prolonged symptoms. The corrected version now makes that clear.
Unfortunately, the review from Zeraatkar et al committed the same error as the pre-corrected version of McGregor et al…..
Read the letter in full on Dr David Tuller's Virology blog below :
MEA Comment
Along with several other members of an international group of clinicians and researchers I have signed this letter to the BMJ.
Dr Charles Shepherd,
Trustee and Hon. Medical Adviser to the ME Association,
Member of the 2018-2021 NICE guideline on ME/CFS committee,
Member of the 2002 Chief Medical Officer's Working Group on ME/CFS
Dr Charles Shepherd
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