Apr 2024 | Charité University Medicine Berlin National Clinical Study Group
A study conducted by Charité examines hand grip strength as an objective measure of muscle fatigue in persons with post COVID
Researchers at Charité Berlin have examined a link between the hand grip strength and severity of symptoms in persons suffering from post COVID and ME/CFS. The measurement of individual hand grip strength is used for the medical diagnosis of a physical decline in performance.
The study by Charité Berlin included 144 female patients with post COVID, 78 of whom are affected by ME/CFS. The hand grip strength was impaired in all study participants, but only in participants with ME/CFS was the degree of impairment associated with severity of symptoms. This suggests a common mechanism for muscle weakness and other symptoms experienced by persons suffering from ME/CFS, but not found in other forms of post COVID. According to the study, impaired hand grip strength is an objective marker of physical function in post COVID patients.
Charité University Medicine Berlin National Clinical Study Group
The Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin is a world-renowned institution for medical research, education and high-performance medicine and one of the largest hospitals in Europe. It combines, both, university research and teaching in its medical faculty and care of patients in its university hospital. In the process, both, basic research and application-oriented research contiguous to the hospital are further developed through interdisciplinary networking. The Charité is responsible for the university education of the next generation of human and dental doctors and provides further education offers in the field of health sciences.