Care4PAIS&ME/CFS

This study, funded by the WE&ME Foundation and conducted by the Medical University of Vienna, Department of Primary Care Medicine (Univ.-Prof. PD Dr. Kathryn Hoffmann, MPH and Dr. med. Golda Schlaff), in collaboration with the University of Vienna, Institute of Mathematics (Univ. Prof. Dr. Joachim Hermisson), and the Austrian Society for ME/CFS (represented by: Mag. Sandra Leiss), is leading the way in understanding and improving the medical pathways of patients suffering from post-acute infection syndromes (PAIS), such as ME/CFS or post-COVID. By using an advanced, patient-centered online questionnaire, the study examines with great depth and precision the spectrum of specific PAIS syndromes, such as post-exertional malaise, autonomic dysfunction, mast cell overactivity or cognitive dysfunction (instead of single, random symptoms usually collected in other PAIS and Long Covid studies), to then compare them with the symptoms described, the diagnostics performed and the therapy attempts. In addition, the study aims to evaluate these syndromes and symptoms in the context of the Canadian Consensus Criteria (CCC) for ME/CFS. This research is critical to advancing a deeper understanding and development of effective diagnostic pathways and interventions that are directly tailored to the specific syndromes and symptoms of PAIS and ME/CFS patients.