Fatigue in Long COVID

The COVID-19 pandemic presented an unprecedented global health crisis, affecting millions globally and causing significant health and economic consequences. Although most people recover from acute SARS-CoV-2 infection, a substantial minority, approximately 6 to 15%, develop persistent symptoms that last for months and impair daily function, commonly referred to as post-COVID-19 condition or long COVID. Common symptoms of long COVID include fatigue, myalgia, dyspnea, sleep disturbance, and cognitive dysfunction ("brain fog"). The prevalence of long COVID is difficult to establish because most symptoms are nonspecific and many data sources rely on study designs that cannot confidently attribute symptoms to prior SARS-CoV-2 infection. Despite this uncertainty, converging evidence points to a large global burden, with >65 million people estimated to be living with functional limitations attributed to long COVID. The Lightning Process (LP), is a mind-body training program that is hypothesized to help individuals to develop a conscious influence on their level of functioning, using practical tools such as discussion, gentle movement and meditation-like techniques. Emerging evidence suggests that gradually re-engaging long COVID patients in physical activation and modifying unhelpful beliefs may promote recovery. There are currently no established treatments for long COVID, and patients often use activity pacing to manage their symptoms. The purpose of this trial is to establish the efficacy and safety of LP vs. activity pacing in adults living with long COVID. We hypothesize that in our trial, people randomized to LP will report greater improvement in fatigue compared to those receiving activity pacing. Our trial will enroll people living with long COVID who are motivated and show willingness to change their condition through intervention. The trial will assess whether, among adults living with long COVID (post COVID-19 condition) and persistent, function limiting symptoms, LP improves fatigue and other patient important outcomes, compared to activity pacing.

The primary objective is to assess the effect of LP vs. activity pacing on fatigue among adults with long COVID.

The secondary objectives are to assess the effect of LP vs. activity pacing on

• Physical functioning
• Pain severity
• Post exertional malaise
• Health related quality of life
• Somatic symptom severity
• Functional impairment
• Respiratory function
• Adverse events and serious adverse events

Both LP and pacing interventions span 26 weeks. Patients assigned to the LP intervention will complete a brief preparatory phase, then attend three consecutive core sessions. The LP protocol includes two follow-up calls one week apart and a booster call at week 26. Patients assigned to the pacing intervention complete 15 sessions over 24 weeks-four weekly sessions, then sessions every two weeks until week 26.

Participants will complete outcome measures at 6 months, coinciding with the immediate the end of the intervention, and at 9 and 12 months. The post-treatment time point estimates the proximal effect of LP compared to pacing, where contamination is lowest, co-interventions are least likely to diverge across arms, and any harms (e.g., post-exertional worsening) are most plausibly related to the assigned strategy.

Inclusion criteria

• The inclusion criteria for participants are:

• Adults aged 18 to 65 years
• Meeting the WHO clinical case definition for long COVID and
• Self-reported experiencing long COVID symptoms such as fatigue, muscle pain, and brain fog.
• Reporting a minimum score of ≥35 on the Checklist Individual Strength CIS-fatigue domain.
• Able to speak and read English
• Scoring higher in contemplation, action or maintenance scores than the precontemplation phase on the readiness to change questionnaire
• Provides consent for study participation.
• Consistent access to an internet-connected device (e.g., smartphone, tablet, laptop) that can facilitate access to the study interventions.

Exclusion criteria

• The exclusion criteria are:

• Long COVID participants whose presentation is primarily restricted to anosmia.
• Participants with Post-Intensive Care Syndrome (PICS) or serious organic sequelae of COVID-19, such as structural lung injury attributable to mechanical ventilation or other organ damage requiring ongoing specialist management.
• Participants who will not be able to attend intervention sessions or follow up visits due to anticipated significant life changes or relocation.
• Unable to provide informed consent (e.g. cognitive disability, language barrier)
• Co-morbidities that likely to impair function for as long or longer than long COVID
• Current participation in psychotherapy, structured physical rehabilitation (e.g., physiotherapy or occupational therapy), or another trial that does not permit co-enrollment.