Post-COVID fatigue disproportionately affects women: evidence from the DEFEAT Corona cohort
Our findings demonstrate significant gender-based differences in fatigue-related symptoms in PCS, with women experiencing both higher prevalence and severity, and menstrual cycle associated symptom worsening. These results highlight the importance of sex and gender-specific approaches to understanding and managing PCS-related fatigue, with implications for clinical care and future research directions.
Authors
- Marie Mikuteit (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8546-0548)
- Frank Klawonn (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9613-182X)
- C Happle
- Viktoria Lampe
- Georg M N Behrens
- Tim Riester
- Andrea Stölting (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7084-9013)
- Theresa Thölking
- Frank Müller
- Sandra Steffens
- Karolin Beinhauer
- Lena-Marie Theil
- Dominik Schröder
- Imke Von Wasielewski
- Mareike Meier-Maiwald
Institutions
- Ostfalia University of Applied Sciences (DE)
- Medizinische Hochschule Hannover (DE)
- Universitätsmedizin Göttingen (DE)
- German Center for Lung Research (DE)
- University of Göttingen (DE)
- Michigan State University (US)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Frontiers in Public Health
- Published
- 2026-02-16
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2026.1755106
- Primary Topic
- Long-Term Effects of COVID-19
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- Pfizer
- Niedersächsisches Ministerium für Wissenschaft und Kultur
- European Regional Development Fund