Reliability and Validity of the Simple Qi Deficiency Score in Patients with Post-COVID-19 Condition

Area of Science:

• Integrative Medicine
• Traditional Japanese Medicine (JTM)
• Post-COVID-19 Condition Research

Background:

• Long COVID, characterized by persistent symptoms like fatigue, presents a global health challenge.
• In Japanese traditional medicine (JTM), post-infection fatigue is often linked to "Qi deficiency," a vital energy imbalance.
• Accurate diagnosis of Qi deficiency is crucial for effective JTM treatment, but traditional methods require extensive training.

Purpose of the Study:

• To validate the "Qi deficiency score," a patient-reported outcome measure for assessing Qi deficiency in long COVID patients.
• To establish the reliability and validity of this quantitative tool for clinical use.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study of 237 long COVID patients at Okayama University Hospital.
• The Qi deficiency score, comprising eight items, was assessed for internal consistency (Cronbach's α/McDonald's ω) and structural validity using Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA).
• Convergent validity was examined by correlating the score with the Fatigue Assessment Scale (FAS), Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS), and Quality of Life (QOL) metrics.

Main Results:

• The Qi deficiency score demonstrated modest internal consistency (α = 0.64, ω = 0.63).
• Factor analysis supported a one-factor model, with "Body feels tired (now)" and "Tires easily (tendency)" being the most significant symptoms.
• The score showed strong positive correlations with FAS (r = 0.61) and moderate correlations with SDS (r = 0.55), and a significant negative correlation with QOL (r = -0.42).

Conclusions:

• The simple Qi deficiency score appears to be a potentially useful tool for evaluating Qi deficiency in patients with post-COVID-19 conditions.
• This quantitative measure may aid in the diagnosis and management of long COVID fatigue within an integrative medicine framework.
• Further research can explore its application in guiding JTM-based therapeutic strategies for post-viral fatigue.