Post lyme syndrome: Contrasts with recovered Lyme patients on cognitive and symptom measures

Post Lyme syndrome (PLS) is defined by symptom persistence following treatment of documented Lyme disease. Many of PLS symptoms suggest disturbance of the central nervous system (CNS). To further define this disorder and CNS effects, we compared 39 patients with PLS and 16 patients who recovered from Lyme disease on a quality of life inventory, symptom measures, and psychiatric interview. The two patient groups were also compared to healthy controls on a Lyme neuropsychological battery. Patients with PLS compared to recovered Lyme (RL) patients showed significant reductions in perceived health (P < .001), physical and role functioning (P < .001), social functioning (P < .01), elevated pain (P < .01), fatigue (P < .01), and disturbed sleep (P < .01) but did not differ in the life-time frequency of affective disorders. Relative to healthy controls, patients with PLS but not with RL showed deficits on measures of verbal memory P < .05), verbal fluency (P < .05), attention (P < .01), and motor speed (P < .01). This study suggests that strategies aimed at symptom reduction, enhanced cognitive performance, and improved quality of life are critically important for this group of patients.