RE: ‘Treatment outcome in adults with chronic fatigue syndrome: a prospective study

Sir,

In a very impressive paper1 embracing a large cohort (834) of ME CFS (myalgic encephalomyelitis, Chronic fatigue syndrome) patients selected by the Fukuda criteria, we can see in Table 4 the associations and changes of baseline characteristics with physical function at follow-up in the Chalder Fatigue scale −0.47 (−0.58 to −0.36) and in the SF-36 (physical function phase) 0.81 (0.75 to 0.87). This perhaps represents approximately an 8% change after the PACE recommended GET/CBT therapy after a variable number of months of therapy. This shows a relatively insignificant improvement. Do we presume that the authors therefore are not emphatically encouraging the PACE recommendation of GET/CBT as a means of primary treatment of ME CFS?

Comment in

• Response to Derek Enlander. [QJM. 2014]

Comment on

• Treatment outcome in adults with chronic fatigue syndrome: a prospective study in England based on the CFS/ME National Outcomes Database.[QJM. 2013]

Source: Enlander D. RE: ‘Treatment outcome in adults with chronic fatigue syndrome: a prospective study. QJM. 2014 Jan;107(1):87. doi: 10.1093/qjmed/hct169. Epub 2013 Aug 22. https://academic.oup.com/qjmed/article/107/1/87/1513843/RE-Treatment-outcome-in-adults-with-chronic