Dear Editor:
In a study recently published in Journal of Rehabilitation Research and Development, Ickmans et al. [1] found a substantially deteriorated physical exercise capacity in myalgic encephalopathy/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), as established by a cardiopulmonary exercise test (peak oxygen uptake [VO2max]: 19.1 ± 4.6 mL/min/kg, peak heart rate: 145.1 ± 22.4 beats per minute [bpm], peak workload: 114.2 ± 31.3 W, compared with 27.2 ± 5.6 mL/min/ kg, 170.0 ± 36.2 bpm, and 114.2 ± 31.3 W, respectively, in sedentary controls). Ickmans et al. Also observed various cognitive deficits in ME/CFS, e.g., prolonged choice and simple reaction times in various Stroop subtests and the psychomotor vigilance task test (PVT), more errors of omission in the PVT, and worse letter recall scores on the operation span task test, indicative for working memory impairment and reduced psychomotor speed.
You can read the rest of this letter here: http://www.rehab.research.va.gov/jour/2013/509/pdf/pagevii.pdf
Comment on: Association between cognitive performance, physical fitness, and physical activity level in women with chronic fatigue syndrome. [J Rehabil Res Dev. 2013]
Source: Twisk F. Rebuttal to Ickmans et al. association between cognitive performance, physical fitness, and physical activity level in women with chronic fatigue syndrome. J Rehabil Res Dev. 2013;50(9):vii-viii. http://www.rehab.research.va.gov/jour/2013/509/pdf/pagevii.pdf (Full article)