Patient education to encourage graded exercise in chronic fatigue syndrome. 2-year follow-up of randomised controlled trial.
BACKGROUND
An earlier trial demonstrated good outcomes after 1 year for patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) who received an educational intervention designed to encourage graded activity.


OBJECTIVE
To determine 2-year outcomes for the same treated patients and the response to treatment of patients formerly in the control condition.


METHODS
Patients in the treatment groups (n=114) were followed up at 2 years; 32 patients from the control group were offered the intervention after 1 year and were assessed 1 year later. Assessments were the self-rated measures used in the original trial.


RESULTS
At 2 years 63 of the treated patients (55%) no longer fulfilled trial criteria for CFS compared with 64 patients (56%) at 1 year. Fourteen of 30 crossover patients (47%) achieved a good outcome at 1 year and seven (23%) no longer fulfilled criteria for CFS.


CONCLUSIONS
Benefits of the intervention were maintained at 2 years. Delaying treatment is associated with reduced efficacy and required more intensive therapy.
Powell
Pauline
P
Department of Psychology, University of Manchester, UK.
Bentall
Richard P
RP
Nye
Fred J
FJ
Edwards
Richard H T
RH
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000150:complications; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000150:complications; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D015673:Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000150:complications; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome