title: Employment status in chronic fatigue syndrome. A cross-sectional study examining the value of exercise testing and self-reported measures for the assessment of employment status.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the value of exercise testing and self-reported disability for the assessment of employment status in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional observational study.
  
  
  METHODS
  A university-based chronic fatigue clinic.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-four consecutive, Flemish, employed (not self-employed) chronic fatigue syndrome patients (49/54 female).
  
  
  METHODS
  Not applicable.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were questioned about their current and premorbid employment status, filled in the Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Activities and Participation Questionnaire (CFS-APQ), the Medical Outcomes Short Form 36 Health Status Survey (SF-36), and performed a maximal exercise test on a bicycle ergometer with continuous monitoring of cardiorespiratory variables.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A significant association was observed between the current employment rate and two SF-36 subscales (i.e., role limitations due to physical functioning and social functioning; rho = 0.39 and 0.35 respectively) (n = 54). Analysing only the female chronic fatigue syndrome patients (n = 49), the current employment rate correlated significantly with the peak workload (rho = 0.38).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The associations between either exercise testing or self-reported disability and employment status are too weak to predict employment status.
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Physiology, Faculty of Physical Education and Physiotherapy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium. Jo.Nijs@vub.ac.be
authors.forename: Jo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nijs
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Van de Putte
authors.forename: Fred
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Louckx
authors.forename: Kenny
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: De Meirleir
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003625:Data Collection; D004651:Employment; D005080:Exercise Test; D015673:Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012649:Self Concept; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires