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Distinguishing CFS - New Zealand Research

Old Bones

Senior Member
Messages
808
Press release from New Zealand providing more confirmation of two-day Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing (CPET) abnormalities in those with ME/CFS:

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/GE1705/S00067/distinguishing-chronic-fatigue-syndrome.htm

"Dr Lynette Hodges from Massey University’s School of Sport and Exercise recently conducted a study comparing the physiological responses of CFS/ME, Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and healthy controls following a repeated maximal exercise test."

“On the second exercise test, those with MS and those who were healthy were able to repeat the same results on the exercise as on day one. However, those with CFS/ME were unable to achieve this and reached their anaerobic threshold faster and at a lower workload compared to day one,”

“Our study also showed that some individuals with CFS/ME took up to four weeks to recover following the two exercise tests, which was not apparent in the healthy individuals who were back to normal the following day.”
 
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*GG*

senior member
Messages
6,389
Location
Concord, NH
Press release from New Zealand providing more confirmation of two-day Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing (CPET) abnormalities in those with ME/CFS:

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/GE1705/S00067/distinguishing-chronic-fatigue-syndrome.htm

"Dr Lynette Hodges from Massey University’s School of Sport and Exercise recently conducted a study comparing the physiological responses of CFS/ME, Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and healthy controls following a repeated maximal exercise test."

“On the second exercise test, those with MS and those who were healthy were able to repeat the same results on the exercise as on day one. However, those with CFS/ME were unable to achieve this and reached their anaerobic threshold faster and at a lower workload compared to day one,”

“Our study also showed that some individuals with CFS/ME took up to four weeks to recover following the two exercise tests, which was not apparent in the healthy individuals who were back to normal the following day.”

Here are the results of my testing almost 7 years ago, 14 years ill now.

GG
 

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Hutan

Senior Member
Messages
1,099
Location
New Zealand
Dr Hodges found that on the first test, there was no difference between healthy controls and CFS/ME. The first exercise test also showed that those with MS were significantly less fit than those who were healthy and compared to those with CFS/ME.

“On the second exercise test, those with MS and those who were healthy were able to repeat the same results on the exercise as on day one. However, those with CFS/ME were unable to achieve this and reached their anaerobic threshold faster and at a lower workload compared to day one,” Dr Hodges says.

This suggests that even though they were as fit as the healthy controls, post-exertional malaise [the feeling of fatigue] after exercise, shows up by them not being able to achieve the same workload at anaerobic threshold or at their peak.”

Obviously these were people fairly mildly affected by ME/CFS. But it does make the idea that:
ME/CFS = fear of exercise + deconditioning
look pretty baseless.

So good to see useful research. I look forward to the published paper and news of the planned research.
 
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Snow Leopard

Hibernating
Messages
5,902
Location
South Australia
I am unsure if I've seen anything else going into the time to recover after exercise. Very welcome.

The 2-day CPET/maximal exercise test is very difficult, most people who have done it (myself included) took 3-4 weeks to recover.

My own experience on the second day is that it wasn't that I felt puffed out at all, the inability to hit the same VO2Max/power level is that my legs physically felt weaker the whole time and maxed out sooner.
 
Messages
2,125
"To find out more, Dr Hodges is completing another trial examining the physiological differences in repeated maximal exercise at 48 hours and 72 hours. “We will be taking blood samples to examine markers of inflammation, blood pressure and heart rate, asking questions about fatigue, and participants will be asked to do simple computer tasks to examine cognition, as well as ultrasound to measure arterial stiffness, and the cycle test to examine anaerobic threshold. All tests will then be repeated at either 48 hours or 72 hours later.”

shame all the other 'exercise trials' didn't do anything like this years ago; we could be a lot further forward by now.