The relationship between sleep problems and fatigue in chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) (abstract)

[Dolphin]

This is presumably from the FINE Trial. Note: The protocol said fatigue would be analysed using the bimodal scoring system. As there was no difference in fatigue using this scoring method at 70 weeks, they have presumably switching to the likert scoring method.

29th Conference of the European Health Psychology Society

http://www.ehps2015.org/files/EHPS2015_Conference_Abstracts_27082015.pdf

Symposium Abstracts
The relationship between sleep problems and fatigue in chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS)

A. Wearden1 2
S. Kyle 1 2
R. Emsley 1 3

1 University of Manchester, School of Psychological Sciences, United Kingdom
2 Manchester Centre for Health Psychology, United Kingdom
3 University of Manchester, Institute of Population Health, United Kingdom

Background

Sleep symptoms are common in chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). We aimed to describe sleep
symptoms and their relationship to fatigue, and to determine whether improvements in sleep mediated
treatment effects on fatigue.

Methods
296 adult participants in a randomized controlled trial which compared pragmatic rehabilitation with
treatment as usual for CFS completed questionnaire measures of sleep symptoms and fatigue at
baseline, end of treatment (20 weeks) and 70 weeks follow up.

Findings
At baseline, 274 (93%) patients scored within the clinical range for at least one sleep symptom, with
260 (88%) reporting waking unrefreshed. Sleep symptoms and fatigue were weakly correlated
(r=.192). Regression analyses, controlling for relevant baseline variables and treatment allocation,
showed that the beneficial effect of pragmatic rehabilitation on fatigue at follow up was partially
mediated (29%) by improvements in sleep at the end of treatment (effect size -0.94, SE= 0.44,
P=.034).

Discussion
Improvements in sleep may be one mechanism by which pragmatic rehabilitation improves fatigue.
Future work will test multiple mediation models including sleep and previously described cognitive
mediators of pragmatic rehabilitation.

 

[Effi]

According to Wikipedia pragmatic rehabilitation is

a programme of gradually increasing activity designed collaboratively by the patient and the therapist.

So basically GET. Do I understand correctly from this study that they want to introduce sleep as a part of GET now? As in gradually re-teaching yourself how to have a refreshing night's sleep?

 

[lansbergen]

According to Wikipedia pragmatic rehabilitation is

So basically GET. Do I understand correctly from this study that they want to introduce sleep as a part of GET now? As in gradually re-teaching yourself how to have a refreshing night's sleep?

Since a while I sleep like a baby. That happened without doing GET and after many other symptoms disappeared .

 

[Effi]

after many other symptoms disappeared .

That's probably the key to better sleep right there. Glad to hear you're sleeping well.

 

[Scarecrow]

Improvements in sleep may be one mechanism by which pragmatic rehabilitation improves fatigue.

There, I fixed their statement.

 

[lansbergen]

That's probably the key to better sleep right there.

Of course it is.

 

[Dolphin]

According to Wikipedia pragmatic rehabilitation is

So basically GET. Do I understand correctly from this study that they want to introduce sleep as a part of GET now? As in gradually re-teaching yourself how to have a refreshing night's sleep?

Yes, sort of.
They're into blaming poor sleep behaviours as part of the reason we're still ill.

This thread discusses the Pragmatic Rehabilitation hand-out in Liverpool:
http://forums.phoenixrising.me/inde...liverpool-cf-cfs-clinic-patient-handout.3066/