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Investigating Post-Exertional Malaise as a Core Symptom of ME & CFS: A Meta-Analytic Approach

Dolphin

Senior Member
Messages
17,567
Source: DePaul University
Date: July 10, 2017. Online September 27, 2017
URL: http://via.library.depaul.edu/csh_etd/234/
http://via.library.depaul.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1223&context=csh_etd


Investigating Post-Exertional Malaise as a Core Symptom of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Meta-Analytic Approach
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Abigail A. Brown
- Department of Psychology, College of Science and Health, DePaul
University, Chicago, Illinois, USA. Email: abrown57@depaul.edu


Abstract

Efforts to establish a reliable and valid case definition for myalgic encephalomyelitis and chronic fatigue syndrome (ME and CFS) have been complicated by an over-reliance on clinical consensus, and inconsistent application of established case definitions by researchers across study sites. This has resulted in the absence of an empirically-based case definition for ME and CFS, as well as failed replication studies on potential diagnostic tests and biomarkers. One step toward an empirically-driven case definition is determining which symptoms best discriminate between patients with ME and CFS versus controls. Post-exertional malaise (PEM) is considered a cardinal symptom of ME and CFS and is either required or included in many previously proposed case definitions. PEM refers to the symptom exacerbation and impairment/sickness that follows physical exertion or cognitive effort. PEM is typically assessed subjectively, with a patient describing his or her experience to a physician or on a self-report measure. To date, there have been no meta-analyses of the findings from studies that investigate PEM differences between patients and controls. A meta-analysis of odds ratios (association between patient status and PEM status) and a number of potential moderators (i.e., study level characteristics) of effect size were conducted for a total of 31 studies. PEM was found to be 10.4 times more likely to be associated with an ME and CFS diagnosis than with control status. Significant moderators of effect size included patient recruitment strategy and control selection. These findings strongly suggest that PEM should be considered a cardinal symptom of ME and CFS, and the implications of the moderator analyses are discussed.

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(c) 2017 DePaul University
 
Messages
2,087
Please let them stop researching what we already know while we waste the years of our lives in bed. Please.

We might know it, but for the medical profession to know it, it needs to repeated.

It is useful to have something like this, at least to rubbish any study done using Oxford criteria.


These findings strongly suggest that PEM should be considered a cardinal symptom of ME and CFS, and the implications of the moderator analyses are discussed.
 

Mary

Moderator Resource
Messages
17,335
Location
Southern California
Psychology/psychiatry in general are not the problem. It is a particular hard core cult within those professions that are the problem.

Well, that hard core cult has caused so much damage, I am automatically leery of any research conducted by those in the fields of psychology/psychiatry, and so was pleasantly surprised to see some good being done in that field.