Comparing Idiopathic Chronic Fatigue & ME/CFS by Gender: Response to 2-day CPET (van Campen & Visser, 2021)

[Pyrrhus]

Two new articles by the team of Linda van Campen and Frans Visser:

Comparing Idiopathic Chronic Fatigue and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) in Males: Response to Two-Day Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing Protocol (van Campen and Visser, 2021)
https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/9/6/683
Excerpt:

Introduction:
Multiple studies have shown that peak oxygen consumption is reduced in the majority of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS )patients, using the gold standard for measuring exercise intolerance: cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET). A 2-day CPET protocol has shown different results on day 2 in ME/CFS patients compared to sedentary controls. No comparison is known between ME/CFS and idiopathic chronic fatigue (ICF) for 2-day CPET protocols. We compared ME/CFS patients with patients with chronic fatigue who did not fulfill the ME/CFS criteria in a male population and hypothesized a different pattern of response would be present during the 2nd day CPET.

Methods:
We compared 25 male patients with ICF who had completed a 2-day CPET protocol to an age-/gender-matched group of 26 male ME/CFS patients. Measures of oxygen consumption (VO2), heart rate (HR), systolic and diastolic blood pressure, workload (Work), and respiratory exchange ratio (RER) were collected at maximal (peak) and ventilatory threshold (VT) intensities.

Results:
Baseline characteristics for both groups were similar for age, body mass index (BMI), body surface area, (BSA), and disease duration. A significant difference was present in the number of patients with fibromyalgia (seven ME/CFS patients vs. zero ICF patients). Heart rate at rest and the RER did not differ significantly between CPET 1 and CPET 2. All other CPET parameters at the ventilatory threshold and maximum exercise differed significantly (p-value between 0.002 and <0.0001). ME/CFS patients showed a deterioration of performance on CPET2 as reflected by VO2 and workload at peak exercise and ventilatory threshold, whereas ICF patients showed improved performance on CPET2 with no significant change in peak workload.

Conclusion:
This study confirms that male ME/CFS patients have a reduction in exercise capacity in response to a second-day CPET. These results are similar to published results in male ME/CFS populations. Patients diagnosed with ICF show a different response on day 2, more similar to sedentary and healthy controls.

Female Patients with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome or Idiopathic Chronic Fatigue: Comparison of Responses to a Two-Day Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing Protocol (van Campen and Visser, 2021)
https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/9/6/682
Excerpt:

Introduction:
Multiple studies have shown that peak oxygen consumption is reduced in the majority of ME/CFS patients, using the golden standard for measuring exercise intolerance: cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET). A 2-day CPET protocol has shown different results on day 2 in ME/CFS patients compared to sedentary controls. No comparison is known between ME/CFS and idiopathic chronic fatigue (ICF) for 2-day CPET protocols. We compared ME/CFS patients with patients with chronic fatigue who did not fulfill the ME/CFS criteria in a male population and hypothesized a different pattern of response would be present during the 2nd day CPET.

Methods:
Fifty-one female patients with ICF completed a 2-day CPET protocol and were compared to an age/sex-matched group of 50 female ME/CFS patients. Measures of oxygen consumption (VO2), heart rate (HR), systolic and diastolic blood pressure, workload (Work), and respiratory exchange ratio (RER) were collected at maximal (peak) and ventilatory threshold (VT) intensities.

Results:
Baseline characteristics for both groups were similar for age, BMI, BSA, and disease duration. A significance difference was present in the number of patients with fibromyalgia (seven ME/CFS patients vs zero ICF patients). Heart rate at rest and the RER did not differ significantly between CPET 1 and CPET 2. All other CPET parameters at the ventilatory threshold and maximum exercise differed significantly (p-value between 0.002 and <0.0001). ME/CFS patients showed a deterioration of performance on CPET2 as reflected by VO2 and workload at peak exercise and ventilatory threshold, whereas ICF patients showed improved performance on CPET2 with no significant change in peak workload.

Conclusion:
This study confirms that female ME/CFS patients have a reduction in exercise capacity in response to a second day CPET. These results are similar to published results in female ME/CFS populations. Patients diagnosed with ICF show a different response on day 2, more similar to sedentary and healthy controls.

 

[Martin aka paused||M.E.]

Two new articles by the team of Linda van Campen and Frans Visser:

Comparing Idiopathic Chronic Fatigue and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) in Males: Response to Two-Day Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing Protocol (van Campen and Visser, 2021)
https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/9/6/683
Excerpt:



Female Patients with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome or Idiopathic Chronic Fatigue: Comparison of Responses to a Two-Day Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing Protocol (van Campen and Visser, 2021)
https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/9/6/682
Excerpt:

We need more of those

 

[PisForPerseverance]

Wow this is so needed

 

[Diwi9]

It's nice to see studies getting cleaner in terms of selection criteria and control/comparison groups. Hard to believe it's 2021 and we still need these studies performed to lock in the evidence about decline post-exertion.

 

[ljimbo423]

Hard to believe it's 2021 and we still need these studies performed to lock in the evidence about decline post-exertion.

It's ridiculous.

I get most of my PEM 2 days after exertion. I wonder if repeating the CPET after 2 days instead of one would show a overall bigger decline in function in ME/CFS patients.

 

[Pyrrhus]

I get most of my PEM 2 days after exertion. I wonder if repeating the CPET after 2 days instead of one would show a overall bigger decline in function in ME/CFS patients.

I've wondered the same thing. But what I find truly fascinating is that with invasive CPET, instead of regular CPET, differences can be observed right on day 1:
https://forums.phoenixrising.me/thr...s-joseph-et-al-2021.82907/page-2#post-2334047

 

[ljimbo423]

But what I find truly fascinating is that with invasive CPET, instead of regular CPET, differences can be observed right on day 1:

That makes sense. I can surely feel the difference in my energy, often while I'm physically exerting myself or shortly after. Now we just need that study and others like it advertised on TV.

 

[Pyrrhus]

That makes sense. I can surely feel the difference in my energy, often while I'm physically exerting myself or shortly after. Now we just need that study and others like it advertised on TV.

2:00am, Home Shopping Channel:

"Can't sleep? Feeling tired and brain fogged throughout the day? Try our new and improved INVASIVE CPET©!!! This revolutionary technology makes your old, clunky, regular CPET a thing of the past! --Annoyed by having to come back on day 2 when you can barely lift your head off the pillow? Never fear- our new and improved INVASIVE CPET© only requires you to come in for one day of excruciating torture! It's revolutionary!*

*requires catheter insertion directly into your heart. slight risk of discomfort."