Graded exercise therapy for myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome is not effective and

[Mark Vink]

Abstract
The analysis of the 2017 Cochrane review reveals flaws, which means that contrary to its findings, there is no evidence that graded exercise therapy is effective. Because of the failure to report harms adequately in the trials covered by the review, it cannot be said that graded exercise therapy is safe. The analysis of the objective outcomes in the trials provides sufficient evidence to conclude that graded exercise therapy is an ineffective treatment for myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/2055102918805187

 

[Diwi9]

@Mark Vink - Thank you for doing this re-analysis. Not sure that Cochrane will change its position, but at least now criticism of its review that points out foundational flaws is part of the academic literature. I hope your paper helps influence the NICE guideline review.

 

[Shoshana]

It seems another of those countless situations, where true results go under reported even by participants,
due to their realization that they will not be believed and respected, or treated without suspicion, doubt, or blame,

and also, that even if the participant feedback reports were not considered suspect and "subjective only"

that it would most likely be deemed impossible to 'prove' that the negative outcomes reported, were in fact resultant outcomes, instead of from other possible variables or causal factors.

Ugh.

BUT, thank you for working on this and for sharing it with us!