To print: Select File and then Print from your browser's menu --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Title: Graded Exercise Benefits Patients With Chronic Fatigue Syndrome URL: http://www.pslgroup.com/dg/1F2892.htm Doctor's Guide February 16, 2001
LONDON, UK -- February 16, 2001 -- A randomised, controlled trial of shows that patient education to encourage graded exercise improves the symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome.
Many patients with chronic fatigue syndrome have inaccurate illness beliefs that may perpetuate their condition, researchers say in a study in this week's British Medical Journal. The results of this study show that providing patients with medical explanations for symptoms to encourage graded exercise can substantially improve their condition.
A total of 148 patients diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome were randomised into four groups. Patients in the control group received standardised medical care.
Patients in three intervention groups received various degrees of treatment, including explanations of symptoms that encouraged home based graded exercise.
At one year, 69 percent of patients in the intervention groups had improved their physical functioning compared with 6 percent of patients in the control group. Similar improvements were seen in fatigue, sleep, disability and mood.
Overall, the explanations of their symptoms convinced 94 percent of the patients to carry out graded activity.
This approach may be as effective as cognitive (mental) behaviour therapy, but is shorter and requires less therapist skill, the authors conclude.
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