Search Here

Researchers have now found that two treatments can effectively fight chronic fatigue syndrome, a condition marked by constant fatigue that persists even after rest.

Chronic fatigue syndrome, according to PubMed Health, refers to a condition where a person is tired even after adequate rest and without any medical reasons. There is no known cause of the condition, although genetics, stress, age, etc, are known to be associated with the condition.

Researchers base their conclusion on a study called The PACE trial, which tested the efficacy of four different treatments for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome or CFS. The study, based on more than 600 participants, found that specialist medical care with cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) or graded exercise therapy (GET) is better for treating the condition than just specialist medical care (SMC) or adaptive pacing therapy (APT).

"The rehabilitative treatments of CBT and GET for CFS have been controversial. This analysis of the PACE trial data shows that not only do they achieve improvements in the majority, but they can also lead to effective recovery in a substantial minority," said Michael Sharpe, University of Oxford co-principal investigator of the PACE trial and co-author of the latest paper, according to a news release.

In the study, specialized medical care that was given to people included advice on managing the condition and medication for the condition. About 25 percent of the study participants also received CBT, where they were asked to make certain lifestyle changes, like increasing physical activity, to help deal with the condition.

The patients that were in the GET group got sessions with physiotherapists that helped them with exercise regimes. And the participants who were put in the APT group received advice from professionals on how to live with the condition. 

In about a year of treatment, 22 percent of people in the CBT and GET group recovered from the condition, when compared to just 7 to 8 percent in other groups. "Recovered from the condition" means that the person no longer filled the criteria for being diagnosed with the condition.

"The fact that people can recover from chronic fatigue syndrome is excellent news. Healthcare professionals can now be more confident in sharing this possibility with patients, many of whom are understandably concerned about their future," said Trudie Chalder from King's College London's Institute of Psychiatry.

The study is published in the journal Psychological Medicine.