Article

OBJECTIVE: To give an overview of the physical activity level of patients with
chronic fatigue syndrome in comparison with asymptomatic controls. DATA SOURCES:
MEDLINE, Web of Science, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Picarta,
the Cochrane Controlled Trial
Register that is included in the Cochrane Library and reference tracking. A systematic literature search was conducted focusing on studies
concerning physical activity levels of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome
compared to controls. A meta-analysis was performed to pool data of the studies.
RESULTS: Seventeen studies were included with 22 different comparisons between
patients with chronic fatigue syndrome and controls. Fourteen studies, including
18 comparisons, showed lower physical activity levels in patients with chronic
fatigue syndrome as compared to controls. Four studies, including four
comparisons, showed no differences between both groups. The meta-analysis
included seven studies and showed a daily physical activity level in patients
with chronic fatigue syndrome of only 68% of the physical activity level observed
in control subjects. The pooled mean coefficient of variation in patients with
chronic fatigue syndrome was higher as compared to control subjects (34.3% versus
31.5%), but this difference did not reach significance. CONCLUSION: Patients with
chronic fatigue syndrome appear to be less physically active compared with
asymptomatic controls.
There is no difference in variation of physical activity
levels between patients with chronic fatigue syndrome and healthy control
subjects, but the validity and reliability of some methods of measuring physical
activity is questionable or unknown.

Langue : ANGLAIS