Research abstract

Aims
The current study evaluated the long-term effectiveness of a multi-disciplinary approach to chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalopathy (CFS/ME) in a UK outpatient service.

Methods
A longitudinal questionnaire survey was posted to 300 patients, incorporating measures of fatigue, physical functioning, mental health, and pain. Outcome measures administered at baseline (prior to service use) were compared to assessments at discharge, and at follow-up (average 34 months post-intervention).

Results
Linear mixed modelling showed that fatigue, physical functioning, and depression significantly improved, although the improvement was reduced for fatigue, physical functioning, and pain at follow-up. Gainful employment had a significant positive association with most measures.

Conclusions
The targeted multi-disciplinary service appeared to be at least somewhat effective long-term, and highly acceptable to patients. Patients appeared to benefit from individual and group approaches that combined cognitive behavioural therapy, graded exercise therapy, and pacing.

Long-term follow-up of multi-disciplinary outpatient treatment for chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalopathy, by Amalia Houlton, Marilyn M. Christie, Bozena Smith & Eric Gardiner in Fatigue: Biomedicine, Health & Behavior Volume 3, Issue 1, 2015, [ublished online: 07 Jan 2015]

Discussion at Phoenix Rising – service thought to be at Derby, England