Table 1.
Comparison of recovered and improved patients with those who did not show recovery/improvement
| Patients’ groups | p-values | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Recovered (R) | Improved (I) | Not recovered/improved (no-R/I) | R vs. no-R/I | I vs. no-R/I | |
| Demographic characteristics | |||||
| Patients, n (%) | 29 (33.7%) | 20 (23.3%) | 37 (43%) | ||
| Female, n (%) | 19 (65.5%) | 16 (80%) | 35 (94.6%) | 0.002 | 0.086 |
| Age at disease onset, years | 41 [31–50] | 41 [32–45] | 41 [34–49] | 0.529 | 0.428 |
| Diagnostic delay, months | 9 [6–13] | 11 [6–17] | 15 [9–18] | 0.047 | 0.420 |
| Time of follow-up, months | 9 [6–12] | 11 [6–14] | 9 [6–12] | 0.601 | 0.275 |
| Clinical manifestations, n (%) | |||||
| Fatigue | 29 (100%) | 20 (100%) | 36 (97.3%) | 0.372 | 0.458 |
| Post-exertional malaise | 8 (27.6%) | 7 (35%) | 17 (45.9%) | 0.126 | 0.424 |
| Fever | 2 (6.9%) | 1 (5%) | 4 (10.8%) | 0.687 | 0.647 |
| Chills/ sweats /flushing | 10 (34.5%) | 12 (60%) | 16 (43.2%) | 0.469 | 0.227 |
| Thromboembolic disorders | 0 (0%) | 1 (5%) | 3 (8.1%) | 0.249 | > 0.99 |
| Dyspnea | 15 (51.7%) | 8 (40%) | 23 (62.2%) | 0.394 | 0.108 |
| Cough | 5 (17.2%) | 1 (5%) | 12 (32.4%) | 0.256 | 0.021 |
| Chest tightness/pain | 7 (24.1%) | 4 (20%) | 6 (16.2%) | 0.421 | 0.728 |
| Cognitive impairment | 12 (41.4%) | 13 (65%) | 25 (67.6%) | 0.033 | 0.844 |
| Brain fog | 9 (31%) | 14 (70%) | 19 (51.4%) | 0.097 | 0.173 |
| Headaches/brain pressure sensation | 12 (41.4%) | 14 (70%) | 18 (48.6%) | 0.556 | 0.121 |
| Neurosensory disturbances | 1 (3.4%) | 0 (0%) | 4 (10.8%) | 0.374 | 0.286 |
| Vertigo/dizziness/balance problems | 6 (20.7%) | 8 (40%) | 13 (35.1%) | 0.198 | 0.716 |
| Sleep disorders | 11 (37.9%) | 12 (60%) | 16 (43.2%) | 0.663 | 0.227 |
| Sore throat | 8 (27.6%) | 2 (10%) | 7 (18.9%) | 0.404 | 0.470 |
| Dysphonia | 0 (0%) | 1 (5%) | 0 (0%) | > 0.99 | 0.350 |
| Dysphagia | 1 (3.4%) | 1 (5%) | 1 (2.7%) | > 0.99 | > 0.99 |
| Rhinorrhea | 5 (17.2%) | 1 (5%) | 4 (10.8%) | 0.490 | 0.647 |
| Anosmia | 5 (17.2%) | 4 (20%) | 4 (10.8%) | 0.490 | 0.431 |
| Ageusia | 5 (17.2%) | 4 (20%) | 2 (5.4%) | 0.490 | 0.169 |
| Myalgia | 18 (62.1%) | 13 (65%) | 22 (59.5%) | 0.639 | 0.681 |
| Arthralgia | 5 (17.2%) | 6 (30%) | 9 (24.3%) | 0.555 | 0.642 |
| Numbness/tingling | 2 (6.9%) | 2 (10%) | 3 (8.1%) | > 0.99 | > 0.99 |
| Mood disorders | 11 (37.9%) | 8 (40%) | 16 (43.2%) | 0.801 | 0.812 |
| Gastrointestinal disorders | 5 (17.2%) | 5 (25%) | 8 (21.6%) | 0.656 | 0.771 |
| Palpitation | 10 (34.5%) | 9 (45%) | 19 (51.4%) | 0.140 | 0.647 |
| Conjunctivitis | 1 (3.4%) | 0 (0%) | 1 (2.7%) | > 0.99 | > 0.99 |
| Associated conditions, n (%) | |||||
| Myalgic encephalomyelitis | 8 (27.6%) | 7 (35%) | 17 (45.9%) | 0.126 | 0.424 |
| Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome | 3 (10.3%) | 6 (30%) | 5 (13.5%) | > 0.99 | 0.358 |
| Mast cell activation | 10 (34.5%) | 10 (50%) | 16 (43.2%) | 0.469 | 0.624 |
| Baseline fatigue assessment | |||||
| Baseline FSSa score | 6.8 [6.3–7] | 6.8 [6.6–7] | 7 [6.8–7] | 0.109 | 0.234 |
| Degree of adherence to pacing | |||||
| Engagement in pacing subscale score | 4.4 [4–4.8] | 4.1 [4–4.4] | 3 [2.8–3.2] | < 0.001 | < 0.001 |
Qualitative data were expressed as absolute number and percentage, and compared between two groups by the Fisher’s exact test or the Chi-squared test, as appropriated. Quantitative data were expressed as median and quartiles and compared between two groups by the Student’s t-test or Mann–Whitney test according to the normality of distribution, assessed by using the D’Agostino-Pearson test
aFSS: Fatigue severity scale