Table 1.
Baseline characteristics of study participants
| Variable | Group A (n = 49) | Group B (n = 51) | Group C (n = 50) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age, years | 44.9 ± 11.4 | 39.6 ± 11.5 | 41.1 ± 11.9 | |
| Sex, M/F | 15 (30.6)/34 (69.4) | 18 (35.3)/33 (64.7) | 19 (38.0)/31 (62.0) | |
| Height, cm | 162.2 ± 6.8 | 165.3 ± 8.9 | 164.4 ± 8.8 | |
| Weight, kg | 59.8 ± 10.8 | 63.0 ± 12.5 | 62.8 ± 12.4 | |
| Duration of chronic fatigue | ||||
| 6 months to 1 year | 17 (34.7) | 13 (25.5) | 18 (36.0) | |
| 1 year to 5 years | 17 (34.7) | 23 (45.1) | 24 (48.0) | |
| >5 years | 15 (30.6) | 15 (29.4) | 8 (16.0) | |
| Previous treatment | ||||
| Medication | 0 (0.0) | 2 (3.9) | 0 (0.0) | |
| Oriental medicine treatment | 2 (4.1) | 4 (7.8) | 1 (2.0) | |
| Therapeutic exercise | 1 (2.0) | 3 (5.9) | 0 (0.0) | |
| Psychotherapy | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | |
| Other treatment | 6 (12.2) | 4 (7.8) | 5 (10.0) | |
| Chronic fatigue syndrome, M/F | 3 (6.1)/18 (36.7) | 6 (11.8)/17 (33.3) | 6 (12.0)/13 (26.0) | |
| Education >12 years | 28 (57.1) | 39 (76.5) | 35 (70.0) | |
| Job | 36 (73.5) | 39 (76.5) | 40 (80.0) | |
| Marriage | 38 (77.6) | 32 (62.7) | 37 (74.0) | |
| Irregular meals | 18 (36.7) | 18 (35.3) | 19 (38.0) | |
| Exercise | ||||
| Yes | 29 (59.2) | 24 (47.1) | 23 (46.0) | |
| Weekly average frequency | 3.4 ± 2.0 | 2.8 ± 1.5 | 3.4 ± 1.6 | |
| Average time per session, h | 1.2 ± 0.9 | 1.4 ± 0.6 | 1.1 ± 0.5 | |
| Tobacco use | 8 (16.3) | 10 (19.6) | 8 (16.0) | |
| Alcohol use | 23 (46.9) | 21 (41.2) | 21 (42.0) | |
| Treatment expectancy | 6.9 ± 1.5 | 6.1 ± 1.4 | 4.5 ± 2.4 | |
| Yes (6 to 9) | 40 (81.6) | 37 (72.5) | 18 (36.0) | |
| No (1 to 5) | 9 (18.4) | 14 (27.5) | 32 (64.0) | |
Data are presented as either mean ± SD or number (%), where appropriate