Table 1. Sex differences in self-reported ME/CFS symptoms.
| ME/CFS Symptom Factors (Possible range) | Females |
Males |
Sex Comparison |
|||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| n | Mdn(Range) | M(SD) | n | Mdn(Range) | M(SD) | U | p | r | ||
| F1. | Exertion and Fatigue (0–48) | 169 | 31(0–48) | 30.01 (15.70) | 74 | 31.5 (0–48) | 27.77 (16.19) | 6806.0 | 0.269 | 0.07 |
| F2. | Neurocognitive Symptoms (0–144) | 161 | 47 (0–120) | 50.07 (33.52) | 72 | 43.5 (0–120) | 44.85 (30.13) | 6241.5 | 0.349 | 0.06 |
| F3. | Pain Symptoms (0–208) | 156 | 45.5 (0–179) | 54.02 (43.70) | 70 | 21 (0–160) | 31.74 (32.29) | 7219.0 | 0.000*** | 0.26 |
| F4. | Sleep Symptoms (0–64) | 167 | 29 (0–64) | 30.89 (18.66) | 74 | 24 (0–64) | 25.51 (18.41) | 7244.5 | 0.033* | 0.14 |
| F5. | Neurosensory Symptoms (0–112) | 167 | 24 (0–103) | 28.31 (21.98) | 74 | 17 (0–82) | 21.34 (18.88) | 7391.5 | 0.015* | 0.16 |
| F6. | Immunity Impairment (0–112) | 165 | 8 (0–72) | 13.5 (15.58) | 74 | 4 (0–70) | 9.76 (14.15) | 7002.0 | 0.068 | 0.12 |
| F7. | Gastrointestinal (GI) Symptoms (0–128) | 163 | 24 (0–113) | 27.93 (22.86) | 73 | 11 (0–112) | 19.71 (21.85) | 7344.0 | 0.004** | 0.19 |
| F8. | Genitourinary (GU) Symptoms (0–48) | 170 | 2 (0–44) | 6.54 (9.71) | 77 | 4 (0–48) | 8.00 (10.91) | 5959.5 | 0.249 | -0.07 |
| F9. | Sensitivities (0–32) | 168 | 12 (0–32) | 12.94 (9.71) | 72 | 4.5 (0–32) | 7.58 (8.24) | 8098.5 | 0.000*** | 0.27 |
| F10. | Energy Production/Transportation Impairments (0–112) | 167 | 22 (0–128) | 30.93 (28.67) | 72 | 12 (0–86) | 17.78 (19.12) | 7628.5 | 0.001*** | 0.21 |
| F11. | Mood (0–128) | 159 | 19 (0–113) | 27.16 (26.44) | 69 | 12 (0–116) | 20.25c (22.93) | 6424.5 | 0.040* | 0.14 |
| F12 | ICC Symptom Score [F1-F10] (0–1008) | 126 | 245.5 (2–826) | 268.37 (172.91) | 58 | 185.5 (11–607) | 207.66 (147.87) | 4480.0 | 0.014* | 0.18 |
| F13 | Total Symptom Score [F1-F11] (0–1136) | 120 | 291.5 (2–908) | 264.81 (193.41) | 57 | 196 (11–664) | 223.72 (161.07) | 4301.0 | 0.006** | 0.21 |
Descriptive statistics, Mann-Whitney U test statistics and effect sizes (r) comparing symptom scores across the sexes. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001.