Table 3.
Summary of methodology and study design of included studies
| Authors (year) | Design | Number of participants | CFS/ME diagnostic criteria applied | Mean age—years (SD) | Measure of CFS/ME | Measure of depression | Intervention | Was the treatment specifically targeted at or adapted for depression? | Was the outcome of treatment stratified by depressed vs non-depressed? | Length of follow-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chalder et al (2002) | Observational (outpatient) | 23 | Sharpe et al (1991)* | (Range 11–18, median 15) | CFS | HADS | CBT-based rehabilitation programme. Up to 15 hourly sessions | No | No | 6 months |
| Denborough et al (2003) | Observational (inpatient) | 39 (19 at 6 months follow-up) | Fukuda et al (1994) | 16.2 | Chronic Fatigue Illness Disability Scale FSS |
BDI- | 4-week inpatient programme, focused on graded exercise using hydrotherapy and physiotherapy. | No | No | 6 months |
| Gordon and Lubitz (2009) | Observational (inpatient) | 16 | Fukuda et al (1994) | 16 (1.28) | FSS | BDI | 4-week inpatient programme, including graded exercise therapy, psychological/psychiatric support, attendance at school, recreation and leisure intervention | No | No | Post-treatment |
| Gordon et al (2010) | RCT (inpatient) | 22 | Fukuda et al (1994) | 16.2 (0.8) | Exercise tolerance Muscle strength FSS |
BDI | 4-week inpatient programme, including graded exercise therapy, psychological/psychiatric support, attendance at school. Aerobic training compared with resistance training | No | No | Post-treatment |
| Henderson (2014) | Observational (outpatient, retrospective case series) | 15 (14 at follow-up) | Fukuda et al (1994) | 15.46 (3.11) | Self-reported improvement FSS Multidimensional Fatigue Symptom Inventory-Short Form |
CDI | Valacyclovir (antiviral) medication, initially 500 mg two times a day, increasing after 2–3 weeks. Duration of treatment ranged from 3 to 60 months (mean 27.9 months) | No | Yes | Varied—post-treatment |
| Kawatani et al (2011) | Observational (outpatient) | 19 | Jason et al (2006) | 13.6 (0.7) | CFS | Zung self-rating depression scale | CBT (average of 5 sessions over 6 months) and pharmacotherapy | No | No | 6 months |
| Lloyd et al (2012) | Observational (outpatient) | 63 (52 at follow-up) | Sharpe et al (1991)* | (Median 15) | CFS | Birleson Depression Scale | CBT via telephone based guided self-help—6 fortnightly sessions, 30mins duration | No | No | 6 months |
| Rimes et al (2007) | Observational (prospective, community) | 1 case of CFS at time 1; 4 cases CFS at identified at time 2 | Fukuda et al (1994) | (Range 11–15) | Diagnostic interview using CDC criteria | Development and Well-being Assessment (interview) | None | No | No | 4–6 months |
| van de Putte et al (2007) | Observational (prospective, community) | 40 at baseline (36 at follow-up) | Fukuda et al (1994) | 16.0 (1.5) | Subjective fatigue subscale of CIS-20 | CDI at baseline only | None | No | No | 18 months |
*In the studies using the Oxford criteria,6 it is unclear if the criteria for CFS or postinfectious fatigue syndrome (PIFS) were applied.
BDI, Beck Depression Inventory; CDI, Children's Depression Inventory; CFS, Chalder Fatigue Scale; CIS-20, Checklist of Individual Strength; FSS, Fatigue Severity Scale; HADS, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale.