Table 3.
RCTs with non-pharmacological interventions
| Intervention | N. of participants (N. of arms, control) | Period (week) | Primary measurement (subscale) | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CBT | ||||
| iCBT [41] | 240 (3, waitlist) | 27 | CIS (fatigue) | P < 0.01 |
| Group CBT [42] | 204 (3, waitlist) | 24 | CIS (fatigue), SF-36 (physical score) | CIS: d > 0.8 |
| CBT [43] | 122 (2, MRT) | 24 | CIS (fatigue), SF-36 | Not significant |
| FITNET [44] | 135 (2, usual care) | 48 | SAR, CIS (fatigue), CHQ (physical score) | P < 0.01 |
| CBT + GET [45] | 120 (2, usual care) | 24 | SF-36 | Not significant |
| Family-focused CBT [46] | 63 (2, psychoeducation) | 24 | SAR | Not significant |
| Group CBT [47] | 153 (3, education + support, MC) | 16 | SF-36 (physical, mental score) | Not significant |
| CBT [48] | 71 (2, waitlist) | 20 | CIS (fatigue), SF-36 (physical score), SAR | CIS, SF-36: P < 0.01, SAR: P < 0.05 |
| CBT [49] | 278 (3, guided support, no treatment) | 32 | CIS (fatigue), SIP-8 | CIS: P < 0.01, SIP: P < 0.05 |
| CBT [50] | 60 (2, relaxation) | 16–24 | Chalder scale, SF-36 (physical score) | Chalder scale: P < 0.01 |
| CBT [51] | 60 (2, MC) | 16 | Karnofsky normal function scale | P < 0.01 |
| Exercise | ||||
| Guided exercise self-help [52] | 211 (2, MC) | 12 | Chalder Scale, SF-36 (physical score) | P < 0.01 |
| Qigong [53] | 64 (2, waitlist) | 16 | Chalder Scale, SF-12 | Not significant |
| GET [54] | 49 (2, MC) | 12 | Self-rated global change score | P < 0.05 |
| Education to encourage graded exercise [55] | 148 (4, MC) | 16 | SF-36 (physical score) | P < 0.01 |
| Graded aerobic exercise [56] | 66 (crossover, flexibility therapy) | 12 | CGI | Not significant |
| Self-care | ||||
| Fatigue self-management [57] | 137 (3, usual care) | 12 | FSS | Not significant |
| Group-based self-management [58] | 137 (2, usual care) | 16 | SF-36 (physical score) | Not significant |
| Guided self-instruction [59] | 123 (2, waitlist) | 20 | CIS (fatigue), SF-36 (physical, social score) | CIS: P < 0.01 |
| Stepped care [60] | 171 (2, CBT) | 16 | CIS (fatigue), SIP-8, SF-36 (physical score) | Not significant |
| Guided self-instruction [61] | 169 (2, waitlist) | 16 | CIS (fatigue), SIP-8, SF-36 (physical score) | CIS, SIP8: P < 0.01 |
| Rehabilitation | ||||
| Pragmatic rehabilitation [62] | 302 (3, supportive listening, general treatment) | 18 | Chalder scale, SF-36 (physical score) | Not significant |
| Integrative, consumer-driven rehabilitation [63] | 47 (2, delayed program) | 16 | CFS symptom rating form, the QoL index | P < 0.05 |
| Acupuncture | ||||
| Acupuncture [64] | 150 (3, sa-am, no treat) | 4 | FSS | P < 0.05 |
| Acupuncture [65] | 100 (2, sham) | 4 | Chalder Scale, SF-12, GHQ-12 (mental score) | Chalder scale: P < 0.05 |
| Others | ||||
| Abdominal tuina [66] | 77 (2, acupuncture) | 4 | Chalder Scale, SAS, HAMD | P < 0.05 |
| Low-sugar, low-yeast diet [67] | 52 (2, healthy eating) | 24 | Chalder scale, SF-36 | Not significant |
| Distant healing [68] | 409 (4, not knowing, no treat) | 24 | SF-36 (mental score) | Not significant |
CBT cognitive behavior therapy, FITNET Fatigue in Teenagers on the interNET, GET graded exercise therapy, CIS Checklist Individual Strength, SF-36 36-item Short Form health survey, SAR school attendance rate, CHQ Child Health Questionnaire, SIP-8 Sickness Impact Profile, CGI Clinical Global Impression, FSS Fatigue Severity Scale, GHQ-12 General Health Questionnaire-12, SAS Self-rating Anxiety Scale, HAMD Hamilton rating scale for Depression