Table 2.
Symptom scores and disease‐specific and immunological characteristics of the myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome patients
| Parameter | All patients | N | RHI > 1.81 | N | RHI ≤ 1.81 | N | P‐value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Infectious disease onset, N (%) | 25 (71.4) | 35 | 12 (70.6) | 17 | 13 (72.2) | 18 | 0.9 |
| Disease duration, mean ± SD (years) | 8a ± 8 | 35 | 8a ± 1 | 17 | 7a ± 5 | 18 | 0.6 |
| Recurrent respiratory tract infections, N (%) | 22 (64.7) | 34 | 9 (52.9) | 17 | 13 (76.5) | 17 | 0.2 |
| Bell score, median (IQR) | 35 (20–41) | 34 | 40 (30–52) | 17 | 30 (20–40) | 17 | 0.04 |
| COMPASS‐31 score, mean ± SD | 47.24 ± 13.83 | 24 | 46.84 ± 12.03 | 10 | 47.53 ± 15.43 | 14 | 0.5 |
| Symptom scores | |||||||
| Fatigue score, mean ± SD | 8.24 ± 1.19 | 23 | 7.75 ± 1.40 | 10 | 8.62 ± 0.87 | 13 | 0.04 |
| Fatigue, mean ± SD | 7.83 ± 1.53 | 23 | 7.40 ± 1.43 | 10 | 8.15 ± 1.57 | 13 | 0.1 |
| Post‐exertion malaise, median (IQR) (ln) | 9.0 (8.0–10.0) | 23 | 9.00 (6.75–9.25) | 10 | 9.0 (8.0–10.0) | 13 | 0.1 |
| Impaired daily functioning, median (IQR) (ln) | 9.0 (8.0–9.0) | 23 | 8.5 (7.75–9.25) | 10 | 9.0 (8.0–9.0) | 13 | 0.1 |
| Demand for breaks, median (IQR) (ln) | 8.0 (7.0–10.0) | 23 | 7.5 (6.0–9.25) | 10 | 9.0 (7.0–10.0) | 13 | 0.04 |
| Immune score, mean ± SD | 5.43 ± 2.71 | 23 | 4.43 ± 2.69 | 10 | 6.2 ± 2.6 | 13 | 0.06 |
| Flu‐like symptoms, median (IQR) (ln) | 7.0 (6.0–8.0) | 23 | 7.0 (5.25–7.25) | 10 | 8.0 (6.0–9.0) | 13 | 0.3 |
| Sore throat, median (IQR) (ln) | 5.0 (1.0–7.0) | 23 | 3.0 (0.75–6.5) | 10 | 6.0 (3.5–8.5) | 13 | 0.2 |
| Painful lymph nodes, mean ± SD | 4.7 ± 3.1 | 23 | 3.8 ± 3.1 | 10 | 5.5 ± 2.9 | 13 | 0.1 |
| Cognitive score, median (IQR) (ln) | 7.66 (6.0–8.0) | 23 | 7.33 (5.75–8.0) | 10 | 7.66 (6.33–8.17) | 13 | 0.4 |
| Muscle pain, median (IQR) (ln) | 7.5 (5.0–9.0) | 22 | 8.00 (5.00–8.5) | 9 | 6.0 (4.0–9.5) | 13 | 0.2 |
| Disease severity, mean ± SD | 8.2 ± 1.4 | 18 | 7.0 ± 1.7 | 5 | 8.6 ± 1.0 | 13 | 0.02 |
| Immunological markers | |||||||
| Basal thyrotropin, mean ± SD (mU/L) | 1.70 ± 0.87 | 26 | 1.3 ± 0.8 | 12 | 2.04 ± 0.81 | 14 | 0.03 |
| Immunoglobulin G, mean ± SD (g/L) | 9.75 ± 2.22 | 34 | 9.95 ± 2.75 | 17 | 9.95 ± 2.75 | 17 | 0.6 |
| Immunoglobulin M, mean ± SD (g/L) | 1.32 ± 1.01 | 34 | 1.56 ± 1.19 | 17 | 1.56 ± 1.19 | 17 | 0.2 |
| Immunoglobulin A, mean ± SD (g/L) | 1.93 ± 0.74 | 34 | 1.89 ± 0.65 | 17 | 1.89 ± 0.65 | 17 | 0.8 |
| Interleukin‐8, mean ± SD (pg/mL) | 117.8 ± 48.0 | 32 | 109.1 ± 48.4 | 15 | 125.4 ± 47.8 | 17 | 0.3 |
| Soluble interleukin‐2 receptor, median (IQR) [ln (IU/mL)] | 357 (274–466) | 24 | 422 (293–478) | 12 | 325 (261–382) | 12 | 0.9 |
| Soluble VCAM, mean ± SD (ng/mL) | 132.9 ± 35.0 | 35 | 137.3 ± 28.5 | 17 | 137.3 ± 28.5 | 18 | 0.5 |
| Soluble ICAM, mean ± SD (ng/mL) | 54.3 ± 14.3 | 35 | 55.0 ± 12.4 | 17 | 55.0 ± 12.4 | 18 | 0.8 |
| β2‐adrenergic receptor antibody, mean ± SD (U/mL) | 9.21 ± 9.57 | 34 | 9.6 ± 10.3 | 17 | 9.6 ± 10.3 | 17 | 0.8 |
| M3 acetylcholine receptor antibody, mean ± SD (U/mL) | 7.04 ± 10.41 | 34 | 8.4 ± 13.1 | 17 | 8.4 ± 13.1 | 17 | 0.5 |
ICAM, intercellular adhesion molecule; IQR, interquartile range; RHI, reactive hyperaemia index; SD, standard deviation; VCAM, vascular cell adhesion molecule.