Table 3.
ME/CFS symptom characteristics.
| Age of diagnosis (Years [Mean ± SD]) | 26.78 ± 10.44 | |||
| Disease duration (Years [Mean ± SD]) | 22 ± 14.04 | |||
| Infectious onset, n(%) | 6 (66.7%) | |||
| Other onset, n(%) | 3 (33.3%) | |||
| Duration since taking LDN (Month [Mean ± SD]) | 21.11 ± 24.66 | |||
| Dosage of LDN (mg/day [Mean ± SD]) | 4.06 ± 0.68 | |||
| Prior n(%) | After n(%) | P-value | ||
| Impaired thought, concentration and cognitive overload | None | 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) | 0.004 |
| Mild | 0 (0%) | 4 (44.4%) | ||
| Moderate | 2 (22.2%) | 4 (44.4%) | ||
| Severe | 6 (66.7) | 1 (11.1%) | ||
| Extreme | 1 (11.%) | 0 (0%) | ||
| Memory consolidation issues | None | 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) | 0.077 |
| Mild | 1 (11.%) | 5 (55.6%) | ||
| Moderate | 5 (55.6%) | 3 (33.3%) | ||
| Severe | 2 (22.2%) | 1 (11.1%) | ||
| Extreme | 1 (11.%) | 0 (0%) | ||
| Sleep Disturbances | None | 0 (0%) | (0%) | 0.077 |
| Mild | 0 (0%) | 1 (11.1%) | ||
| Moderate | 4 (44.4%) | 7 (77.8%) | ||
| Severe | 5 (55.6%) | 1 (11.1%) | ||
| Extreme | 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) | ||
| Muscle pain | None | 1 (11.%) | 2 (22.2%) | 0.605 |
| Mild | 3 (33.3%) | 2 (22.2%) | ||
| Moderate | 1 (11.1%) | 2 (22.2%) | ||
| Severe | 3 (33.3%) | 3 (33.3%) | ||
| Extreme | 1 (11.1%) | 0 (0%) | ||
| Joint pain | None | 2 (22.2%) | 2 (22.2%) | 0.730 |
| Mild | 3 (33.3%) | 3 (33.3%) | ||
| Moderate | 1 (11.1%) | 3 (33.3%) | ||
| Severe | 3 (33.3%) | 1 (11.1%) | ||
| Extreme | 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) | ||
| Sore throat | None | 0 (0%) | 1 (11.1%) | 0.077 |
| Mild | 2 (22.2%) | 5 (55.6%) | ||
| Moderate | 4 (44.4%) | 2 (22.2%) | ||
| Severe | 3 (33.3%) | 1 (11.1%0 | ||
| Extreme | 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) | ||
| Tender lymph nods | None | 1 (11.1%) | 3 (33.3%) | 0.136 |
| Mild | 4 (44.4%) | 5 (55.6%) | ||
| Moderate | 3 (33.3%) | 1 (11.1%) | ||
| Severe | 1 (11.1%) | 0 (0%) | ||
| Extreme | 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) | ||
| Other immune disturbances | None | 0 (0%) | 1 (11.1%) | 0.024 |
| Mild | 0 (0%) | 2 (22.2%) | ||
| Moderate | 5 (55.6%) | 6 (66.7%) | ||
| Severe | 4 (44.4%) | 0 (0%) | ||
| Extreme | 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) | ||
| Gastrointestinal Disturbances | None | 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) | 0.297 |
| Mild | 3 (33.3%) | 3 (33.3%) | ||
| Moderate | 1 (11.1%) | 5 (55.6%) | ||
| Severe | 4 (44.4%) | 1 (11.1%) | ||
| Extreme | 1 (11.1%) | 0 (0%) | ||
| Urinary Disturbances | None | 0 (0%) | 3 (33.3%) | 0.136 |
| Mild | 5 (55.6%) | 4 (44.4%) | ||
| Moderate | 3 (33.3%) | 2 (22.2%) | ||
| Severe | 1 (11.1%) | 0 (0%) | ||
| Extreme | 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) | ||
| POTS | None | 3 (33.3%) | 3 (33.3%) | 0.489 |
| Mild | 0 (0%) | 2 (22.2%) | ||
| Moderate | 3 (33.3%) | 3 (33.3%) | ||
| Severe | 2 (22.2%) | 0 (0%) | ||
| Extreme | 1 (11.1%) | 1 (11.1%) | ||
| Thermostatic Instability | None | 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) | 0.077 |
| Mild | 1 (11.1%) | 4 (44.4%) | ||
| Moderate | 1 (11.1%) | 3 (33.3%) | ||
| Severe | 6 (66.7%) | 1 (11.1%) | ||
| Extreme | 1 (11.1%) | 1 (11.1%) |
ME/CFS patients self-reported the severity of their symptoms prior and after taking LDN. Data are presented as mean ± SD or frequency n(%). HC, healthy controls; ME/CFS, myalgic encephalomyelitis/ chronic fatigue syndrome; n, sample number; POTS, Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome.
Bold values are results that are statistically significant, set at p < 0.05.