Table 2 Demographic and behavioural information of the study participants in the final analysis for gradual onset ME/CFS (GO-ME/CFS) group.

From: Distinct white matter alteration patterns in post-infectious and gradual onset chronic fatigue syndrome revealed by diffusion MRI

Characteristics

GO-ME/CFS

participants (n = 33)

Healthy controls

(HCs, n = 33)

p values

Female/male

26/7

26/7

n/a

Age (years)

42.03 ± 12.87 [24, 62]

42.18 ± 7.35 [21, 58]

0.75

BMI (kg/m2)

24.98 ± 4.75 [18.69, 34.89]

26.10 ± 4.01 [20.20, 33.87]

0.27

MET rate

1.30 ± 0.15 [1.04, 1.72]

1.36 ± 0.15 [1, 1.61]

0.09

MRI scan time

11.77 ± 1.78 [7.80, 15.88]

11.68 ± 1.63 [9.08, 16.10]

0.57

HADS-anxiety

8.97 ± 5.21 [1, 18]

4.42 ± 2.97 [0, 14]

< 0.001

HADS-depression

7.21 ± 4.41 [1, 17]

2.06 ± 2.73 [0, 11]

< 0.001

SF-36 - MCS

42.95 ± 9.03 [23.34, 56.77]

52.78 ± 6.13 [38.57, 60.36]

< 0.001

SF-36 - PCS

37.56 ± 6.49 [27.10, 50.68]

58.45 ± 7.95 [35.43, 68.30]

< 0.001

Global PSQI

9.09 ± 3.39 [3, 15]

4.48 ± 3.21 [1, 13]

< 0.001

BDS

43.94 ± 14.35 [10, 70]

94.55 ± 12.77 [50, 100]

< 0.001

Disease severity

2.76 ± 1.06 [1, 4]

n/a

n/a

Disease duration (years)

10.27 ± 7.52 [1.5, 28]

n/a

n/a

  1. Note – The data are presented as mean ± standard deviation [lower bound, higher bound]. Continuous variables were compared using the Wilcoxon rank sum test. All reported p-values were based on t-tests. MRI scan times were reported in 24-hour decimal format, such as 15.60 represents 3:36 PM. ME/CFS = myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome; BMI = body mass index; MET = metabolic equivalents (one MET is defined as the energy used in resting or sitting still); HADS = Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale; SF-36 = 36-item Short-Form; MCS = mental component summary; PCS = physical component summary; PSQI = Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index; BDS = Bell’s Disability Scale. Disease severity score 1 is referred to as Mild, score 2 is referred to as Mild-Moderate, score 3 is referred to as Moderate, score 4 is referred to as Moderate-Severe, and score 5 is referred to as Severe.
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