JRRD at a Glance
Comparison of two exercise testing protocolsin patients with chronic fatigue syndrome
Jo Nijs, PhD, PT, et al.
Previous study findings on the ability of individuals with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) to perform an exercise test have been contradictory. Some studies revealed a diminished ability to perform exercise, while others found no differences in exercise performance between CFS patients and nondisabled control subjects. The different studies, however, used different protocols to assess exercise performance. Therefore, our study compared the outcome of two different exercise testing protocols in patients with CFS: a bicycle exercise test with a linear increase in workload and a bicycle exercise test with a sudden increase in workload every 3 minutes. We found that both tests generated similar responses at the final stages of the exercise, but the linear increase in workload resulted in a slower increase in oxygen uptake during exercise (a more efficient performance).
Volume 44 Number 4 2007
Pages 553 — 560
