Illness duration and coping style in chronic fatigue syndrome

'Welcome to my world': a thematic analysis of the lived experiences of people with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis during the UK COVID-19 lockdown

OBJECTIVES

We explore the experiences of people with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (pwME/CFS) during the first UK COVID-19 lockdown period. We specifically probe perceived commonalities and departures in experience between government- and health-imposed lockdowns, application of coping strategies for social isolation, and predictions for inclusion of the chronically ill in post-pandemic society.

METHODS AND MEASURES

Thirty semi-structured interviews were conducted in pwME/CFS between June - July, 2020. Responses were qualitatively analysed using an experiential, thematic framework.

RESULTS

While participants reported enhancements in digital accessibility during lockdown, they perceived this as an unintentional benefit from changes designed to cater universally. Similarly, their expectation was that the general population's limited experience of restriction would not engender greater understanding for those who would continue to experience health-imposed lockdowns, post-pandemic. Participants described numerous strategies for coping with restriction and isolation, developed during prior health-imposed lockdowns and applied to this novel circumstance, highlighting the presence of acceptance and resilience in the sample.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that future work may fruitfully examine whether our participant's predictions for post-pandemic societal inclusion have been met, and how resilience and acceptance might be developed and nurtured in chronically ill populations through times of adversity.

Coping with and self-management of chronic painful chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy: a qualitative study among cancer survivors

PURPOSE

Patients with chronic painful chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) may experience a negative impact of CIPN on daily life. They can use various coping (i.e., dealing with symptoms and resulting impairments in general) and self-management (i.e., practical actions to reduce symptoms) strategies to live with their limitations. This paper aimed to examine experienced helpful coping and self-management strategies of patients with chronic painful CIPN.

METHODS

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with twelve patients with chronic painful CIPN. We applied a hybrid deductive-inductive coding approach. ATLAS.ti was used for coding.

RESULTS

Generated from the data were two themes and nine codes for coping and four themes and 31 codes for self-management strategies. Coping of patients often included active strategies like planning, seeking social support, and acceptance. Additionally, patients often used passive strategies such as focusing on and venting emotions and suppressing competing activities. The most common self-management strategies were mostly passive (i.e., medication, deliberate choice of shoes, resting, sitting, and consulting healthcare professionals) but also active (i.e., exercising) strategies.

CONCLUSION

Patients exhibit a great variety of coping and self-management strategies that they perceive as helpful to deal with chronic painful CIPN. However, research has shown that certain strategies are not that helpful or even come with aversive effects. More research into the effectiveness and implementation of psychosocial interventions is needed since it may help patients adopting helping strategies. In addition, healthcare professionals need to refer patients with CIPN in a timely manner to physical therapists, occupational therapists, or rehabilitation teams to reduce or prevent (further) impairments.

IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS

Patients can consult one of their healthcare providers in case of problems in dealing with their symptoms, to get proper guidance and possible referral.

Clinical Profile and Aspects of Differential Diagnosis in Patients with ME/CFS from Latvia

Background and objectives: There is still an uncertainty regarding the clinical symptomatology and the diagnostic criteria in terms of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), as different diagnostic criteria exist. Our aim is to identify the core symptoms of ME/CFS in the outpatient setting in Riga; to distinguish symptoms in patients with ME/CFS and those with symptoms of fatigue; and to investigate patient thoughts on the onset, symptoms, treatment and effect of ME/CFS. Materials and methods: Total of 65 Caucasian patients from an ambulatory care setting were included in the study. Questionnaires, specialist evaluation of the patients and visual analogue scale (VAS) measurements were used to objectify the findings. Results: The study showed that ME/CFS with comorbidities is associated with a more severe disease. A negative correlation was found regarding an increase in age and number of current symptoms, as well as an increase in VAS score and the duration of fatigue and age in the ME/CFS without comorbidities group. Conclusions: Comorbidities tend to present with a more severe course of ME/CFS. Fatigue, myalgia, arthralgia and sleep disturbances tend to be more prevalent in the ME/CFS patients compared to the non-ME/CFS patients. VAS score has a tendency to decrease with age and duration of fatigue. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are the most commonly used pharmacological drug class that reduces ME/CFS symptoms.

Radiation exposure and mitochondrial insufficiency in chronic fatigue and immune dysfunction syndrome

Chronic fatigue and Immune Dysfunction Syndrome (CFIDS) is a heterogeneous disease that may be promoted by various environmental stressors, including viral infection, toxin uptake, and ionizing radiation exposure. Previous studies have identified mitochondrial dysfunction in CFIDS patients, including modulation of mitochondrial respiratory chain activity, deletions in the mitochondrial genome, and upregulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). This paper focuses on radiation effects and hypothesizes that CFIDS is primarily caused by stressor-induced mitochondrial metabolic insufficiency, which results in decreased energy production and anabolic metabolites required for normal cellular metabolism. Furthermore, tissues neighbouring or distant from directly perturbed tissues compensate for this dysfunction, which causes symptoms associated with CFIDS. This hypothesis is justified by reviewing the links between radiation exposure and CFIDS, cancer, immune dysfunction, and induction of oxidative stress. Moreover, the relevance of mitochondria in cellular responses to radiation and metabolism are discussed and putative mitochondrial biomarkers for CFIDS are introduced. Implications for diagnosis are then described, including a potential urine assay and PCR test for mitochondrial genome mutations. Finally, future research needs are offered with an emphasis on where rapid progress may be made to assist the afflicted.

Clustering fibromyalgia patients: A combination of psychosocial and somatic factors leads to resilient coping in a subgroup of fibromyalgia patients

Background

Coping strategies and their efficacy vary greatly in patients suffering from fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS).

Objective

We aimed to identify somatic and psychosocial factors that might contribute to different coping strategies and resilience levels in FMS.

Subjects and methods

Standardized questionnaires were used to assess coping, pain, and psychological variables in a cohort of 156 FMS patients. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) determined gene expression of selected cytokines in white blood cells of 136 FMS patients and 25 healthy controls. Data of skin innervation, functional and structural sensory profiles of peripheral nociceptive nerve fibers of a previous study were included into the statistics. An exploratory factor analysis was used to define variance explaining factors, which were then included into cluster analysis.

Results

54.9% of the variance was explained by four factors which we termed (1) affective load, (2) coping, (3) pain, and (4) pro-inflammatory cytokines (p < 0.05). Considering differences in the emerged factors, coping strategies, cytokine profiles, and disability levels, 118 FMS patients could be categorized into four clusters which we named “maladaptive”, “adaptive”, “vulnerable”, and “resilient” (p < 0.05). The adaptive cluster had low scores in disability and in all symptom categories in contrast to the vulnerable cluster, which was characterized by high scores in catastrophizing and disability (p < 0.05). The resilient vs. the maladaptive cluster was characterized by better coping and a less pro-inflammatory cytokine pattern (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

Our data suggest that problem- and emotion-focused coping strategies and an anti-inflammatory cytokine pattern are associated with reduced disability and might promote resilience. Additional personal factors such as low anxiety scores, ability of acceptance, and persistence further favor a resilient phenotype. Individualized therapy should take these factors into account.

Factors impacting the illness trajectory of post-infectious fatigue syndrome: a qualitative study of adults' experiences

BACKGROUND

Post-infectious fatigue syndrome (PIFS), also known as post-viral fatigue syndrome, is a complex condition resulting in physical, cognitive, emotional, neurological, vocational and/or role performance disabilities in varying degrees that changes over time. The needs for health care resources are high, and costly, as is the economic burden on the affected individuals. Many factors may impact the trajectory, and frequently PIFS develops into a chronic condition. Health professionals lack understanding and knowledge, which results in delayed diagnosis, lack of recognition, appropriate treatment, support and practical help. The aim of our study was to explore, from the perspective of persons who had lived with PIFS for four years following an outbreak of Giardia l. induced enteritis, factors that may have impacted their illness trajectory and how these factors had played a role during different phases.

METHODS

In this retrospective exploratory qualitative study a group of 26 affected adults between 26 and 59 years old were selected for in-depth interviews. A maximum variation sample was recruited from a physician-diagnosed cohort of persons with PIFS enrolled at a tertiary outpatient fatigue clinic. The interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and subjected to qualitative content analysis.

RESULTS

Unhelpful and helpful factors were associated with the healthcare system, health professionals and the affected persons were experienced as having an impact on the trajectory. External impacting factors which are related to the health care system, providers and the social security system are misdiagnosis, trivialization of symptoms, unhelpful advice, delayed diagnosis and lack of appropriate help. Internal impacting factors related to the affected individuals were lack of knowledge, overestimating functional capacity, assuming the condition will pass, ignoring body signals and denial. A model of impacting factors in each phase of the trajectory is presented.

CONCLUSION

Unmet needs may result in unnecessary disability and high societal and personal costs. Enhanced knowledge of impacting factors in each phase of the trajectory may contribute to more timely and tailored health care services and less use of health services. Increased functional capacity, improved health and ability to work or study may reduce the societal costs and the economic burden for the affected individuals.

Do changes in illness perceptions, physical activity, and behavioural regulation influence fatigue severity and health-related outcomes in CFS patients?

OBJECTIVE

Examine to what extent changes in cognitions and changes in physical activity and behavioural regulation patterns influence fatigue severity, physical symptoms, and physical and psychological functioning of patients suffering from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) at follow-up.

METHODS

The present study is an observational longitudinal study with a 12-month follow-up. A total of 144 CFS patients participated both at baseline and at follow-up. Four separate hierarchical regression analyses were conducted with fatigue, physical symptoms, physical functioning and psychological functioning at follow-up as the dependent variables, and (changes in) illness perceptions and behavioural regulation patterns (all-or-nothing and limiting behaviour) as the independent variables. Data were collected making use of self-report questionnaires.

RESULTS

Increased Consequence and Identity beliefs over time, as well as increases in all-or-nothing behaviour predicted higher fatigue severity at follow-up. Both number and severity of physical symptoms and psychological functioning at follow-up were only determined by changes in illness perceptions, with increased Consequence beliefs influencing both outcomes, and increased Timeline beliefs only determining physical symptoms. Physical functioning at follow-up was predicted by changes in illness perceptions as well as increased levels of both all-or-nothing and limiting behaviour.

CONCLUSION

The findings point at a differential pattern of associations between changes in illness perceptions and behaviour regulation patterns on the one hand, and patient outcomes on the other hand. Whereas illness perceptions significantly contribute to each of the outcomes, behaviour regulation patterns contribute only to fatigue severity and physical functioning.

The Relationship between Age and Illness Duration in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a debilitating illness, but it is unclear if patient age and illness duration might affect symptoms and functioning of patients. In the current study, participants were categorized into four groups based upon age (under or over age 55) and illness duration (more or less than 10 years). The groups were compared on functioning and symptoms. Findings indicated that those who were older with a longer illness duration had significantly higher levels of mental health functioning than those who were younger with a shorter or longer illness duration and the older group with a shorter illness duration. The results suggest that older patients with an illness duration of over 10 years have significantly higher levels of mental health functioning than the three other groups. For symptoms, the younger/longer illness duration group had significantly worse immune and autonomic domains than the older/longer illness group. In addition, the younger patients with a longer illness duration displayed greater autonomic and immune symptoms in comparison to the older group with a longer illness duration. These findings suggest that both age and illness duration need to be considered when trying to understand the influence of these factors on patients.

Personality traits and coping styles in women with Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser syndrome

INTRODUCTION

The purpose of the study was to determine whether women with Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser (MRKH) syndrome differ from healthy women as regards personality traits and coping styles.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Personality (the Big Five) and coping styles (problem-, emotion- and avoidance-focused coping) were analyzed in a group of 46 women with MRKH syndrome (age: M = 23.48; SD = 4.88), and in a group of 44 healthy women (age: M = 25.95; SD = 5.24), based on Polish versions of the NEO-FFI and CISS inventories.

RESULTS

Results of analysis of covariance (ANCOVA, age, education and having a partner controlled) revealed significant differences in neuroticism level (F1.86 = 7.01, p < 0.01) and problem (F1.86 = 7.88, p < 0.01) and emotion-focused (F1.86 = 4.98, p < 0.05) coping styles. Differences in the level of neuroticism and instrumental coping was also revealed in analyses which took into account the time for which individuals have been aware of their illness: in women who have been aware of the MRKH diagnosis for more than 6 years, the level of neuroticism was higher (F1.85 = 3.97, p < 0.05) and the problem-focused coping style was at a lower level (F1.85 = 3.93, p < 0.05) than in healthy women.

CONCLUSIONS

The results obtained make it possible to identify basic psychological problems related to MRKH syndrome, and to formulate proposals on psychological interventions addressed to this group of women. This study showed that with time negative psychological consequences become more severe, and thus those women should be provided with specialist help from the moment the diagnosis is made.

Metabolism in chronic fatigue syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a poorly understood condition that presents as long-term physical and mental fatigue with associated symptoms of pain and sensitivity across a broad range of systems in the body. The poor understanding of the disorder comes from the varying clinical diagnostic definitions as well as the broad array of body systems from which its symptoms present. Studies on metabolism and CFS suggest irregularities in energy metabolism, amino acid metabolism, nucleotide metabolism, nitrogen metabolism, hormone metabolism, and oxidative stress metabolism. The overwhelming body of evidence suggests an oxidative environment with the minimal utilization of mitochondria for efficient energy production. This is coupled with a reduced excretion of amino acids and nitrogen in general. Metabolomics is a developing field that studies metabolism within a living system under varying conditions of stimuli. Through its development, there has been the optimisation of techniques to do large-scale hypothesis-generating untargeted studies as well as hypothesis-testing targeted studies. These techniques are introduced and show an important future direction for research into complex illnesses such as CFS.

A content analysis of cognitive and affective uses of patient support groups for rare and uncommon vascular diseases: comparisons of may thurner, thoracic outlet, and superior mesenteric artery syndrome

Rare disease patients are the predominant group of patients who are now connecting online to patient support groups, yet research on their uses of support groups has received little attention. This is a content analysis of three vascular diseases of differing degrees of rarity. Wall posts from Facebook patient support groups for May Thurner syndrome, thoracic outlet syndrome, and superior mesenteric artery syndrome were analyzed over a period of two years. Using Uses and Gratifications as the theoretical framework, the study purpose was to assess how variations in health condition and rarity of condition affect online support group user needs. Results indicated common main cognitive and affective uses across conditions, indicating a consistent pattern of needs communicated by all patients. However, there were nuanced differences in subcategories of cognitive and affective uses between the most and least rare disorders, which inform areas for tailored support mechanisms. Additionally, these vascular patients used their respective support groups primarily for cognitive reasons, especially for the rarest conditions, which informs of basic medical informational needs these patients face related to tests, treatment, surgery, and diagnoses.

Examining the energy envelope and associated symptom patterns in chronic fatigue syndrome: does coping matter?

OBJECTIVE/Hypothesis The objective of this study was to examine sub-types of individuals with chronic fatigue syndrome based on variables that are associated with the energy envelope theory and to examine the role of coping strategies in explaining the differences found between the subtypes. METHODS Cluster analysis was used. Grouping variables included physical functioning, post-exertional malaise severity, and the extent to which an individual was outside of the energy envelope. These clusters were evaluated using discriminant function analysis to determine whether they could be differentiated based on coping styles. RESULTS Cluster analysis identified three groups. Clusters 1 and 2 were consistent with the energy envelope theory. However, Cluster 3 was characterized by patients with the most impairment, but they were to a lesser extent exceeding their energy envelope. Coping strategies explained a small percentage (10%) of the variance in differentiating the clusters. DISCUSSION Energy maintenance may be associated with improved functioning and less severe symptoms for some. However, patients in Cluster 3 were closer to remaining within their energy envelope and also used higher levels of adaptive coping but were more impaired than Cluster 2. This suggests that adaptive coping strategies were not associated with improved health, as members of Cluster 3 were severely limited in functioning.

How fatigue is experienced and handled by female outpatients with inflammatory bowel disease

Background. Fatigue is a significant aspect of everyday life for patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and it influences their health-related quality of life. Little is known about fatigue from the patient's perspective. Aim. To investigate how female IBD patients experience and handle fatigue. Methods. The study included 11 female outpatients. These patients were 40-59 years old and had IBD ≥ one year and a significantly increased fatigue score. Patients with severe active IBD, anaemia, comorbidity, or pregnancy were excluded. The included patients agreed to participate in a semistructured interview. The interviews were analysed using Malterud's principles of systematic text condensation. Results. The patients described physical and mental symptoms of fatigue that led to social-, physical-, and work-related limitations with emotional consequences. To handle fatigue, the patients used planning, priority, acceptance, exercise, and support. Two of the eleven patients used exercise on a regular basis. Surprisingly, some patients indicated that they did not need to talk with professionals about their fatigue unless a cure was available. Conclusion. Fatigue in IBD includes physical and mental symptoms that limit the patients' social-, physical-, and work-related lives. Despite this, some patients expressed that they had chosen to accept their fatigue.

Understanding long-term outcomes of chronic fatigue syndrome

OBJECTIVE

This study sought to examine long-term health, symptom, and disability outcomes among patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) by comparing those diagnosed with CFS 25 years ago with healthy controls.

METHOD

Of the 25 participants diagnosed with CFS 25 years ago, 5 self-reported that they maintained a diagnosis of CFS, while 20 reported no longer having a diagnosis. These two groups were compared with healthy controls on outcomes related to functioning and symptom severity.

RESULTS

Those who remitted from CFS showed significantly more impairment on 21 out of 23 outcomes compared with controls. On 17 outcomes, those who remitted had nonsignificant differences in impairment compared to those who maintained a CFS diagnosis.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings from this study suggest that over time many individuals will not maintain a CFS diagnosis but will not return to their premorbid level of functioning.