Table 3: Illness characteristics by exercise test status (N = 177).
Normal results | Abnormal results | ||
(N = 66) | (N = 111) | ||
% (N) | % (N) | ||
Diagnosed by | |||
Medical doctor | 89.4 (59) | 98.2 (109) | |
Alternative practitioner | 1.5 (1) | 0.0 (0) | |
Self-diagnosed | 9.1 (6) | 1.8 (2) | |
Fatigue/Energy problem duration | |||
6-12 months | 1.5 (1) | 0.9 (1) | |
1-2 years | 3.0 (2) | 2.7 (3) | |
Longer than 2 years | 80.3 (53) | 81.1 (90) | |
Since childhood or adolescence | 15.2 (10) | 15.3 (17) | |
Illness onset | |||
Within 24 hours | 20.0 (13) | 29.1 (32) | |
Over 1 week | 10.8 (7) | 10.0 (11) | |
Over 1 month | 7.7 (5) | 12.7 (14) | |
Over 2-6 months | 9.2 (6) | 12.7 (14) | |
Over 7-12 months | 9.2 (6) | 5.5 (6) | |
Over 1-2 years | 10.8 (7) | 9.1 (10) | |
Longer than 2 years | 21.5 (14) | 13.6 (15) | |
Since childhood or adolescence | 10.8 (7) | 7.3 (8) | |
Course of illness | |||
Constantly getting worse | 15.2 (10) | 28.8 (32) | |
Constantly improving | 3.0 (2) | 1.8 (2) | |
Persisting | 13.6 (9) | 14.4 (16) | |
Relapsing & remitting | 12.1 (8) | 9.0 (10) | |
Fluctuating | 56.1 (37) | 45.9 (51) | |
Functional status | * | ||
Bedridden/Walk around the house | 27.3 (18) | 44.5 (49) | |
Can do light housework | 43.9 (29) | 38.2 (42) | |
Able to work | 28.8 (19) | 17.3 (19) | |
Had PEM in past 6 months | |||
Yes | 98.5 (65) | 100.0 (111) | |
No | 1.5 (1) | 0.0 (0) | |
PEM onset after activities | |||
1 hour or less | 33.3 (9) | 20.0 (8) | |
2-3 hours | 22.2 (6) | 20.0 (8) | |
4-10 hours | 25.9 (7) | 10.0 (4) | |
11-13 hours | 3.7 (1) | 5.0 (2) | |
14-23 hours | 3.7 (1) | 10.0 (4) | |
More than 24 hours | 11.1 (3) | 35.0 (14) | |
Pre-illness level of exertion leads to PEM | |||
Yes | 87.9 (58) | 82.9 (92) | |
No | 12.1 (8) | 17.1 (19) |
*p < 0.05.