Abstract
The purpose of this study was to determine whether chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS)
patients show autonomic dysfunction at the cardiac level and if so, to discover whether
these abnormalities explain the fatiguability and/or other symptoms in CFS. The study
population consisted of 21 CFS patients (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
[CDC] criteria, 1988) and 13 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. The autonomic
testing consisted of: (1) postural challenge: registration of heart rate and blood
pressure (BP) and heart rate variability in supine and in upright position (tilted
to 70°); (2) Valsalva maneuver; (3) handgrip test; (4) cold pressor test; and (5)
heart rate response to deep breathing. Statistical analysis was performed using the
Mann Whitney rank sum test; results of the test were considered significant at the
0.05 level. After tilting heart rate was significantly higher in CFS patients compared
with healthy controls (mean CFS = 88.9 beats/min vs control = 77.9 beats/min; P <0.01). Low frequency power after tilting was significantly higher in CFS patients
compared with controls (mean CFS = 0.603 vs control = 0.428; P = 0.02). There was a trend toward an increased heart rate during the cold pressor
test. Other parameters did not differ between the CFS and control populations. The
observed changes point toward a sympathetic overactivity in CFS patients when they
are exposed to stress. Parasympathetic abnormalities could not be observed. Therefore,
our findings provide no real explanation for the fatigue and intolerance to physical
exertion in these patients.
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: August 16, 2004
Identification
Copyright
© 1998 Excerpta Medica Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
