Media: 2001 Press Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 19, 2001

Contact:
Renee Brehio
The CFIDS Association of America
704-364-0466

BEHAVIORAL THERAPIES ARE NO CURE FOR CHRONIC FATIGUE SYNDROME (CFS)

Caution Urged When Interpreting Results of Recent JAMA Study

Charlotte, NC- The Chronic Fatigue and Immune Dysfunction Syndrome (CFIDS) Association of America is urging health care practitioners and others reading a review of CFS treatments published in the September 19 issue of The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) not to overestimate the effectiveness of graded exercise and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).

The authors, who evaluated 44 studies conducted from 1986 through 2000, state that these therapies have shown promising results in CFS, a serious medical condition with a documented biological basis. When conducted by skilled rehabilitation professionals knowledgeable about the illness, graded exercise and CBT may help improve function in some patients. The danger lies in assuming that all patients can benefit.

" Behavioral therapiesare no more a cure for CFS than they are for cancer. They offer a way to help those with chronic illnesses better cope with their symptoms," says Kimberly Kenney, President and CEO of The CFIDS Association. "They are also not appropriate for every patient. Post-exertional malaise, an exacerbation of symptoms lasting more than 24 hours after exercise, is a hallmark symptom of CFS. Therefore, behavioral therapy has the potential to cause severe relapses, especially when not administered by skilled professionals."

The article authors also point out there is insufficient evidence on any of the treatments reviewed to draw definite conclusions, due to differing research design and measurement techniques among the few studies performed. The Association believes this highlights the need for more and better CFS research.

For example, participants in the three studies on graded exercise that were included in the review were only eligible if they could physically get to the clinic for frequent sessions, which implies a certain level of fitness. These studies also had the highest drop-out rates of the 44 reviewed. There were no studies that assessed the effects of these therapies on those who are the most disabled by the illness.

The Association also emphasizes that the exercise referred to in the article is graded exercise therapy, which is conducted under the supervision of a physical therapist or exercise physiologist and utilizes a slow increase in activity.

"Inferring from this paper that exercise, as the general public understands it-such as 'hitting the gym'-may help CFS patients would be a serious mistake," says Kenney. "It is also often impossible to get insurance coverage for the same level of therapy tested in these three studies."

The CFIDS Association of America  is the nation's leading organization working to conquer this illness. Since 1987, the Association has invested nearly $12 million in education, public policy and research programs in its efforts to bring an end to the suffering caused by CFS.