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Table 1 Study population characteristics

From: Cytokine profiling of extracellular vesicles isolated from plasma in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome: a pilot study

 

ME/CFS

Controls

Mann–Whitney U test

Age (years)

50.6 ± 13.7

50.2 ± 17.5

p = 0.42

Gender

 Female

28

28

NA

 Male

7

7

NA

BMI (kg/m2)

24.3 ± 5.3

24.3 ± 4.6

p = 0.18

Onset of disease

 Gradual

40%

NA

NA

 Sudden

60%

NA

NA

 Bell score

35.4 ± 14.1

96.3 ± 9.5

p < 0.001

SF-36

 Physical function

44.1 ± 17.2

95.9 ± 7.3

p < 0.001

 Role physical

5.0 ± 11.8

91.4 ± 26.1

p < 0.001

 Pain

40.8 ± 21.6

87.3 ± 14.1

p < 0.001

 General health

25.9 ± 14.5

87.3 ± 15.9

p < 0.001

 Vitality

17.9 ± 15.8

75.4 ± 17.8

p < 0.001

PCSa

26.8 ± 7.5

55.1 ± 5.2

p < 0.001

 Social function

33.6 ± 22.6

94.8 ± 12.3

p < 0.001

 Role emotional

45.7 ± 45.1

91.9 ± 24.6

p < 0.001

 Mental health

59.3 ± 19.8

79.7 ± 18.6

p < 0.001

MCSa

38.9 ± 10.9

53.4 ± 9.6

p < 0.001

SSSa

 Fatigue

6.9 ± 2.5

1.4 ± 1.7

p < 0.001

 Impaired memory

6.4 ± 2.8

0.8 ± 1.4

p < 0.001

 Recurrent sore throat

3.9 ± 3.3

0.4 ± 1.1

p < 0.001

 Tender lymph nodes

3.9 ± 3.1

0.1 ± 0.4

p < 0.001

 Muscle tenderness or pain

5.5 ± 2.9

1.5 ± 1.9

p < 0.001

 Joint pain

5.1 ± 2.9

1.5 ± 2.0

p < 0.001

 Headache

5.0 ± 3.4

0.7 ± 1.4

p < 0.001

 Disturbed sleep or waking unrefreshed

7.6 ± 3.0

1.6 ± 2.1

p < 0.001

 Post-exertional malaise

7.8 ± 2.7

0.8 ± 1.7

p < 0.001

  1. aPCS Physical component score, MCS Mental component score, SSS Specific symptom severity (0 = none, 10 = very severe)