Table 2 DSQ-2 symptoms
Dutch database (n = 337) | US database (n = 252) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Composite score Mean (SD) | Participants at 2/2 threshold (%) | Composite score Mean (SD) | Participants at 2/2 threshold (%) | |
Fatigue/extreme tiredness | 75.4 (17.5) | 90.7 | 81.4 (15.1) | 98.4 |
Post-exertional malaise | ||||
Dead, heavy feeling after starting exercise | 50.1 (26.9) | 58.3 | 76.2 (24.7) | 87.7 |
Next-day soreness or fatigue after everyday activities | 66.6 (20.8) | 80.7 | 75.3 (21.6) | 90.9 |
Mentally tired after the slightest effort | 61.7 (23.7) | 72.8 | 68.2 (23.0) | 86.1 |
Physically tired after minimum exercise | 67.0 (21.7) | 81.2 | 77.8 (20.6) | 92.9 |
Physically drained or sick after mild activity | 59.8 (22.8) | 70.3 | 73.2 (22.5) | 88.9 |
Muscle fatigue after mild physical activity | 63.1 (25.7) | 74.4 | 72.2 (26.1) | 86.1 |
Worsening of symptoms after mild physical activity | 67.7 (23.7) | 78.5 | 78.8 (21.9) | 92.9 |
Worsening of symptoms after mild mental activity | 59.1 (25.9) | 66.5 | 63.4 (27.0) | 76.6 |
Difficulty reading (dyslexia) after mild physical or mental activity | 41.2 (30.8) | 40.6 | 44.6 (33.4) | 49.2 |
Sleep | ||||
Unrefreshing sleep | 73.9 (22.3) | 88.0 | 81.7 (19.1) | 94.8 |
Need to nap daily | 56.2 (32.3) | 56.4 | 58.1 (30.0) | 66.7 |
Problems falling asleep | 47.4 (28.0) | 49.9 | 55.9 (29.3) | 63.9 |
Problems staying asleep | 52.7 (28.6) | 56.4 | 58.4 (30.5) | 65.1 |
Waking up early in the morning (e.g. 3 AM) | 43.2 (28.3) | 43.1 | 48.9 (30.2) | 49.6 |
Sleeping all day and staying awake all night | 18.4 (22.8) | 9.5 | 17.7 (27.2) | 16.3 |
Daytime drowsiness | 52.6 (26.9) | 55.3 | 63.2 (26.9) | 77.0 |
Pain | ||||
Pain or aching in muscles | 59.6 (24.8) | 70.0 | 67.8 (26.0) | 80.2 |
Joint pain | 51.1 (29.9) | 59.4 | 57.2 (32.9) | 64.7 |
Eye pain | 31.2 (24.6) | 24.8 | 31.8 (28.8) | 31.0 |
Chest pain | 23.1 (21.8) | 11.7 | 25.8 (25.7) | 19.0 |
Bloating | 38.2 (25.8) | 37.6 | 47.1 (28.1) | 50.4 |
Abdomen/stomach pain | 36.4 (23.2) | 30.8 | 42.1 (27.7) | 43.7 |
Headaches | 24.8 (23.8) | 42.8 | 50.5 (26.3) | 55.2 |
Aching of the eyes or behind the eyes | 29.0 (24.6) | 17.4 | 36.8 (29.8) | 36.9 |
Sensitivity to pain | 27.0 (30.0) | 24.0 | 51.3 (32.9) | 59.5 |
Myofascial pain | 15.7 (25.7) | 12.5 | 26.3 (34.0) | 30.2 |
Neurocognitive | ||||
Muscle twitches | 26.9 (22.3) | 16.6 | 34.4 (25.5) | 29.8 |
Muscle weakness | 44.7 (27.4) | 45.2 | 63.5 (27.2) | 74.6 |
Sensitivity to noise | 54.7 (26.8) | 57.8 | 61.0 (26.8) | 69.8 |
Sensitivity to bright lights | 47.3 (28.4) | 46.0 | 53.2 (29.0) | 55.6 |
Problems remembering things | 52.2 (22.5) | 58.0 | 67.9 (24.1) | 84.5 |
Difficulty paying attention for a long period of time | 60.8 (24.0) | 73.3 | 70.4 (24.3) | 86.1 |
Difficulty finding the right word to say, or expressing thoughts | 48.5 (22.4) | 50.7 | 61.1 (24.7) | 75.4 |
Difficulty understanding things | 33.3 (21.5) | 23.2 | 48.5 (25.1) | 55.2 |
Only able to focus on one thing at a time | 57.1 (25.2) | 67.6 | 64.9 (25.1) | 78.6 |
Unable to focus vision | 21.5 (23.6) | 13.6 | 35.1 (27.4) | 31.7 |
Unable to focus attention | 34.6 (22.9) | 27.2 | 50.9 (25.1) | 63.1 |
Loss of depth perception | 18.5 (25.6) | 11.7 | 24.0 (29.5) | 21.4 |
Slowness of thought | 47.3 (26.4) | 50.7 | 56.9 (25.5) | 71.4 |
Absent-mindedness or forgetfulness | 44.0 (22.6) | 43.3 | 60.7 (24.5) | 78.6 |
Feeling disoriented | 20.2 (22.7) | 11.2 | 35.9 (25.3) | 29.4 |
Slowed speech | 21.3 (22.7) | 12.0 | 32.6 (27.1) | 31.3 |
Poor coordination | 30.0 (25.1) | 21.3 | 46.2 (28.6) | 52.8 |
Autonomic | ||||
Bladder problems | 22.1 (28.0) | 18.3 | 35.6 (32.5) | 34.5 |
Urinary urgency | 34.5 (27.6) | 31.3 | 39.7 (31.2) | 42.9 |
Waking up at night to urinate | 51.2 (29.2) | 49.6 | 45.7 (32.0) | 46.4 |
Irritable bowel problems | 39.8 (29.7) | 42.2 | 49.1 (32.7) | 55.6 |
Nausea | 28.4 (21.5) | 16.6 | 33.8 (26.9) | 30.6 |
Feeling unsteady on feet | 34.2 (24.1) | 23.7 | 44.0 (28.8) | 46.4 |
Shortness of breath or trouble catching breath | 27.9 (22.2) | 17.7 | 39.8 (28.0) | 37.7 |
Dizziness or fainting | 31.3 (22.2) | 19.6 | 42.1 (27.6) | 43.7 |
Irregular heart beats | 27.8 (23.0) | 16.1 | 30.4 (26.8) | 28.6 |
Heart beats quickly after standing | 31.3 (28.9) | 27.0 | 43.8 (32.6) | 46.0 |
Blurred or tunnel vision after standing | 21.9 (26.4) | 16.6 | 30.5 (31.2) | 29.0 |
Graying or blacking out after standing | 32.5 (24.2) | 23.2 | 22.7 (28.1) | 17.5 |
Inability to tolerate an upright position | 27.3 (27.9) | 18.3 | 46.7 (34.3) | 52.0 |
Neuroendocrine | ||||
Losing weight without trying | 7.1 (16.7) | 4.1 | 13.2 (21.9) | 7.5 |
Gaining weight without trying | 18.3 (25.8) | 13.9 | 36.3 (36.6) | 41.3 |
Lack of appetite | 19.3 (21.4) | 11.4 | 30.3 (25.8) | 25.4 |
Sweating hands | 12.9 (21.2) | 8.2 | 16.6 (25.7) | 13.1 |
Night sweats | 33.0 (27.3) | 29.2 | 36.1 (30.5) | 31.3 |
Cold limbs | 51.9 (26.4) | 58.3 | 46.9 (29.9) | 48.4 |
Feeling chills or shivers | 31.7 (23.1) | 21.5 | 34.0 (26.3) | 32.9 |
Feeling hot or cold for no reason | 42.4 (24.8) | 38.7 | 51.7 (26.9) | 61.1 |
Felling like you have a high temperature | 29.6 (22.6) | 19.3 | 33.0 (27.2) | 29.4 |
Feeling like you have a low temperature | 20.7 (25.5) | 15.8 | 24.7 (26.7) | 21.8 |
Alcohol intolerance | 15.1 (30.8) | 14.2 | 40.1 (36.9) | 34.1 |
Intolerance to extremes of temperature | 42.3 (35.0) | 41.7 | 64.9 (31.1) | 72.2 |
Fluctuations in temperature throughout the day | 30.3 (28.5) | 26.4 | 45.2 (31.8) | 48.0 |
Immune | ||||
Sore throat | 30.1 (20.4) | 17.4 | 37.3 (25.7) | 32.9 |
Tender/sore lymph nodes | 23.4 (22.9) | 14.4 | 37.5 (30.5) | 36.5 |
Fever | 9.2 (16.9) | 1.6 | 16.1 (22.1) | 9.9 |
Flu-like symptoms | 36.1 (23.7) | 28.3 | 51.8 (27.3) | 57.1 |
Sensitivity to smells, food, medications, or chemicals | 25.6 (27.1) | 19.1 | 45.0 (32.7) | 46.8 |
Viral infections with prolonged recovery periods | 16.9 (24.7) | 9.5 | 35.0 (32.7) | 32.5 |
Sinus infections | 15.2 (24.0) | 10.4 | 21.9 (26.2) | 19.4 |
Others | ||||
Sensitivity to mold | 18.3 (28.9) | 16.6 | 27.2 (36.3) | 30.6 |
Sensitivity to vibration | 22.9 (29.9) | 18.3 | 30.6 (35.0) | 32.9 |