Paul en kollega's lieten 17 ME/CVS-patiënten en 17 gezonde mensen

in een zelfde tempo wandelen en bestudeerden de zuurstofopname van de wandelaars.

En wat blijkt?

De zuurstofopname per gewandelde meter is bij ME/CVS-patiënten veel hoger.

Een mogelijke verklaring voor dit verschijnsel is mitochondriale schade en/of dysfunctie.

Physiological cost of walking in those with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS):

A case-control study.

Disabil Rehabil. 2009;31(19):1598-604.

Paul L, Rafferty D, Marshal R.

Purpose.

To examine the physiological cost of walking

in subjects with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and

a matched control group,

walking

at their preferred and

at matched walking speeds.

Methods.

Seventeen people with CFS and

17 matched-controls

participated in this observational study

of physiological cost during over-ground gait.

Each subject walked for 5 min

at their preferred walking speed (PWS).

Controls then walked for 5 min

at the same pace

of their matched CFS subject.

Gait speed and oxygen uptake, gross and net

were measured and

oxygen uptake was expressed per unit distance ambulated.

CFS subjects completed

the CFS-Activities and Participation Questionnaire (CFS-APQ).

Results.

At PWS

the CFS group walked at a slower velocity of 0.84 +/- 0.21 m/s

compared to controls with a velocity of 1.19 +/- 0.13 m/s

(p < 0.001).

At PWS

both gross and

net oxygen uptake

of CFS subjects

was significantly

less than controls

(p = 0.023 and p = 0.025 respectively).

At matched-velocity

both gross and net physiological cost

of gait

was greater for

CFS subjects than

controls

(p = 0.048 and p = 0.001, respectively).

Conclusion.

The physiological cost

of walking

was significantly greater for

people with CFS

compared with healthy subjects.

The reasons for these higher energy

demands for walking

in those with CFS

have yet to be fully elucidated.

PMID: 19848558 [PubMed - in process]

doi: 10.1080/09638280802652015

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19848558

Met dank aan Rob.