Employment status in chronic fatigue syndrome. A cross-sectional study examining the value of exercise testing and self-reported measures for the assessment of employment status. Clin Rehabil. 2005 Dec;19(8):895-9. Nijs J [1], Van de Putte K [2], Louckx F [3], De Meirleir K. [4] Affiliations: [1] Department of Human Physiology, Faculty of Physical Education and Physiotherapy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel and Division of Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy, Department of Health Sciences, Hogeschool Antwerpen, Belgium. E-Mail: [2] Department of Human Physiology, Faculty of Physical Education and Physiotherapy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium [3] Department of Medical Sociology, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium [4] Department of Human Physiology, Faculty of Physical Education and Physiotherapy and Chronic Fatigue Clinic, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium, Belgium NLM Citation: PMID: 16323389 OBJECTIVE: To examine the value of exercise testing and self-reported disability for the assessment of employment status in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome. DESIGN: Cross-sectional observational study. SETTING: A university-based chronic fatigue clinic. SUBJECTS: Fifty-four consecutive, Flemish, employed (not self-employed) chronic fatigue syndrome patients (49/54 female). INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Participants were questioned about their current and premorbid employment status, filled in the Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Activities and Participation Questionnaire (CFS-APQ), the Medical Outcomes Short Form 36 Health Status Survey (SF-36), and performed a maximal exercise test on a bicycle ergometer with continuous monitoring of cardiorespiratory variables. RESULTS: A significant association was observed between the current employment rate and two SF-36 subscales (i.e., role limitations due to physical functioning and social functioning; rho = 0.39 and 0.35 respectively) (n = 54). Analysing only the female chronic fatigue syndrome patients (n = 49), the current employment rate correlated significantly with the peak workload (rho = 0.38). CONCLUSIONS: The associations between either exercise testing or self-reported disability and employment status are too weak to predict employment status. [Note for the month of December 2005, this article is available for free in PDF from the publisher by clicking the button marked "PDF" at the bottom of this page: http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/arn/cr/2005/00000019/00000008/art00010 ] --------------------------------------------- Send posts to CO-CURE@listserv.nodak.edu Unsubscribe at http://www.co-cure.org/unsub.htm Co-Cure Archives: http://listserv.nodak.edu/archives/co-cure.html --------------------------------------------- Co-Cure's purpose is to provide information from across the spectrum of opinion concerning medical, research and political aspects of ME/CFS and/or FMS. We take no position on the validity of any specific scientific or political opinion expressed in Co-Cure posts, and we urge readers to research the various opinions available before assuming any one interpretation is definitive. The Co-Cure website has a link to our complete archive of posts as well as articles of central importance to the issues of our community. ---------------------------------------------