The British Journal of Psychiatry (2008) 193: 340-341. doi: 10.1192/bjp.bp.108.051292
© 2008 The Royal College of Psychiatrists
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SHORT REPORTS

Guided self-instructions for people with chronic fatigue syndrome: randomised controlled trial

Hans Knoop, PhD

Expert Centre Chronic Fatigue, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre

Jos W. M. van der Meer, MD, PhD

Department of Internal Medicine, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre

Gijs Bleijenberg, PhD

Expert Centre Chronic Fatigue, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, The Netherlands

Correspondence: H. Knoop, Expert Centre Chronic Fatigue, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Postbox 9011, 6525 EC Nijmegen, The Netherlands. Email: j.knoop{at}nkcv.umcn.nl

Declaration of interest

None.

A minimal intervention, based on cognitive–behavioural therapy for chronic fatigue syndrome and consisting of self-instructions combined with email contact, was tested in a randomised controlled trial (ISRCTN27293439). A total of 171 patients participated in the trial: 85 were allocated to the intervention condition and 86 to the waiting-list condition. All patients met the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria for chronic fatigue syndrome. An intention-to-treat analysis showed a significant decrease in fatigue and disability after self-instruction. The level of disability was negatively correlated with treatment outcome. Guided self-instructions are an effective treatment for patients with relatively less severe chronic fatigue syndrome.


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