Table 6

Medical Outcomes Study Short-Form 36 (SF-36), Multi-Dimensional Fatigue Inventory (MFI) and Symptom Inventory Scores according to current illness classified by standardized clinically empirical criteria in 164 participants with no exclusionary medical or psychiatric conditions.

Scale
CFS
ISF
Not Ill

SF-36



Physical function+
53.3 ± 21.5 *
77.5 ± 18.9
89.7 ± 13.2
Role physical+
18.0 ± 28.5 *
60.7 ± 37.2
88.8 ± 25.0
Bodily pain
41.7 ± 15.7 *
59.7 ± 20.0
77.9 ± 16.0
General health
51.2 ± 20.4 *
70.1 ± 13.6
85.2 ± 13.3
Vitality
18.6 ± 12.5 *
37.3 ± 18.5
72.3 ± 13.0
Social function+
50.0 ± 22.7 *
74.2 ± 19.6
94.8 ± 10.6
Role emotional+
55.8 ± 42.2 *
76.5 ± 33.5
96.1 ± 13.8
Mental health
66.4 ± 18.5 *
74.6 ± 14.0
87.5 ± 9.0
MFI



General fatigue+
18.5 ± 2.1 *
14.9 ± 2.7
8.0 ± 2.6
Physical fatigue
14.1 ± 3.2 *
11.0 ± 3.2
6.8 ± 2.2
Mental fatigue
14.1 ± 4.2 *
10.0 ± 4.3
6.6 ± 2.6
Reduced motivation
12.2 ± 3.8 *
10.1 ± 3.3
6.1 ± 2.0
Reduced activity+
14.7 ± 3.1 *
11.5 ± 4.0
5.6 ± 1.6
Symptom Inventory+
47.3 ± 22.0 *
18.6 ± 11.9
6.1 ± 7.1

+Indicate subscales used in validated clinically empirical CFS case definition

Scores are mean ± standard deviation

Bolded figures indicate that specific group scores are significantly different (p < 0.05) from non-fatigued scores.

* indicates that CFS scores are significantly different from ISF scores

Note: Low scores in the SF-36 indicate more severe conditions, whereas in the MFI higher scores indicate more severe conditions.

Reeves et al. BMC Medicine 2005 3:19   doi:10.1186/1741-7015-3-19