Graded exercise self-help for chronic fatigue syndrome in GETSET, Twisk, 2018

[Indigophoton]

I don't think this has been posted yet - by @FrankTwisk,

The results of the guided graded exercise self-help trial (GETSET) by Lucy Clark and colleagues1 reaffirm that graded exercise therapy (GET) is not a rehabilitative treatment for chronic fatigue syndrome.2 Although fatigue (measured by Chalder Fatigue Questionnaire [CFQ]) and physical functioning (assessed using the Short Form-36 physical function [SF-36 PF] subscale) improved in the guided graded exercise self-help (GES) group (and the non-intervention group), these effects were by far insufficient to come close to the normal levels defined previously3 by one of the GETSET authors (CFQ ≤6 and SF-36 PF ≥85).

Finally, the conclusion that GET is a safe intervention is at odds with another GETSET publication,5which reported that a chronic fatigue syndrome patient subgroup deteriorated due to GET and observed that the “deteriorated group reported experiencing more barriers to GET, including a worse exacerbation of symptoms in response to GET”.5 Overall, the conclusion that GET is an effective and safe treatment for chronic fatigue syndrome is not substantiated by the outcomes.

http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(18)30673-1/abstract

 

[JemPD]

hang on... is this a negative outcome GET study published in the Lancet? What am i missing?

 

[Esther12]

hang on... is this a negative outcome GET study published in the Lancet? What am i missing?

It's just a letter to the journal, not a paper published by them.

 

[Webdog]

Excellent letter. I sent a link to Healthwise. No response, nor do I expect one. GET happily lives on at Healthwise.

 

[JemPD]

It's just a letter to the journal, not a paper published by them.

oh i seeeee, i thought it was too good to be true, am so goofy tonight!

 

[Karen Kirke]

If you liked Twisk's letter you may also enjoy...

the thread with all the GETSET letters here:

https://www.s4me.info/threads/getset-letters-in-the-lancet.3139/

and a link to the MEA’s blog on them here:

https://www.s4me.info/threads/getset-letters-to-lancet-mea-blog.3188/

 

[JaimeS]

Twisk is one of my favorites.

 

[Webdog]

I'm absolutely speechless. How completely wrong I was.

Healthwise just contacted me. I'll make a separate post about this later.

Suffice it to say that after reviewing all my input, Healthwise has decided to remove all GET/CBT from their ME/CFS content this fall. Healthwise content is used by many major healthcare providers in the United States, including Kaiser Permanente.

A most sincere thank you, @FrankTwisk. You were the straw that broke Healthwise's back, so to speak.

 

[Indigophoton]

Wow, well done @Webdog! Good for you - and all the other ME patients who will benefit from your hard work and persistence

It seems mountains can be moved after all...

 

[MEMarge]

Twisk is one of my favorites.

Good to see you on here@jaimeS

 

[Webdog]

Wow, well done @Webdog! Good for you - and all the other ME patients who will benefit from your hard work and persistence

It seems mountains can be moved after all...

I'd like to take credit, but I was merely continuously passing along the excellent work done by numerous others. They are the real heroes.

 

[Daisymay]

I'd like to take credit, but I was merely continuously passing along the excellent work done by numerous others. They are the real heroes.

Yes, but you also did excellently in passing it on, well done, that's quite something!

 

[Webdog]

New thread on the Healthwise changes.