Median (range) changes in cognitive test performance, cardiovascular indices, and subjective scores from assessments before to after exercise
| Controls | CFS | MDD | Kruskal-Wallis | Final test | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Digit span (forwards) | 0.0 (−2 to 1) | −0.5 (−2 to 2) | 0.0 (−2 to 0) | χ2=1.2, p=0.6 | |
| Digit span (backwards) | 0.0 (−2 to 2) | 0.0 (−2 to 2) | 0.0 (−1 to 2) | χ2=0.4, p=0.8 | |
| Digit symbol substitution | 2.5 (−6 to 8) | 0.0 (−2 to 3) | 1.0 (0 to 2) | χ2=3.2, p=0.2 | |
| Word fluency | −3.5 (−15 to 3) | −2.0 (−9 to 2) | −3.5 (−10 to 2) | χ2=0.01, p=0.9 | |
| Telephone search | −1.0 (−6 to 1) | −4.0 (−7 to −1) | −1.0 (−6 to 1) | χ2=7.2, p=0.03 | CFS>MDD, p=0.03 |
| CFS>CON, p=0.02 | |||||
| Lottery | 0.0 (−1 to 7) | −4.5 (−9 to 0) | −1 (−8 to 4) | χ2=11.0, p=0.004 | CFS>CON, p=0.001 |
| Change in heart rate | 6.0 (−6 to 18) | 1.5 (−6 to 10) | 4 (0 to 12) | χ2=0.9, p=0.6 | |
| Change in systolic BP | −1.0 (−14 to 10) | 1.0 (−20 to 8) | 3 (−6 to 10) | χ2=1.8, p=0.4 | |
| Change in diastolic BP | −3.5 (−12 to 10) | −1.0 (−8 to 10) | 1.0 (−6 to 10) | χ2=2.1, p=0.4 | |
| Change in perceived effort | 0.0 (−3 to 1) | 1.5 (−3 to 3) | −0.5 (−3 to 2) | χ2=4.2, p=0.1 | |
| Change in physical fatigue | 0.0 (−2 to 3) | 1.0 (−3 to 5) | 2.0 (−6 to 6) | χ2=4.2, p=0.1 | |
| Change in mental fatigue | 0.5 (−3 to 2) | 1 (−5 to 3) | 0.5 (−4 to 4) | χ2=1.1, p=0.6 | |
| Change in mood | 0.0 (−4 to 0) | 0.0 (−2 to 5) | 0.5 (−4 to 3) | χ2=4.4 p=0.1 |
Negative values in cognitive and cardiovascular scores indicate a decline in test performance from trial 1 to trial 2. Negative values in subjective ratings indicate a drop in perceived rating of effort, fatigue, or negative mood—that is, improved subjective experience. CFS=chronic fatigue syndrome; MDD=major depression disorder; CON =controls