Effects of whole-body cryotherapy and static stretching are maintained 4 weeks after treatment in most patients with chronic fatigue syndrome

Abstract

In the previous study, whole-body cryotherapy (WBC)+static stretching (SS) has been shown 25 to reduce the severity of some symptoms in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) noted just after 26 the therapy. Here we consider the effects of treatment and explore the sustainability of 27 symptom improvements at four weeks (one-month) follow-up. Twenty-two CFS patients were 28 assessed one month after WBC+SS programme. Parameters related to fatigue (Chalder 29 Fatigue Questionnaire (CFQ), Fatigue Impact Scale (FIS), Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS)), 30 cognitive function (Trial Making test part A and B (TMT A and TMT B and its difference 31 (TMT B-A)), Coding) hemodynamic, aortic stiffness (aortic systolic blood pressure (sBP 32 aortic)) and autonomic nervous system functioning were measured. TMT A, TMT B, TMT B33 A and Coding improved at one month after the WBC+SS programme. WBC+SS had a 34 significant effect on the increase in sympathetic nervous system activity in rest. WBC+SS had 35 a significant, positive chronotropic effect on the cardiac muscle. Peripheral and aortic systolic 36 blood pressure decreased one month after WBC+SS in comparison to before. Effects of 37 WBC+SS on reduction of fatigue, indicators of aortic stiffness and symptoms severity related 38 to autonomic nervous system disturbance and improvement in cognitive function were 39 maintained at one month. However, improvement in all three fatigue scales (CFQ, FIS and 40 FSS) was noted in 17 of 22 patients. In addition, ten patients were treated initially but they 41 were not assessed at 4 weeks, and are thus not included in the 22 patients who were examined 42 on follow-up. The overall effects of WBC+SS noted at one month post-treatment should be 43 interpreted with caution.