Serrador, Jorge M, Quigley, Karen S, Zhao, Caixia et al. · NeuroRehabilitation · 2018 · DOI
This study tested balance and dizziness in people with ME/CFS, comparing those with and without fibromyalgia. Researchers found that ME/CFS patients had measurably worse balance than healthy controls, and their balance problems were linked to how well they could function physically. Interestingly, people with both ME/CFS and fibromyalgia had the most severe balance problems, suggesting these conditions together may affect the body differently than ME/CFS alone.
Balance problems and dizziness are common, often disabling symptoms in ME/CFS that have not been rigorously studied. This research provides objective evidence that balance deficits are measurable and real in ME/CFS, validating patient experiences and potentially opening avenues for rehabilitation interventions. The finding that ME/CFS+fibromyalgia may have distinct neurobiological mechanisms could inform more targeted treatment approaches.
This study does not establish whether balance deficits are a primary cause or a consequence of ME/CFS, nor does it explain the underlying biological mechanisms. The cross-sectional design cannot determine whether balance problems develop before, during, or after ME/CFS onset. The small sample size and lack of longitudinal follow-up limit generalizability and prevent conclusions about disease progression or treatment response.
About the PEM badge: “PEM required” means post-exertional malaise was an explicit required diagnostic criterion for participant inclusion in this study — not that PEM was studied, observed, or discussed. Studies using criteria that do not require PEM (e.g. Fukuda, Oxford) are tagged “PEM not required”. How the atlas works →
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