Comment: This is posted only because hypocortisolism is consistently a factor in CFS and treating it may lead to some improvement. This is not posted because CBT is in any way supported or endorsed as a CFS treatment.
Does hypocortisolism predict a poor response to cognitive behavioural therapy in chronic fatigue syndrome?
Journal: Psychol Med. 2009 Jul 17:1-8. [Epub ahead of print]
Authors: Roberts AD, Charler ML, Papadopoulos A, Wessely S, Chalder
T, Cleare AJ.
Affiliation: King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry,
Department of Psychological Medicine, London, UK.
NLM Citation: PMID: 19607750
BACKGROUND: There is evidence that patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) have mild hypocortisolism. The clinical significance of this is unclear. We aimed to determine whether hypocortisolism exerted any effect on the response of CFS to cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).
METHOD: We measured 24-h urinary free cortisol (UFC) in 84 patients with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)-defined CFS (of whom 64 were free from psychotropic medication) who then received CBT in a specialist, tertiary out-patient clinic as part of their usual clinical care. We also measured salivary cortisol output from 0800 to 2000 h in a subsample of 56 psychotropic medication-free patients.
RESULTS: Overall, 39% of patients responded to CBT after 6 months of treatment. Lower 24-h UFC output was associated with a poorer response to CBT but only in psychotropic medication-free patients. A flattened diurnal profile of salivary cortisol was also associated with a poor response to CBT.
CONCLUSIONS: Low cortisol is of clinical relevance in CFS, as it is associated with a poorer response to CBT. Hypocortisolism could be one of several maintaining factors that interact in the persistence of CFS.
Journal: Psychol Med. 2009 Jul 17:1-8. [Epub ahead of print]
Authors: Roberts AD, Charler ML, Papadopoulos A, Wessely S, Chalder
T, Cleare AJ.
Affiliation: King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry,
Department of Psychological Medicine, London, UK.
NLM Citation: PMID: 19607750
BACKGROUND: There is evidence that patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) have mild hypocortisolism. The clinical significance of this is unclear. We aimed to determine whether hypocortisolism exerted any effect on the response of CFS to cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).
METHOD: We measured 24-h urinary free cortisol (UFC) in 84 patients with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)-defined CFS (of whom 64 were free from psychotropic medication) who then received CBT in a specialist, tertiary out-patient clinic as part of their usual clinical care. We also measured salivary cortisol output from 0800 to 2000 h in a subsample of 56 psychotropic medication-free patients.
RESULTS: Overall, 39% of patients responded to CBT after 6 months of treatment. Lower 24-h UFC output was associated with a poorer response to CBT but only in psychotropic medication-free patients. A flattened diurnal profile of salivary cortisol was also associated with a poor response to CBT.
CONCLUSIONS: Low cortisol is of clinical relevance in CFS, as it is associated with a poorer response to CBT. Hypocortisolism could be one of several maintaining factors that interact in the persistence of CFS.
