Changes in the Allostatic Response to Whole-Body Cryotherapy and Static-Stretching Exercises in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Patients vs. Healthy Individuals

Abstract

This study represents a comparison of the functional interrelation of fatigue and cognitive, cardiovascular and autonomic nervous systems in a group of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) patients compared with those in healthy individuals at different stages of analysis: at baseline and after changes induced by whole-body cryotherapy (WBC) combined with a static-stretching (SS) program. The study included 32 patients (Fukuda criteria) and 18 healthy controls. Fatigue, cognitive, cardiovascular and autonomic function and arterial stiffness were measured before and after 10 sessions of WBC with SS. In the patients, a disturbance in homeostasis was observed. The network relationship based on differences before and after intervention showed comparatively higher stress and eccentricity in the CFS group: 50.9 ± 56.1 vs. 6.35 ± 8.72, p = 0.002, r = 0.28; and 4.8 ± 0.7 vs. 2.4 ± 1, p < 0.001, r = 0.46, respectively. Before and after intervention, in the CFS group increased fatigue was related to baroreceptor function, and baroreceptor function was in turn related to aortic stiffness, but no such relationships were observed in the control group. Differences in the network structure underlying the interrelation among the four measured criteria were observed in both groups, before the intervention and after ten sessions of whole cryotherapy with a static stretching exercise.

A Systematic Analysis of the Effectiveness of Mitochondrial-Based Therapies for the Management of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS)

“…Joseph et al [29] investigated the effects of a 60-mg dose of oral pyridostigmine administered after an invasive cardiopulmonary exercise test (iCPET). Keller et al [30] concentrated on the results of repeat CPETs, while both Kujawski et al [31] and Kujawski S et al [32] studied the effects of whole body cryotherapy (WBC) and static stretching (SS). Maes et al [33] proposed CoQ10 supplementation to normalize the low CoQ10 syndrome and the inflammation, oxidative & nitrosative stress (IO&NS) disorders.…”

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“…It could also represent a potential affordable treatment in conditions associated with cognitive dysfunction [25,26]. WBC could be proposed for clinical use in RA and other joint inflammatory diseases as an additional therapy to conventional or biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), as well to corticosteroids and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in order to decrease the dosage of systemic pharmacological treatments, minimizing the likely of severe related side effects [1].…”

“…In the CFS group an increased fatigue was found, related to baroreceptor function. After ten sessions of WBC with a static stretching exercise, both groups showed an improvement regarding fatigue, cognitive function, cardiovascular and autonomic nervous systems [25]. Recently, the same author investigated the tolerability and effects of SS and WBC on fatigue, daytime sleepiness, cognitive functioning and autonomic nervous system functioning in 32 patients suffering from CFS compared to a control group (18 healthy subjects).…”

Combination of whole body cryotherapy with static stretching exercises reduces fatigue and improves functioning of the autonomic nervous system in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

“…In Our previous study on effects of static stretching (SS) and WBC we have applied network analysis to assess differences in the allostatic response to intervention in CFS in comparison to healthy controls [21]. Such analysis was helpful in relieving the interaction between physiological systems in response to stressor in form of applied intervention.…”

“…One of cardinal symptoms of CFS is post-exertional malaise (PEM) which could be induced by physical and/or cognitive activity [6]. Therefore, in the previous study [21] we have examined if WBC + SS is included in one of group of stressors which might trigger PEM, which in turn would lead to a significant disturbance of homeostasis and increase in symptoms severity in CFS patients. In the above study we would like to analyze the effects of WBC + SS on each parameter separately, to examine if its effective in reducing fatigue and severity of other symptoms related to CFS.…”