SynthesisPloS one2022
Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndromes: A systematic review and meta-analysis of cardiorespiratory fitness and neuromuscular function compared with healthy individuals.
Synthesis in PloS one, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 15 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
15 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 23 citations in OpenAlex.
- Recent research in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome: an evidence map.Health technology assessment (Winchester, England) · 2025Pooled it
- Altered Skeletal Muscle Phosphate Metabolism After Muscle Damage Is Associated With Elevated Effort Perception During Exercise in Humans.Scandinavian journal of medicine & science in sports · 2026Article
- Functional Fitness Deficits in Women with Fibromyalgia Relative to Later-Life Independence Standards: Contributions of Sedentary Time and Physical Activity.Sports (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Muscle and cerebral oxygenation during exercise in fibromyalgia: a near-infrared spectroscopy study.European journal of applied physiology · 2026Article
- VR-guided exercise and mindfulness program for people with chronic pain: a randomised controlled cross-over pilot trial.BMC sports science, medicine & rehabilitation · 2025Article
- Observational
- Identifying microRNAs Possibly Implicated in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia: A Review.International journal of molecular sciences · 2024Review
- Comparative Analysis of Ventilatory Responses during Stress Tests in Patients with Chronic Pain: Implications for Therapeutic Interventions.Journal of functional morphology and kinesiology · 2024Article
- Cardiopulmonary and metabolic responses during a 2-day CPET in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome: translating reduced oxygen consumption to impairment status to treatment considerations.Journal of translational medicine · 2024Article
- Psoriasis and Fibromyalgia: A Systematic Review.Journal of personalized medicine · 2024Review
- Exercise Training for Chronic Pain: Available Evidence, Current Recommendations, and Potential Mechanisms.Current topics in behavioral neurosciences · 2024Review
- Comparative efficacy of neuromodulation and structured exercise program on pain and muscle oxygenation in fibromyalgia patients: a randomized crossover study.Frontiers in physiology · 2024Article
- Effectiveness of a brief multicomponent intervention to improve physical activity level and functional capacity in fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome (Synchronize+).Frontiers in physiology · 2024Article
- Mediation Effect of Kinesiophobia on the Relationship between Cervical Joint Position Sense and Limits of Stability in Individuals with Fibromyalgia Syndrome: A Cross-Sectional Study Using Mediation Analysis.Journal of clinical medicine · 2023Article
- Cervical Joint Position Sense and Its Correlations with Postural Stability in Subjects with Fibromyalgia Syndrome.Life (Basel, Switzerland) · 2022Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
7 authors at 2 institutions in 3 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectiveTo determine cardiorespiratory fitness and neuromuscular function of people with CFS and FMS compared to healthy individuals.
designSystematic review and meta-analysis. DATA SOURCES: PubMed, Medline, CINAHL, AMED, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), and PEDro from inception to June 2022. ELIGIBLE CRITERIA FOR SELECTING STUDIES: Studies were included if presenting baseline data on cardiorespiratory fitness and/or neuromuscular function from observational or interventional studies of patients diagnosed with FMS or CFS. Participants were aged 18 years or older, with results also provided for healthy controls. Risk of bias assessment was conducted using the Quality Assessment Tool for Quantitative Studies (EPHPP).
results99 studies including 9853 participants (5808 patients; 4405 healthy controls) met our eligibility criteria. Random effects meta-analysis showed lower cardiorespiratory fitness (VO2max, anaerobic threshold, peak lactate) and neuromuscular function (MVC, fatigability, voluntary activation, muscle volume, muscle mass, rate of perceived exertion) in CFS and FMS compared to controls: all with moderate to high effect sizes. DISCUSSION: Our results demonstrate lower cardiorespiratory fitness and muscle function in those living with FMS or CFS when compared to controls. There were indications of dysregulated neuro-muscular interactions including heightened perceptions of effort, reduced ability to activate the available musculature during exercise and reduced tolerance of exercise. TRAIL REGISTRATION: PROSPERO registration number: (CRD42020184108).
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.