CFS_CARE: Results of an Integrated Care Study for ME/CFS

Kirsten Wittke presented CFS_CARE, a study that evaluated an interdisciplinary integrated care and rehabilitation programme for ME/CFS patients. The study investigated whether a specialised care pathway could improve outcomes compared with standard care. Eligible participants were 18–65 years old, met the Canadian Consensus Criteria (CCC) for ME/CFS, and had Bell disability scores between 30 and 70, indicating mild to moderate functional impairment. The intervention group received an initial outpatient assessment, followed by five weeks of specialised inpatient rehabilitation and continued outpatient follow-up, while the control group attended a single baseline outpatient assessment before being referred to routine primary care. The study found no statistically significant benefit of the integrated rehabilitation programme over standard care. Within the intervention group, a substantial number of participants experienced a decline in Bell score after rehabilitation, whereas only a few patients showed improvement. Comparable changes were also observed in the control group. Despite the lack of measurable functional gains, many participants reported subjective benefits. 54 of 74 respondents felt better able to cope with their illness, 17 believed their overall condition had improved, and 39 indicated they would participate in the rehabilitation programme again. Benefits did not differ according to disease severity. Overall, the findings suggest that tailored rehabilitation may help some patients maintain stability through improved self-management but does not enhance physical function, highlighting the need for mechanism-based therapeutic interventions for ME/CFS.