Childhood Trauma and Risk for Chronic Fatigue

¶ … Childhood Trauma and Risk for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Association with Neuroendocrine Dysfunction." Heim, C., Nater, U.M., Maloney, E., Boneva, R., Jones, J.F., & Reeves, W.C.

What did the researchers want the study to determine?

The researchers wanted to determine if there was a correlation between childhood trauma and the eventual development of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) by examining neuroscience and looking for evidence related to the pathophysiology of the disease.

Health Outcome of Interest: What health condition did the researchers study?

The researchers studied chronic fatigue syndrome.

Exposure(s) of Interest: What factors did the researchers investigate to determine an association with the outcome listed above? There may be more than one.

Researchers looked at patients with childhood trauma and those with CFS. They looked at the neuroendocrine system including the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and other neurodendocrine dysfunctions.

5. Participants: Whom did the researchers study? How many?

113 patients with CFS and 124 control patients were surveyed from a population of 19,381 Georgian resident adults.

6. Study design: What type of epidemiological study design -- observational or experimental -- does the study describe? Why?

This was an experimental study in that measurements of saliva were taken but also observational based upon the surveys returned by the patients.

7. Type(s)/Method(s) of Data Collection: What type(s) or method(s) were used to collect the data for the study? (E.g. questionnaire, medical records)

The study was a survey where participants either with or without CFS were questioned about their current lives as well as past traumas they experienced. This was coupled with examination of the individuals' endocrine systems including taking samples of salvia and testing for cortisol.

8. Results/Main Findings of Study: What were the results of the study? What were the conclusions of the researchers?

Researchers found that those with CFS largely reported having experienced childhood trauma. At the same time, children with concurrent trauma were found to be more likely to develop the condition due to developmental issues relating to the endocrine system.

Article 2

"Effect of Impact Exercise on Bone Metabolism." Vainionpaa, A., Korpelainen, R., Vaananen, H., Haapalahti, J., Jamsa, T., & Leppaluoto, J.

2. Research Question: What did the researchers want the study to determine?

The researchers wanted to investigate what were the long-term effects of high-impact exercise in patients with bone turnover and calciotropic hormones.

3. Health Outcome of Interest: What health condition did the researchers study?

The patients investigated were dealing with bone metabolism related to being premenopausal.

4. Exposure(s) of Interest: What factors did the researchers investigate to determine an association with the outcome listed above? There may be more than one.

Factors investigated in the research were turnover markers PINP or TRACP5b. They also looked at low scrum basal PTH levels during and after high-impact exercise.

5. Participants: Whom did the researchers study? How many?

The researchers used 120 women who were randomly assigned to either an exercise group or a control group.

6. Study design: What type of epidemiological study design -- observational or experimental -- does the study describe? Why?

The study was largely observational because the researchers used data gathered from meters including examination of the bone markers and calciotropic hormones.

7. Type(s)/Method(s) of Data Collection: What type(s) or method(s) were used to collect the data for the study? (E.g. questionnaire, medical records)