Characteristics of the randomised participants at baseline
| SMC group | SMC+LP group | |||
| n | n | |||
| Demographic characteristics | ||||
| Mean age (SD) | 14.5 (1.6) | 49 | 14.7 (1.4) | 51 |
| Female, n (%) | 38 (78) | 49 | 38 (75) | 51 |
| Median months from onset of illness to baseline assessment (25th percentile, 75th percentile) | 12 (7.0, 22.0) | 49 | 12 (8.0, 18.0) | 49 |
| Clinical characteristics | ||||
| Mean SF-36 physical function score* (SD) | 56.0 (21.5) | 49 | 53.0 (18.8) | 50 |
| Mean Chalder Fatigue score† (SD) | 25.1 (4.2) | 49 | 25.0 (4.2) | 50 |
| Mean pain VAS† (SD) | 42.4 (29.4) | 48 | 51.6 (28.5) | 48 |
| Mean SCAS† (SD) | 40.3 (20.1) | 48 | 29.8 (16.9) | 49 |
| Mean HADS anxiety score† (SD) | 10.4 (4.4) | 48 | 8.8 (4.5) | 51 |
| Mean HADS depression score† (SD) | 8.1 (4.4) | 48 | 7.5 (3.1) | 50 |
| Mean EQ-5D score* (SD) | 0.34 (0.36) | 49 | 0.31 (0.34) | 51 |
| School attendance in the previous week, n (%) | ||||
| None | 7 (14%) | 49 | 6 (12%) | 50 |
| 0.5 day | 7 (14%) | 49 | 5 (10%) | 50 |
| 1 day | 3 (6%) | 49 | 3 (6%) | 50 |
| 2 days | 8 (16%) | 49 | 8 (16%) | 50 |
| 3 days | 12 (24%) | 49 | 12 (24%) | 50 |
| 4 days | 9 (18%) | 49 | 12 (24%) | 50 |
| 5 days | 3 (6%) | 49 | 4 (8%) | 50 |
All results rounded to 1 decimal point or whole percentage points.
*Higher score=fewer symptoms, better function.
†Higher score=more symptoms, poorer function.
HADS, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale; LP, Lightning Process; SCAS, Spence Children’s Anxiety Scale; SF-36, 36-item Short-Form health survey; SMC, specialist medical care; VAS, visual analogue scale.