Abstract
Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is an illness that involves severe, prolonged exhaustion as well as neurologic, immunologic, and endocrine system pathology. Because the pathogenesis of CFS has yet to be determined, case definitions have relied on clinical observation in classifying signs and symptoms for diagnosis. The current investigation examined differences between CFS as defined by Fukuda and colleagues and a set of criteria that has been stipulated for myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME). Dependent measures included psychiatric comorbidity, symptom frequency, symptom severity, and functional impairment. The ME and Fukuda et al. (1994) CFS criteria were compared with a group having chronic fatigue due to psychiatric reasons. Significant differences occurred primarily with neurologic, neuropsychiatric, fatigue/weakness, and rheumatological symptoms. These findings suggest that it might be inappropriate to synthesize results from studies of this illness that use different definitions to select study populations.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 3-22 |
| Number of pages | 20 |
| Journal | Evaluation and the Health Professions |
| Volume | 26 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Feb 24 2003 |
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Keywords
- Case definitions
- Chronic fatigue syndrome
- Diagnostic criteria
- Disability
- Myalgic encephalomyelitis
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Health Policy
Cite this
Variability in diagnostic criteria for chronic fatigue syndrome may result in substantial differences in patterns of symptoms and disability. / Jason, Leonard A.; Helgerson, Jena; Torres-Harding, Susan R.; Carrico, Adam; Taylor, Renee R.
In: Evaluation and the Health Professions, Vol. 26, No. 1, 24.02.2003, p. 3-22.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Variability in diagnostic criteria for chronic fatigue syndrome may result in substantial differences in patterns of symptoms and disability
AU - Jason, Leonard A.
AU - Helgerson, Jena
AU - Torres-Harding, Susan R.
AU - Carrico, Adam
AU - Taylor, Renee R.
PY - 2003/2/24
Y1 - 2003/2/24
N2 - Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is an illness that involves severe, prolonged exhaustion as well as neurologic, immunologic, and endocrine system pathology. Because the pathogenesis of CFS has yet to be determined, case definitions have relied on clinical observation in classifying signs and symptoms for diagnosis. The current investigation examined differences between CFS as defined by Fukuda and colleagues and a set of criteria that has been stipulated for myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME). Dependent measures included psychiatric comorbidity, symptom frequency, symptom severity, and functional impairment. The ME and Fukuda et al. (1994) CFS criteria were compared with a group having chronic fatigue due to psychiatric reasons. Significant differences occurred primarily with neurologic, neuropsychiatric, fatigue/weakness, and rheumatological symptoms. These findings suggest that it might be inappropriate to synthesize results from studies of this illness that use different definitions to select study populations.
AB - Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is an illness that involves severe, prolonged exhaustion as well as neurologic, immunologic, and endocrine system pathology. Because the pathogenesis of CFS has yet to be determined, case definitions have relied on clinical observation in classifying signs and symptoms for diagnosis. The current investigation examined differences between CFS as defined by Fukuda and colleagues and a set of criteria that has been stipulated for myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME). Dependent measures included psychiatric comorbidity, symptom frequency, symptom severity, and functional impairment. The ME and Fukuda et al. (1994) CFS criteria were compared with a group having chronic fatigue due to psychiatric reasons. Significant differences occurred primarily with neurologic, neuropsychiatric, fatigue/weakness, and rheumatological symptoms. These findings suggest that it might be inappropriate to synthesize results from studies of this illness that use different definitions to select study populations.
KW - Case definitions
KW - Chronic fatigue syndrome
KW - Diagnostic criteria
KW - Disability
KW - Myalgic encephalomyelitis
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0037273166&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0037273166&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/0163278702250071
DO - 10.1177/0163278702250071
M3 - Article
C2 - 12629919
AN - SCOPUS:0037273166
VL - 26
SP - 3
EP - 22
JO - Evaluation and the Health Professions
JF - Evaluation and the Health Professions
SN - 0163-2787
IS - 1
ER -