[Chronic fatigue syndrome. More and more differential diagnoses suggest a new view of this syndrome].
The diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) requires a number of symptoms beyond chronic fatigue, according to the criteria developed in 1994 by the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) International CFS Study Group. CFS is thus no synonym for chronic fatigue but rather an unusual syndrome afflicting no more than 0.1% of the population. Several CFS definitions have been developed over the years, and it is common for investigators to erroneously compare studies based on different definitions, which nevertheless all use the term CFS. Much of our "understanding" of CFS does not apply to the small group of patients who fulfill the current (1994) CDC definition (above). Recent studies have shown that a number of somatic diseases can present with CFS symptoms and thus be misdiagnosed as CFS. This review presents a list of such differential diagnoses, mainly chronic infections, endocrine diseases, and allergies. In view of these differential diagnoses (1) investigation and therapy must be individualized, and (2) we should offer rehabilitation where different specialists work as a coordinated team.
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001521:Behavior Therapy; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D015673:Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D006801:Humans; D010348:Patient Care Team; D009626:Terminology as Topic
Chronic fatigue syndrome. Allt fler differentialdiagnoser kräver en förändrad syn på syndromet.