Prevalence of chronic fatigue syndrome-like caseness in the working population: results from the Maastricht cohort study.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the prevalence of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS)-like caseness in the working population.


METHODS
Using data from the prospective Maastricht Cohort Study on Fatigue at Work, the prevalence and incidence of CFS-like cases (employees meeting research criteria for CFS) were determined among 5499 employees who responded to the follow up assessment 3 years and 8 months after baseline.


RESULTS
Of the 5499 employees, 199 (3.6%) were identified as CFS-like cases. By deleting possible CFS-like cases at baseline, the annual incidence of CFS-like caseness was estimated to be 85 per 10 000. Twenty employees (0.36%) reported having been diagnosed with CFS by a physician.


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of CFS-like cases (3.6%) was considerably higher than the prevalence of CFS reported in previous studies (0.006-3%). These findings suggest that the CFS-like caseness may be underdetected in the working population and perhaps in other populations as well.
Huibers
M J H
MJ
Department of Medical, Clinical & Experimental Psychology, Maastricht University, Netherlands. marcus.huibers@hag.unimaas.nl
Kant
I J
IJ
Swaen
G M H
GM
Kasl
S V
SV
D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005221:Fatigue / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015673:Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D017132:Workplace