title: Differential diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome and major depressive disorder.
abstract: The goal of this study was to identify variables that successfully differentiated patients with chronic fatigue syndrome, major depressive disorder, and controls. Fifteen participants were recruited for each of these three groups, and discriminant function analyses were conducted. Using symptom occurrence and severity data from the Fukuda et al. (1994) definitional criteria, the best predictors were postexertional malaise, unrefreshing sleep, and impaired memory-concentration. Symptom occurrence variables only correctly classified 84.4% of cases, whereas 91.1% were correctly classified when using symptom severity ratings. Finally, when using percentage of time fatigue reported, postexertional malaise severity, unrefreshing sleep severity, confusion-disorientation severity, shortness of breath severity, and self-reproach to predict group membership, 100% were classified correctly.
authors.affiliation: Hines VA Hospital, Hines, Illinois, USA.
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hawk
authors.forename: Leonard A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Jason
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Torres-Harding
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000523:psychology; D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention; D003221:Confusion / Q000523:psychology; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D015673:Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006167:Guilt; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory; D008875:Middle Aged; D005082:Physical Exertion; D012890:Sleep; D013223:Statistics as Topic