A comparison of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome in two "ideologically" contrasting clinics.
Aim of the present study was to compare chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) patients, attending 2 "ideologically" contrasting clinics for CFS, on various patient and illness characteristics. Fifty-nine CFS patients of each clinic, located in Leuven and Brussels (Belgium), participated. Patients did not differ with regard to age, levels of fatigue, psychopathology, and self-efficacy. However, patients from the psychosocially-oriented clinic had a lower level of education, reported more progressive illness onset, and attributed their illness more to psychological causes. Patients in the biologically-oriented clinic reported more pain, and showed higher levels of social functioning, motivation and vitality, as well as fewer limitations related to emotional problems. It is concluded that CFS patients attending the 2 clinics could not be distinguished along dualistic biological/psychosocial lines, but those reporting sudden illness onset and making somatic attributions were more likely to be represented in the biologically-oriented clinic.
Department of Liaison Psychiatry, University Hospital Gasthuisberg, Herestraat 49, Leuven B-3000, Belgium. boudewijn.vanhoudenhove@uz.kuleuven.ac.be
Boudewijn
B
Van Houdenhove
Elke
E
Van Hoof
Katrien
K
Becq
Stefan
S
Kempke
Patrick
P
Luyten
Kenny
K
De Meirleir
D000328:Adult; D015673:Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012720:Severity of Illness Index