Severe versus Moderate criteria for the new pediatric case definition for ME/CFS.
The new diagnostic criteria for pediatric ME/CFS are structurally based on the Canadian Clinical Adult case definition, and have more required specific symptoms than the (Fukuda et al. Ann Intern Med 121:953-959, 1994) adult case definition. Physicians specializing in pediatric ME/CFS referred thirty-three pediatric patients with ME/CFS and 21 youth without the illness. Those who met ME/CFS criteria were separated into Severe and Moderate categories. Significant differences were found for symptoms within each of the six major categories: fatigue, post-exertional malaise, sleep, pain, neurocognitive difficulties, and autonomic/neuroendocrine/immune manifestations. In general, the results showed participants who met the Severe ME/CFS criteria reported the highest scores, the Moderate ME/CFS group show scores that were a little lower, and the control group evidenced the lowest scores. Findings indicate that the Pediatric Case Definition for ME/CFS can distinguish between those with this illness and controls, and between those with Severe versus Moderate manifestations of the illness.
Jason
Leonard
L
Center for Community Research, DePaul University, Chicago, IL 60614, USA. Ljason@depaul.edu
Porter
Nicole
N
Shelleby
Elizabeth
E
Till
Lindsay
L
Bell
David S
DS
Lapp
Charles W
CW
Rowe
Kathy
K
De Meirleir
Kenny
K
D000293:Adolescent; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D015673:Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires