title: Factors affecting duration of chronic fatigue syndrome in pediatric patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine factors affecting duration of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) in pediatric patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  This Retrospective cohort consisted of patients with CFS at the regional referral infectious disease clinic for evaluation of fatigue in children and adolescents. Demographic, clinical, and laboratory data were analyzed to identify the impact on duration and severity of pediatric CFS.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total number of 53 predominantly white (98.1%) patients with CFS, aged 9-18 years, were included in the study. Other than fatigue, headaches and sleep disturbance were the most common symptoms of pediatric CFS. Seropositive status for Borrelia burgdorferi (B. burgdorferi) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) was identified in 66% of the patients with the diagnosis of CFS by CDC criteria. No association was found between the CFS symptoms, gender, or age at diagnosis and duration of fatigue symptoms. Duration of CFS was associated with high Body-Mass Index (BMI) in a regression model after adjustment for patient's age, gender, and seropositive status for B. burgdorferi and/or EBV (0.34 ± 0.15, P < 0.04).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  BMI is significantly associated with prolonged duration of CFS.
authors: UMDNJ/Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ, USA.
authors: Dmitriy
authors: D
authors: Petrov
authors: Daniel
authors: D
authors: Marchalik
authors: Michael
authors: M
authors: Sosin
authors: Aswine
authors: A
authors: Bal
references: J Adolesc Health. 1998 Jan;22(1):4-18
references: 9436061
references: Brain Dev. 2004 Oct;26(7):442-7
references: 15351079
references: Pediatr Infect Dis J. 1991 Apr;10(4):287-90
references: 1648198
references: Pediatrics. 1997 Aug;100(2 Pt 1):270-1
references: 9240812
references: Med J Aust. 1990 Nov 5;153(9):522-8
references: 2233474
references: Pediatrics. 2001 May;107(5):994-8
references: 11331676
references: Pediatrics. 1998 Aug;102(2 Pt 1):360-6
references: 9685439
references: Pediatrics. 1991 Aug;88(2):195-202
references: 1861915
references: J Infect Dis. 1988 Mar;157(3):405-12
references: 2830340
references: J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2002 Feb;43(2):169-76
references: 11902596
references: Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2005 Dec;14(8):424-30
references: 16341498
references: Rev Infect Dis. 1991 Jan-Feb;13 Suppl 1:S32-8
references: 2020801
references: Ann Intern Med. 1994 Dec 15;121(12):953-9
references: 7978722
references: J R Soc Med. 2000 Mar;93(3):129-34
references: 10741312
references: J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2004 Mar;45(3):543-52
references: 15055373
references: BMJ. 2004 Oct 23;329(7472):941
references: 15469945
references: Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2004 Mar;158(3):225-9
references: 14993080
references: Pediatrics. 2005 Apr;115(4):e415-22
references: 15805343
references: Lancet. 2006 Jan 28;367(9507):346-55
references: 16443043
references: Pediatrics. 2009 Jul;124(1):189-93
references: 19564299
references: Clin Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2006 Jan;11(1):126-38
references: 17087490
references: Pediatrics. 2007 Mar;119(3):e603-9
references: 17332180
references: J Infect Dis. 1994 Jul;170(1):1-6
references: 8014482
references: J Pediatr. 1999 Apr;134(4):395-405
references: 10190912