title: Premorbid risk markers for chronic fatigue syndrome in the 1958 British birth cohort.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Little is known about the aetiology of chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME); prospective studies suggest a role for premorbid mood disorder.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To examine childhood and early adult adversity, ill health and physical activity as premorbid risk markers for CFS/ME by 42 years, taking psychopathology into account.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were from the 1958 British birth cohort, a prospective study from birth to 42 years (n = 11 419). The outcomes were self-reported CFS/ME (n = 127) and operationally defined CFS-like illness (n = 241) at 42 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Adjusting for psychopathology, parental physical abuse (odds ratio (OR) = 2.10, 95% CI 1.16-3.81), childhood gastrointestinal symptoms (OR = 1.58, 95% CI 1.00-2.50) and parental reports of many colds (OR = 1.65, 95% CI 1.09-2.50) were independently associated with self-reported CFS/ME. Female gender and premorbid psychopathology were the only risk markers for CFS-like illness, independent of comorbid psychopathology.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This confirms the importance of premorbid psychopathology in the aetiological pathways of CFS/ME, and replicates retrospective findings that childhood adversity may play a role in a minority.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Psychiatry, Barts & the London School of Medicine & Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, Charterhouse Square, UK. c.clark@qmul.ac.uk
authors.forename: Charlotte
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Clark
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Goodwin
authors.forename: Stephen A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Stansfeld
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hotopf
authors.forename: Peter D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: White
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003139:Common Cold / Q000453:epidemiology; D015897:Comorbidity; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005192:Family Health; D015673:Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009043:Motor Activity; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult