title: Trends in the incidence of chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia in the UK, 2001-2013: a Clinical Practice Research Datalink study.
abstract: Objective Trends in recorded diagnoses of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS, also known as 'myalgic encephalomyelitis' (ME)) and fibromyalgia (FM) in the UK were last reported more than ten years ago, for the period 1990-2001. Our aim was to analyse trends in incident diagnoses of CFS/ME and FM for the period 2001-2013, and to investigate whether incidence might vary by index of multiple deprivation (IMD) score. Design Electronic health records cohort study. Setting NHS primary care practices in the UK. Participants Participants: Patients registered with general practices linked to the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD) primary care database from January 2001 to December 2013. Main outcome measure Incidence of CFS/ME, FM, post-viral fatigue syndrome (PVFS), and asthenia/debility. Results The overall annual incidence of recorded cases of CFS/ME was 14.8 (95% CI 14.5, 15.1) per 100,000 people. Overall annual incidence per 100,000 people for FM was 33.3 (32.8-33.8), for PVFS 12.2 (11.9, 12.5), and for asthenia/debility 7.0 (6.8, 7.2). Annual incidence rates for CFS/ME diagnoses decreased from 17.5 (16.1, 18.9) in 2001 to 12.6 (11.5, 13.8) in 2013 (annual percent change -2.8% (-3.6%, -2.0%)). Annual incidence rates for FM diagnoses decreased from 32.3 (30.4, 34.3) to 27.1 (25.5, 28.6) in 2007, then increased to 38.2 (36.3, 40.1) per 100,000 people in 2013. Overall annual incidence of recorded fatigue symptoms was 2246 (2242, 2250) per 100,000 people. Compared with the least deprived IMD quintile, incidence of CFS/ME in the most deprived quintile was 39% lower (incidence rate ratio (IRR) 0.61 (0.50, 0.75)), whereas rates of FM were 40% higher (IRR 1.40 (0.95, 2.06)). Conclusion These analyses suggest a gradual decline in recorded diagnoses of CFS/ME since 2001, and an increase in diagnoses of fibromyalgia, with opposing socioeconomic patterns of lower rates of CFS/ME diagnoses in the poorest areas compared with higher rates of FM diagnoses.
authors.affiliation: 1 School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 2BN, UK.
authors.forename: Simon M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Collin
authors.affiliation: 2 Norwegian Institute of Public Health, 0403 Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Inger J
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Bakken
authors.affiliation: 3 UCL Department of Primary Care and Population Health, UCL Royal Free Campus, London NW3 2PF, UK.
authors.forename: Irwin
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Nazareth
authors.affiliation: 1 School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 2BN, UK.
authors.forename: Esther
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Crawley
authors.affiliation: 4 Wolfson Institute of Preventive Medicine, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London EC1M 6BQ, UK.
authors.forename: Peter D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: White
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015673:Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005356:Fibromyalgia / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D054625:Healthcare Disparities; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008875:Middle Aged; D011203:Poverty; D011320:Primary Health Care; D012923:Social Class; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Chronic fatigue syndrome; diagnosis; fibromyalgia; general practice; incidence; fatigue; myalgic encephalomyelitis; post-viral fatigue; primary care