Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-fbnjt Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-05T05:28:51.310Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

A Clinical Study of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

M. F. Shanks  and
D. O. Ho-Yen
M. F. Shanks*
Affiliation:
Royal Cornhill Hospital, Aberdeen
D. O. Ho-Yen
Affiliation:
Raigmore Hospital NHS Trust, Inverness
*
Dr M. F. Shanks, Royal Cornhill Hospital, 26 Cornhill Avenue, Aberdeen AB9 2ZH
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Extract

Background

This study examines the hypothesis that more recently ill patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) might have different characteristics from more chronic patients in tertiary referral centres.

Method

Sixty-four patients who fulfilled strict diagnostic criteria for CFS had detailed medical, viral, immunological and psychiatric assessment. Patients were advised to remain within their energy limits. Patient and doctor monitored progress using a scoring system.

Results

Using the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia, patients were placed into four groups: group A (no psychiatric disorder, 35 patients), group B (psychiatric disorder before onset of CFS, 7 patients), group C (coincident psychiatric disorder and CFS, 11 patients), and group D (psychiatric disorder after onset of CFS, 11 patients). There were no viral or immunological differences between the groups. Patients in groups B, C and D had more severe illness than those in group A (P< 0.05), but patients in group A had more muscle pain (P< 0.05) than patients in group C. Counselling resulted in 52 patients becoming better; nine remained the same and three became worse.

Conclusions

A lower incidence of psychiatric disorder may characterise patients who are more recently ill, as may the type of associated emotional disorder and better outcome.

Type
Papers
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 166 , Issue 6 , June 1995 , pp. 798 - 801
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1995 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

David, A. S. & Wesseley, S. (1991) Chronic fatigue syndrome: signs of a new approach. British Journal of Hospital Medicine, 45, 158–163.Google ScholarPubMed
Hickie, I., Lloyd, A., Wakefield, D., et al (1990) The psychiatric status of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome. British Journal of Psychiatry, 156, 534–540.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ho-Yen, D. O. (1993) Better Recovery from Viral Illnesses (3rd edn). Inverness: Dodona Books.Google Scholar
Ho-Yen, D. O., Billington, R. W. & Urquhart, J. (1991) Natural killer cells and the post-viral fatigue syndrome. Scandinavian Journal of Infectious Diseases, 23, 711–716.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kruesi, M., Dale, J. & Straus, S. (1989) Psychiatric diagnoses in patients who have chronic fatigue syndrome. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 50, 53–56.Google ScholarPubMed
Manu, P., Matthews, D. A., Lane, T. J., et al (1989) Depression among patients with a chief complaint of chronic fatigue. Journal of Affective Disorders, 17, 165–172.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Mayou, R. & Hawton, K. (1986) Psychiatric disorders in general practice. British Journal of Psychiatry, 149, 172–190.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ray, C. (1991) Chronic fatigue syndrome and depression: conceptual and methodological ambiguities. Psychological Medicine, 21, 1–9.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Robins, L. N., Helzer, J. E., Weissman, M. M., et al (1984) Lifetime prevalence of psychiatric disorders in three sites. Archives of General Psychiatry, 41, 949–958.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sharpe, M. C., Archard, L. C., Banatvale, J. E., et al (1991) A report – chronic fatigue syndrome: guidelines for research. Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, 84, 118–121.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Submit a response

eLetters

No eLetters have been published for this article.