Diagnosis and management of chronic fatigue syndrome or myalgic encephalomyelitis (or encephalopathy): summary of NICE guidance
- 30 August 2007
- Vol. 335 (7617), 446-448
- https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.39302.509005.ae
Abstract
Why read this summary?Data from other countries indicate that chronic fatigue syndrome (also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis or myalgic encephalopathy) (CFS/ME) is relatively common (affecting at least 0.2-0.4% of the population), although good epidemiological data for the United Kingdom are lacking. Many different potential aetiologies for CFS/ME have been investigated, including neurological, endocrine, immunological, genetic, psychiatric, and infectious, but the aetiology cannot yet be fully explained. CFS/ME can cause prolonged illness and disability and substantially affect patients and their families. Although most patients have mild or moderate symptoms, some have severe CFS/ME and are housebound or even unable to move from their bed. Uncertainties about diagnosis and management may exacerbate the impact of symptoms, and patients often encounter delays in diagnosis and difficulty accessing information, support, and potentially helpful therapies.1 This article summarises the most recent guidance from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) on diagnosing and managing this condition.2This publication has 4 references indexed in Scilit:
- Electrodermal dissociation of chronic fatigue and depression: evidence for distinct physiological mechanismsInternational Journal of Psychophysiology, 2004
- An experimental study of determinants of group judgments in clinical guideline developmentThe Lancet, 2004
- Hemodynamics instability score in chronic fatigue syndrome and in non-chronic fatigue syndromeSeminars in Arthritis and Rheumatism, 2002
- ["Prolonged" decay test and auditory brainstem responses in the clinical diagnosis of the chronic fatigue syndrome].1996