Abstract:
OBJECTIVE: In order to clarify the lifetime likelihood of developing psychiatric disorder following the Akureyri disease, we have investigated 55 well documented cases of the Akureyri disease.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: All participants were interviewed and diagnosed as to psychiatric disorders according to DSM-III.
RESULTS: Of the 55 subjects included in this analysis 53 were women. The mean age of the participants was 67.7 years. The most common problem was agoraphobia with panic attacks 12.7% (P < 0.0001); agoraphobia without panic attacks 21.8% (P < 0.0001); social phobia 14.5% (P < 0.001); simple phobia 18.1% (P < 0.05); schizophrenia 3.6% (P < 0.01); and alcohol dependence 5.4% (P < 0.05).
CONCLUSION: Prolonged chronic fatigue most commonly results in anxiety disorders. Following the infection, the more serious psychiatric disorders do not seem to play a major role in the long run.
Source: Líndal E, Bergmann S, Thorlacius S, Stefánsson JG. Anxiety disorders: a result of long-term chronic fatigue–the psychiatric characteristics of the sufferers of Iceland disease. Acta Neurol Scand. 1997 Sep;96(3):158-62. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9300068