Tag: demographics

Factors influencing the diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome

Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Most of what is believed about chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is based on clinic-based studies. These studies may not reflect CFS cases in the population.

METHODS: We used data from a population-based study of CFS to identify factors associated with receiving a CFS diagnosis. Wichita, Kan, residents were screened by random-digit dialing. Eligible individuals completed a telephone interview. Respondents meeting CFS criteria were invited for a clinical evaluation to confirm CFS. We analyzed all persons with confirmed CFS. The main outcomes of this study, prevalence and incidence of CFS, are published elsewhere. Herein, we present an exploratory analysis with previous CFS diagnosis as the outcome, predicted by demographic and symptom characteristics.

RESULTS: We confirmed CFS in 90 subjects; 14 (16%) had been previously diagnosed as having CFS. Persons in the middle- vs the higher-income group were more likely to have been diagnosed as having CFS (9 [29%] of 31 subjects vs 3 [8%] of 39 subjects; P = .03), as were those with sudden vs gradual fatigue onset (7 [41%] of 17 subjects vs 4 [6%] of 64 subjects; P < .01), those reporting tender lymph nodes (7 [33%] of 21 subjects vs 7 [10%] of 69 subjects; P = .02), and those reporting a sore throat (6 [35%] of 17 subjects vs 8 [11%] of 73 subjects; P = .02). Only 17 (21%) of 81 subjects had sudden fatigue onset, and tender lymph nodes (reported in 21 [23%] of 90 subjects) and a sore throat (reported in 17 [19%] of 90 subjects) were the least common symptoms.

CONCLUSION: Most cases of CFS in the population are unrecognized by the medical community; persons diagnosed as having CFS may be different from persons with CFS in the general population.

 

Source: Solomon L, Reeves WC. Factors influencing the diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome. Arch Intern Med. 2004 Nov 8;164(20):2241-5. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15534161

 

Chronic fatigue syndrome: occupation, medical utilization, and subtypes in a community-based sample

Abstract:

Most studies of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) have been based on patients recruited from primary or tertiary care settings. Patients from such settings might not be typical of patients in the general population. The present investigation involved examining individuals with CFS from a community-based study. A random sample of 18,675 respondents in Chicago was first interviewed by telephone. A group of individuals with chronic fatigue accompanied by at least four minor symptoms associated with CFS were given medical and psychiatric examinations. From this sample, a physician review group diagnosed individuals with CFS.

Those diagnosed with CFS were subclassified based on a variety of categories, including duration of illness, mode of illness onset, and presence or absence of a stressful life event directly preceding onset. In addition, we examined medical utilization among those diagnosed with CFS, as well as whether individuals with CFS were disproportionately represented in health care professions. Important differences emerged on measures of sociodemographics, symptoms, and functional disability. The implications of these findings and others are discussed.

 

Source: Jason LA, Taylor RR, Kennedy CL, Song S, Johnson D, Torres S. Chronic fatigue syndrome: occupation, medical utilization, and subtypes in a community-based sample. J Nerv Ment Dis. 2000 Sep;188(9):568-76. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11009329