Tag: endocrine disorders

COVID-19 and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: An Endocrine Perspective

Abstract:

Patients recovering from COVID-19 may have persistent debilitating symptoms requiring long term support through individually tailored cardiopulmonary and psychological rehabilitation programs. Clinicians need to be aware about the likely long-term complications and their diagnostic assessments to help identify any occult problems requiring additional help. Endocrinological evaluations should be considered as part of the armamentarium in the management of such individuals with diligent cognizance about the involvement of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, adrenals, and thyroid.

Source: Bansal R, Gubbi S, Koch CA. COVID-19 and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: An Endocrine Perspective. J Clin Transl Endocrinol. 2021 Dec 3:100284. doi: 10.1016/j.jcte.2021.100284. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34877261; PMCID: PMC8641402. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8641402/ (Full text)

Chronic fatigue syndrome. More and more differential diagnoses suggest a new view of this syndrome

Abstract:

The diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) requires a number of symptoms beyond chronic fatigue, according to the criteria developed in 1994 by the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) International CFS Study Group. CFS is thus no synonym for chronic fatigue but rather an unusual syndrome afflicting no more than 0.1% of the population. Several CFS definitions have been developed over the years, and it is common for investigators to erroneously compare studies based on different definitions, which nevertheless all use the term CFS. Much of our “understanding” of CFS does not apply to the small group of patients who fulfill the current (1994) CDC definition (above). Recent studies have shown that a number of somatic diseases can present with CFS symptoms and thus be misdiagnosed as CFS. This review presents a list of such differential diagnoses, mainly chronic infections, endocrine diseases, and allergies. In view of these differential diagnoses (1) investigation and therapy must be individualized, and (2) we should offer rehabilitation where different specialists work as a coordinated team.

Comment in:

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a condition still without medical explanation. [Lakartidningen. 2002]

Chronic fatigue belongs to the emotional life’s domains. [Lakartidningen. 2002]

Research on chronic fatigue syndrome face to face with a paradigm shift. [Lakartidningen. 2002]

 

Source: Merz S. Chronic fatigue syndrome. More and more differential diagnoses suggest a new view of this syndrome. Lakartidningen. 2002 Aug 22;99(34):3282-7. [Article in Swedish] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12362846

 

High rates of autoimmune and endocrine disorders, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome and atopic diseases among women with endometriosis: a survey analysis

Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Women with endometriosis may also have associated disorders related to autoimmune dysregulation or pain. This study examined whether the prevalence of autoimmune, chronic pain and fatigue and atopic disorders is higher in women with endometriosis than in the general female population.

METHODS AND RESULTS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 1998 by the Endometriosis Association of 3680 USA members with surgically diagnosed endometriosis. Almost all responders had pain (99%), and many reported infertility (41%). Compared with published rates in the general USA female population, women with endometriosis had higher rates of hypothyroidism (9.6 versus 1.5%, P < 0.0001), fibromyalgia (5.9 versus 3.4%, P < 0.0001), chronic fatigue syndrome (4.6 versus 0.03%, P < 0.0001), rheumatoid arthritis (1.8 versus 1.2%, P = 0.001), systemic lupus erythematosus (0.8 versus 0.04%, P < 0.0001), Sjögren’s syndrome (0.6 versus 0.03%, P < 0.0001) and multiple sclerosis (0.5 versus 0.07%, P < 0.0001), but not hyperthyroidism or diabetes. Allergies and asthma were more common among women with endometriosis alone (61%, P < 0.001 and 12%, P < 0.001 respectively) and highest in those with fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome (88%, P < 0.001 and 25%, P < 0.001 respectively) than in the USA female population (18%, P < 0.001 and 5%, P < 0.001 respectively).

CONCLUSIONS: Hypothyroidism, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, autoimmune diseases, allergies and asthma are all significantly more common in women with endometriosis than in women in the general USA population.

 

Source: Sinaii N, Cleary SD, Ballweg ML, Nieman LK, Stratton P. High rates of autoimmune and endocrine disorders, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome and atopic diseases among women with endometriosis: a survey analysis. Hum Reprod. 2002 Oct;17(10):2715-24. http://humrep.oxfordjournals.org/content/17/10/2715.long (Full article)