Adults with ME/CFS report surprisingly high rates of youth symptoms: A qualitative analysis of patient blog commentary

BACKGROUND

Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is a debilitating chronic illness that impacts pediatric populations.

OBJECTIVE

The current study aimed to better understand adult perceptions of their experiences leading up to their diagnosis of ME/CFS.

METHOD

Patients provided data regarding symptoms of ME/CFS they may have experienced during childhood through a popular community blog forum, with participants interacting via blog comments in real-time and across various geographical locations.

RESULTS

Descriptive analyses indicated that roughly 43% of adult survey participants reported having developed ME/CFS prior to age 18. A standard content analysis of patient blog commentary revealed several themes, such as poor mental health, family pattern/history, healthy childhood preceding sick adulthood, feeling misunderstood, lack of clarity until adulthood, sharing of resources, poor school functioning, isolation/poor social supports, and coping mechanisms.

CONCLUSION

There are unique benefits and insights that can be used by investigators who collaborate with patient organizations as a means of better understanding ME/CFS illness severity, presentation, and lived experiences.

Pediatric Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Research on pediatric Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) is reviewed in this article. Many recent articles in this area highlight the existence of key differences between the adult and pediatric forms of the illness. This review article provides an overview of pediatric ME/CFS, including epidemiology, diagnostic criteria, treatment, and prognosis. Challenges to the field are identified with the hope that in the future pediatric cases of ME/CFS can be more accurately diagnosed and successfully managed.

Factors affecting duration of chronic fatigue syndrome in pediatric patients

OBJECTIVE

To determine factors affecting duration of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) in pediatric patients.

METHODS

This Retrospective cohort consisted of patients with CFS at the regional referral infectious disease clinic for evaluation of fatigue in children and adolescents. Demographic, clinical, and laboratory data were analyzed to identify the impact on duration and severity of pediatric CFS.

RESULTS

A total number of 53 predominantly white (98.1%) patients with CFS, aged 9-18 years, were included in the study. Other than fatigue, headaches and sleep disturbance were the most common symptoms of pediatric CFS. Seropositive status for Borrelia burgdorferi (B. burgdorferi) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) was identified in 66% of the patients with the diagnosis of CFS by CDC criteria. No association was found between the CFS symptoms, gender, or age at diagnosis and duration of fatigue symptoms. Duration of CFS was associated with high Body-Mass Index (BMI) in a regression model after adjustment for patient's age, gender, and seropositive status for B. burgdorferi and/or EBV (0.34 ± 0.15, P < 0.04).

CONCLUSIONS

BMI is significantly associated with prolonged duration of CFS.

A Case Definition for Children with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

The case definition for chronic fatigue syndrome was developed for adults (Fukuda et al. 1994), and this case definition may not be appropriate for use with children and adolescents. The lack of application of a consistent pediatric definition for this illness and the lack of a reliable instrument to assess it might lead to studies which lack sensitivity and specificity. In this article, a case definition is presented that has been endorsed by the International Association of ME/CFS.

The prevalence of chronic fatigue syndrome in Nigeria

The present study found adult rates of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) in Nigeria that were somewhat higher than rates from community-based CFS epidemiologic studies in the USA. The rates of chronic fatigue for both adults and children were also higher than in existing community-based studies. It is possible that the presence of several fatiguing illnesses such as malaria and typhoid, the lack of adequate healthcare resources and poverty in Nigeria, place individuals at greater risk for fatigue and its syndromes. There is a need for more epidemiologic studies on the prevalence and sociodemographic characteristics of CFS in developing countries.

Sociodemographic and symptom correlates of fatigue in an adolescent primary care sample

PURPOSE

To describe the prevalence of prolonged fatigue, chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS)-like illness, and associated symptom patterns in adolescents attending primary care.

METHODS

The design was cross-sectional. A questionnaire designed by the authors assessing fatigue and associated symptoms was administered to 901 adolescents (aged 11-18 years) attending 12 primary care clinics in the Chicago area. Prevalence rates for prolonged fatigue and CFS-like illness were calculated. Univariate comparisons involving sociodemographic data and fatigue severity were made between adolescents with and without prolonged fatigue, and sociodemographic and symptom predictors of prolonged fatigue were identified using logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS

Prolonged fatigue (> or = 1 month) occurred at a rate of 8.0% and CFS-like illness occurred at a rate of 4.4%. Adolescents with prolonged fatigue were significantly older and also reported greater fatigue severity than those without fatigue. Findings from logistic regression indicated that, in addition to increasing age, headaches, muscle pains, fever, and fatigue made worse by exercise were significantly associated with prolonged fatigue.

CONCLUSIONS

Abnormal fatigue is a disabling and prevalent condition in adolescents in primary care. It is associated with a number of additional symptoms, many of which may have viral origins.

Symptom oder Krankheit? Der erschöpfende Weg eines Jugendlichen mit chronischer Müdigkeit

Zusammenfassung: Dieser Fallbericht stellt die Diagnostik bei einem 16-jährigen Jugendlichen mit einem chronischer Erschöpfungssyndrom (chronic fatigue syndrome, CFS) vor. Fragen zur Ätiologie, Dynamik, Diagnostik und Behandlung dieses komplexen Zustandsbildes werden kurz diskutiert.