Natural course of chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis in adolescents.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

Little is known about persistence of or recovery from chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) in adolescents. Previous studies have small sample sizes, short follow-up or have focused on fatigue rather than CFS/ME or, equivalently, chronic fatigue, which is disabling. This work aimed to describe the epidemiology and natural course of CFS/ME in adolescents aged 13-18 years.

Design

Longitudinal follow-up of adolescents enrolled in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children.

Setting

Avon, UK.

Participants

We identified adolescents who had disabling fatigue of >6 months duration without a known cause at ages 13, 16 and 18 years. We use the term 'chronic disabling fatigue' (CDF) because CFS/ME was not verified by clinical diagn

SUBMITTER: Norris T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5466925 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature