Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease that brings together clinical signs and symptoms manifested mainly by extreme tiredness that does not subside with rest or sleep and worsens with physical activity and stress.
The causes of this disease are unknown, although it has often been described in association with other diseases.
It manifests itself with extreme tiredness that persists for a long period of time and limits the ability to carry out daily tasks, and is associated with other symptoms such as muscle pain, joint pain, memory impairment, headache, sore throat, swollen lymph nodes, sleep disturbances, etc.
A detailed clinical history and complete physical examination must be carried out, it is a diagnosis of exclusion.
There is no cure for this disease, so treatment is based on symptom control.
- Stephen J Gluckman. Clinical features and diagnosis of systemic exertion intolerance disease (chronic fatigue syndrome). UpToDate. Jul 30, 2015.
- Smith MEB, Nelson HD, Haney E, Pappas M, Daeges M, Wasson N, McDonagh M. Diagnosis and Treatment of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Evidence Report/Technology Assessment No. 219. (Prepared by the Pacific Northwest Evidence-based Practice Center under Contract No. 290-2012-00014-I.) AHRQ Publication No. 15-E001-EF. Rockville, MD: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality; December 2014. www.effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/reports/final/cfm.
- Haney E, Smith ME, McDonagh M, et al. Diagnostic Methods for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Systematic Review for a National Institutes of Health Pathways to Prevention Workshop. Ann Intern Med 2015; 162:834.
- Green CR, Cowan P, Elk R, et al. National Institutes of Health Pathways to Prevention Workshop: Advancing the Research on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Ann Intern Med 2015; 162:860.
- IOM (Institute of Medicine). Beyond Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Redefining an Illness. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press; 2015 http://www.iom.edu/mecfs (Accessed on February 12, 2015).
- Jeffrey M. Gelfand, Vanja C. Douglas. Fatiga. Harrison. Principios de Medicina Interna. Volumen 1. 19º Edición. 151:153.
