Causal attributions for somatic sensations in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome and their partners

2001 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 97-105 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. A. BUTLER ◽  
T. CHALDER ◽  
S. WESSELY
Keyword(s):  
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome ◽  
Causal Attributions ◽  
Chronic Fatigue ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Vulnerability Factor ◽  
Fracture Clinic ◽  
Fatigue Syndrome ◽  
Cognitive Behavioural

Background. Patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) often make somatic attributions for their illness which has been associated with poor outcome. A tendency to make somatic attributions in general may be a vulnerability factor for the development of CFS.Methods. This cross-sectional study based on self-report questionnaire data aimed to investigate the type of attributions for symptoms made by patients with CFS and to compare this to attributions made by their partners. It was hypothesized that patients with CFS would make more somatic attributions for their own symptoms than control subjects and that partners of patients with CFS would make more somatic attributions for their ill relative's symptoms but would be similar to controls regarding their own symptoms. Fifty patients with CFS were compared to 50 controls from a fracture clinic in the same hospital and 46 relatives living with the patients with CFS. A modified Symptom Interpretation Questionnaire was used to assess causal attributions.Results. CFS patients were more likely to make somatic attributions for their symptoms. The relatives of patients with CFS made significantly more somatic attributions for symptoms in their ill relative. However, they were like the fracture clinic controls in terms of making predominantly normalizing attributions for their own symptoms.Conclusions. The data support modification of existing cognitive behavioural treatments for CFS to investigate whether addressing partners' attributions for patients' symptoms improves recovery in the patient. Furthermore, a tendency to make somatic attributions for symptoms may be a vulnerability factor for the development of CFS.

scholarly journals Evidence of Clinical Pathology Abnormalities in People with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) from an Analytic Cross-Sectional Study

Diagnostics ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 41 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nacul ◽  
de Barros ◽  
Kingdon ◽  
Cliff ◽  
Clark ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome ◽  
Chronic Fatigue ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Myalgic Encephalomyelitis ◽  
Activity Levels ◽  
Healthy Controls ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Fatigue Syndrome ◽  
Laboratory Test Results

Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is a debilitating disease presenting with extreme fatigue, post-exertional malaise, and other symptoms. In the absence of a diagnostic biomarker, ME/CFS is diagnosed clinically, although laboratory tests are routinely used to exclude alternative diagnoses. In this analytical cross-sectional study, we aimed to explore potential haematological and biochemical markers for ME/CFS, and disease severity. We reviewed laboratory test results from 272 people with ME/CFS and 136 healthy controls participating in the UK ME/CFS Biobank (UKMEB). After corrections for multiple comparisons, most results were within the normal range, but people with severe ME/CFS presented with lower median values (p < 0.001) of serum creatine kinase (CK; median = 54 U/L), compared to healthy controls (HCs; median = 101.5 U/L) and non-severe ME/CFS (median = 84 U/L). The differences in CK concentrations persisted after adjusting for sex, age, body mass index, muscle mass, disease duration, and activity levels (odds ratio (OR) for being a severe case = 0.05 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.02–0.15) compared to controls, and OR = 0.16 (95% CI = 0.07–0.40), compared to mild cases). This is the first report that serum CK concentrations are markedly reduced in severe ME/CFS, and these results suggest that serum CK merits further investigation as a biomarker for severe ME/CFS.

scholarly journals Prevalence and characteristics of chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) in Poland: a cross-sectional study

BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. e023955 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joanna Słomko ◽  
Julia L Newton ◽  
Sławomir Kujawski ◽  
Małgorzata Tafil-Klawe ◽  
Jacek Klawe ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome ◽  
Chronic Fatigue ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Myalgic Encephalomyelitis ◽  
Assessment Tools ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Fatigue Syndrome

ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) and describe illness characteristics in a community population in Poland. Design: cross-sectional study.SettingPoland.ParticipantsOf the cohort of 1400 who self-presented with fatigue only 69 subsequently were confirmed as having CFS/ME using the Fukuda criteria.Main outcome measuresParticipants completed the following screening symptom assessment tools: Chalder Fatigue Scale, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), Composite Autonomic Symptom Score 31 (COMPASS 31), Quality of Life Scale (QOLS). Haemodynamic and autonomic parameters were automatically measured at rest with a Task Force Monitor.ResultsIn 1308, from 1400 (93%) individuals who identified themselves as fatigued, recognised chronic conditions were identified, for example, neurological (n=280, 21.5%), neurodegenerative (n=200, 15%), psychiatric (n=654, 50%) and immunologic (n=174, 13.5%) disorders. The remaining 69 participants (mean age 38.3±8.5) met the Fukuda defintion for CFS/ME and had baseline objective assessment. The majority had experienced symptoms for over 2 years with 37% having symptoms for 2–5 years and 21.7% for more than 10 years. The COMPASS 31 indicated that 50% have symptoms consistent with orthostatic intolerance. About 43/69 (62%) had Epworth sleepiness scores ≥10, ie, consistent with excessive daytime sleepiness, 26/69 (38%) had significant anxiety and 22/69 (32%) depression measured by HADS A & D. Quality of life is significantly impaired in those with Fukuda criteria CFS (QLS score 64±11) with significant negative relationships between quality of life and fatigue (p<0.0001), anxiety (p=0.0009), depression (p<0.0001) and autonomic symptoms (p=0.04).ConclusionThis is the first study to summarise illness characteristics of Polish CFS/ME patients. Our study has confirmed that fatigue is a common and under-recognised symptom affecting the Polish population.

scholarly journals Pain and pressure pain thresholds in adolescents with chronic fatigue syndrome and healthy controls: a cross-sectional study

BMJ Open ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 4 (10) ◽  
pp. e005920 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anette Winger ◽  
Gunnvald Kvarstein ◽  
Vegard Bruun Wyller ◽  
Dag Sulheim ◽  
Even Fagermoen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome ◽  
Pain Intensity ◽  
Chronic Fatigue ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Intervention Trial ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Pain Thresholds ◽  
Fatigue Syndrome ◽  
Pressure Pain Thresholds

ObjectivesAlthough pain is a significant symptom in chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), pain is poorly understood in adolescents with CFS. The aim of this study was to explore pain distribution and prevalence, pain intensity and its functional interference in everyday life, as well as pressure pain thresholds (PPT) in adolescents with CFS and compare this with a control group of healthy adolescents (HC).MethodsThis is a case–control, cross-sectional study on pain including 120 adolescents with CFS and 39 HCs, aged 12–18 years. We measured pain frequency, pain severity and pain interference using self-reporting questionnaires. PPT was measured using pressure algometry. Data were collected from March 2010 until October 2012 as part of the Norwegian Study of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome in Adolescents: Pathophysiology and Intervention Trial.ResultsAdolescents with CFS had significantly lower PPTs compared with HCs (p<0.001). The Pain Severity Score and the Pain Interference Score were significantly higher in adolescents with CFS compared with HCs (p<0.001). Almost all adolescents with CFS experienced headache, abdominal pain and/or pain in muscles and joints. Moreover, in all sites, the pain intensity levels were significantly higher than in HCs (p<0.001).ConclusionsWe found a higher prevalence of severe pain among adolescents with CFS and lowered pain thresholds compared with HCs. The mechanisms, however, are still obscure. Large longitudinal population surveys are warranted measuring pain thresholds prior to the onset of CFS.Trial registration numberClinical Trials, NCT01040429; The Norwegian Study of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome in Adolescents: Pathophysiology and Intervention Trial (NorCAPITAL) http://www.clinicaltrials.gov.

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