From neurasthenia to post-exertion disease: Evolution of the diagnostic criteria of chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis, by Inigo Murga, Jose-Vicente Lafuente in Atencion Primaria [online 8 June 2019]
Research abstract:
Changes in the terminology and diagnostic criteria for chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis are explained in this paper.
This syndrome is a complex and controversial entity of unknown origins. It appears in the medical literature in 1988, although clinical pictures of chronic idiopathic fatigue have been identified since the nineteenth century with different names, from neurasthenia, epidemic neuromyasthenia, and benign myalgic encephalomyelitis up to the current
proposal of disease of intolerance to effort (post-effort). All of them allude to a chronic state of generalised fatigue of unknown origin, with limitations to physical and mental effort, accompanied by a set of symptoms that compromise diverse organic systems.
The International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) places this syndrome in the section on neurological disorders (G93.3), although histopathological findings have not yet been found to clarify it.
Multiple organic alterations have been documented, but a common biology that clarifies the mechanisms underlying this disease has not been established. It is defined as a neuro-immune-endocrine dysfunction, with an exclusively clinical diagnosis and by exclusion.
Several authors have proposed to include CFS/ME within central sensitivity syndromes, alluding to central sensitisation as the common pathophysiological substrate for this, and other syndromes.
The role of the family doctor is a key figure in the disease, from the detection of those patients who present a fatigue of unknown nature that is continuous or intermittent for more than 6 months, in order to make an early diagnosis and establish a plan of action against a chronic disease with high levels of morbidity in the physical and mental sphere.
Objective:
To carry out a bibliographic review of the terminology and diagnostic criteria of the chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis, in order to clarify the pathology conceptually, as a usefulness in the diagnosis of Primary Care physicians.
What is known about the topic / What does this study teach?
- The estimated prevalence in Primary Care will vary between 6% and 32%, 5% -5% suffer chronic fatigue (> 6 months) and 0.5% -4.4% have CFS.
- The CFS / ME definition requires compliance with specific clinical criteria that have been modified by the length of the history.
- A knowledge of the subject and the improvement of the quality of life of these patients, reduces the diagnostic time, generates, therefore, satisfaction among patients and doctors, and requires a wide range of health resources.
