Background:<\/strong> Objective:<\/strong> Methods:<\/strong> Results:<\/strong> Conclusions:<\/strong> Extract: <\/strong>As stated, several factors may contribute to an individual with ME or CFS having suicidal thoughts or actions and the development of depression-like symptoms including: lack of treatment options and low recovery rates [59\u201361]; increased levels of pain and disability [33,41]; greatly diminished QOL [39,41,54]; stigma and the beliefs sometimes held by family, friends, and even physicians that the illness is not real or is just depression [62\u2013 65]; job loss and subsequent poverty [66,67]; and social and familial isolation [68,69].<\/p>\n McInnis et al. [70] found that patients with ME and CFS experience unsupportive social interactions significantly more often than healthy individuals or patients with more legitimized autoimmune illnesses (i.e. rheumatoid arthritis, lupus erythematosus, and multiple sclerosis) so they are experiencing people telling them that they are overreacting or are emotionally and physically abandoning the patient.<\/p>\n Mortality in patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis and chronic\u00a0fatigue syndrome<\/a>, by\u00a0 Stephanie L. McManimen, Andrew R. Devendorf, Abigail A. Brown,\u00a0Billie C. Moore, James H. Moore & Leonard A. Jason in<\/span> Fatigue:\u00a0Biomedicine, Health & Behavior<\/em> [Published online: October 12, 2016]\uf0e0<\/p>\n Full text <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Research abstract: Background: There is a dearth of research examining mortality in individuals with\u00a0myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). Some\u00a0studies suggest there is an elevated risk of suicide and earlier\u00a0mortality compared to national norms. However, findings are\u00a0inconsistent. Objective: … Continue reading
\nThere is a dearth of research examining mortality in individuals with\u00a0myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). Some\u00a0studies suggest there is an elevated risk of suicide and earlier\u00a0mortality compared to national norms. However, findings are\u00a0inconsistent.<\/p>\n
\nThis study sought to determine if patients are reportedly dying earlier\u00a0than the overall population from the same cause.<\/p>\n
\nFamily, friends, and caregivers of deceased patients were recruited.\u00a0This study analyzed data including cause and age of death for 56\u00a0individuals.<\/p>\n
\nThe findings suggest patients in this sample are at a significantly\u00a0increased risk of earlier all-cause (M\u2009=\u200955.9 years) and\u00a0cardiovascular-related (M\u2009=\u200958.8 years) mortality, and they had a\u00a0 directionally lower age of death for suicide (M\u2009=\u200941.3 years) and cancer\u00a0(M\u2009=\u200966.3 years) compared to the overall U.S. population [M\u2009=\u200973.5\u00a0(all-cause), 77.7 (cardiovascular), 47.4 (suicide), and 71.1 (cancer)\u00a0years of age].<\/p>\n
\nResults suggest there is an increase in risk for earlier mortality in\u00a0patients. Due to sample size and over-representation of severely ill\u00a0patients, the findings should be replicated to determine if the\u00a0directional differences for suicide and cancer mortality are\u00a0significantly different from the overall population.<\/p>\n