Conditions and Causes of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

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What do doctors call this condition?

Chronic fatigue and immune dysfunction syndrome, "yuppie flu"

What is this condition?

In this recently recognized illness, the person typically has overwhelming fatigue, fever, painful glands, and other symptoms that mimic those of chronic mononucleosis. It commonly affects adults under age 45, mostly women .

What causes it?

The cause of chronic fatigue syndrome is unknown, but researchers suspect that it may be found in human herpesvirus type 6 or in other herpesviruses, enteroviruses, or retroviruses. Possibly, this disorder may be a reaction to viral illness that's complicated by a faulty immune response and by other factors, such as sex, age, genetic disposition, prior illness, stress, and environment.

What are its symptoms?

The hallmark of chronic fatigue syndrome is prolonged, often overwhelming fatigue, commonly accompanied by a varying array of other symptoms. To help identity the disease, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention uses a "working case definition" to group symptoms and their severity. In general, this case definition includes the following symptoms:

profound or prolonged fatigue, especially after exercise levels that the person would have previously tolerated

low-grade fever

painful glands

muscle weakness

sleep disturbances (insomnia or increased sleep)

headaches of a new type, severity, or pattern

joint pain without joint swelling or redness

abnormal sensitivity to light

irritability

forgetfulness, confusion, difficulty thinking, or poor concentration

depression

areas of decreased vision within the visual field.

How is it diagnosed?

The cause and nature of chronic fatigue syndrome are still unknown and no single test clearly confirms it. Therefore, doctors base the diagnosis on the person's history and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria. However, diagnosis is difficult and uncertain because these criteria are admittedly a working concept that may not include all forms of the disease and are based on symptoms that can result from other diseases.

How is it treated?

No treatment is known to cure chronic fatigue syndrome. Experimental treatments include the antiviral drug Zovirax and selected drugs that adjust the immune response, such as intravenous gamma globulin, Ampligen, and transfer factor.

To treat symptoms, the doctor may prescribe tricyclic antidepressants, histamine-2 blocking agents such as Tagamet, and antianxiety agents such as Xanax. In some people, avoiding environmental irritants and certain foods may help to relieve symptoms.

What can a person with chronic fatigue syndrome do?

Contact the Chronic Fatigue and Immune Dysfunction Syndrome Association for information and referral to local support groups.

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