Chronic fatigue syndrome also known
as ME
Myalgic Encephalomyelitis
ME is a real, often relapsing, debilitating illness, affecting
up to 150,000 people in the UK, with similar rates of incidence
in Europe, USA, New Zealand and Australia
ME is recognised as a neurological illness by the World Health
Organisation, and as a serious, chronic condition by the UK
Chief Medical Officer
Studies have shown that most sufferers are unable to work
to full capacity, and that 25% are severely disabled with
some house/bed bound
Characteristic symptoms include muscle pain with physical
and mental exhaustion following normal activities; quite different
from what is normally experienced by healthy people
ME has a huge impact on the lives of families and carers,
but little, if any, support is available to them
ME also affects children
The cause of ME is still unknown, and no cure or effective
treatment has yet been found
Key research or policy publications on ME/CFS
Nuclear Ventriculography Studies of Response to Exercise
and Postural Stress. Peckerman et al. Presented at the conference
of the American Physiological Society (Experimental Biology),
April 2003
Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Clinical
Working Case Definition, Diagnostic and Treatment Protocols.
Carruthers et al. Journal of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome 2003;11:7-115
Interventions for the Treatment and Management of Chronic
Fatigue Syndrome: A Systematic Review. Whiting et al. JAMA
2001;286:1360-8
A formal systematic review of the randomised controlled trial
evidence for treatments for CFS.
Politics, science, and the emergence of a new disease: the
case of chronic fatigue syndrome. Jason LA et al. American
Psychologist 1997;52:973-83
An overview of the politics behind the science of ME and CFS.
ME/CFS: A Guide for Clinicians and Lawyers. Williams M, Hooper
M. 25% Group
A summary of some of the issues behind the recognition or
non-recognition of ME as an illness.
US case definition of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: diagnostic
and theoretical issues. Jason LA et al. Journal of Chronic
Fatigue Syndrome 1999;5:3-33
An examination of the problems involved in the use of the
1994 case definition of CFS.
The Centre for Disease Control (USA) Website
Offers information about CFS/ME and its diagnosis and treatment,
and provides some key papers.
Classic Papers on ME
The clinical syndrome variously called benign myalgic encephalomyelitis,
Icelandic disease and epidemic neuromyasthenia. Acheson ED.
American Journal of Medicine 1959;569:595.
Epidemic Neuromyasthenia-clinical syndrome? Henderson DA,
Shelokov A. N EngI J Med 1959;260:757-64.
Epidemic neuromyasthenia: a reappraisal. Parish JG. IRCS
International Research Comunications, Medical Science 1974;2:22-6.
Early outbreaks of epidemic neuromyasthenia. Parish JO. Postgrad
Med J 1978;54:711-17.
Epidemic neuromyasthenia 1955-78. Ramsay AM. Postgrad Med
J 1978;54:705-14 & 718-21.
Other Publications
Shattered - Life with ME. Lynn Michell. Thorsons. May 2003.
http://osiris.sunderland.ac.uk/autism/hooperpg1.htm
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