Primer for the public

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) and ME/CFS are names used in different countries for what is believed to be the same disease spectrum. Dr. Nancy Klimas addresses the name and disease in a video ME/CFS Diagnosis and Name.

The United States and Australia usually use the name CFS. Many European countries, the UK and Ireland use the ME name. All these countries as well as doctors and researchers worldwide also use the acronym [ME/CFS]. It is believed 17-20 million patients worldwide have ME/CFS. 25% of patients are severely ill and are either bed-bound, wheelchair bound or are or all but housebound.

Exercise exasperates symptoms and can injure patients further.

Symptoms

 * Post-exertional malaise (PEM) is the hallmark symptom of ME/CFS patients. After exertion (which for some patients can be a shower, others grocery shopping or socializing, while some just walking to the mailbox) there is a payback which can be delayed 24-48 hours. The patient will experience greater fatigue as well as flu-like symptoms and body pain.  Every patient experiences different levels of these symptoms and each patient will experience PEM differently according to how sick he or she is with the disease.
 * Body pain
 * Cognitive dysfunction/impairments
 * Unrefreshing sleep
 * Orthostatic intolerance or POTS
 * Neuroinflammation

From ME to CFS
Incline village, Lake Tahoe, NV, USA was an outbreak that happened in 1984-1985. The Centers for Disease Control [CDC] were sent to investigate.

SEID Name and Diagnostic Criteria
Systemic Exertion Intolerance Disease (SEID) was diagnostic criteria proposed by the Institute of Medicine in the Institute of Medicine report. This clinical criteria was developed for clinicians in the United States and is meant for any doctor to diagnose at 6 months instead of years or even decades.

Currently Used

 * Fukuda criteria (Sometimes referred to as CDC Criteria) Research: United States, Australia, Canada, Europe, UK, Ireland; Clinical: United States
 * Canadian Consensus Criteria (CCC) Clinical: Canada and Ireland; Research: Canada, Ireland, US
 * Oxford criteria Clinical: Australia, UK
 * International Consensus Criteria (ICC) Clinical
 * Reeves criteria Research: United States
 * SEID Research: United States

Not Currently Used

 * Ramsey definition Clinical and Research UK

The different criteria used country to country and within a country from researcher to researcher and doctor to doctor results in confusion for doctors trying to diagnose, bad research and discord between patients, medical professionals and charitable organizations. Adding to the confusion is a clinical criteria will at times be used in research and a research criteria by a clinician to diagnose. Many US researchers will use Fukuda and CCC in one research project.

Recommended Viewing

 * Forgotten Plague is a 2015 US Documentary available for streaming and DVD purchase.
 * Invisible Illness - Stories of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome a 2015 Mini-Doc on Youtube.
 * The Last Great Medical Cover Up a UK 2015 Film on Youtube.

Other resources

 * VOAT: CFS