Idiopathic chronic fatigue

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Source: Chronic fatigue syndrome: A review (Balachander et al.) 2014.[1]. License: CC BY-NC-4.0

Idiopathic chronic fatigue (ICF) orchronic idiopathic fatigue" (CIF) is long lasting chronic fatigue that is not caused by an underlying medical condition or psychiatric illness and does not meet the criteria for chronic fatigue syndrome.[2][3] Patients with idiopathic chronic fatigue have different diagnostic criteria to patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS).[2][4] The word idiopathic reflects an unknown underlying cause, meaning that the chronic fatigue is a medically unexplained symptom.[3][5]

Differences from chronic fatigue syndrome[edit | edit source]

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) is a distinct neurological disease, and is not the same as chronic fatigue, or long-term fatigue with no known cause (ICF).[4] Source: Son, C-G (2019). Differential diagnosis between “chronic fatigue” and “chronic fatigue syndrome”. Integrative Medicine Research, 8(2), 89-91. Suggested algorithm for chronic fatigue, ICF and CFS. License: CC-BY-ND-NC.
  • Idiopathic chronic fatigue is a distinct illness but not classed as either a syndrome or disease.
  • Idiopathic chronic fatigue only requires the symptom of chronic fatigue. which is not explained by another medical condition, and does not meet the CFS criteria.[2][4]
  • Idiopathic chronic fatigue does not require either post-exertional malaise or sleep dysfunction, which are both compulsory symptoms for a CFS diagnosis.
  • Idiopathic chronic fatigue is more common in the elderly and becomes more common with ageing.[3]
  • Idiopathic chronic fatigue is a classed as a general diagnosis rather than neurological or musculoskeletal, and uses ICD-11 code MG22,[6] and ICD-10-CM code R53.8.[7][8]
  • Chronic fatigue syndrome is a neurological disease, and the ICD-11 code 8E49[9] and ICD-10-CM code G93.32 both reflect this.[7]
  • Chronic fatigue syndrome is a multi-systemic illness with a wide variety of symptoms, which may include: immune symptoms, cardiovascular symptoms, post-exertional malaise, headaches or migraines, and chronic pain.[4][2]
  • Chronic fatigue syndrome is most common in teenagers and working age adults.
  • Idiopathic chronic fatigue is generally considered less disabling.[3]

Notable studies[edit | edit source]

  • 1992, Chronic tiredness and idiopathic chronic fatigue--a connection?[10] - (Abstract)
  • 1999, Idiopathic chronic fatigue and chronic fatigue syndrome: a comparison of two case-definitions[11] - (Abstract)
  • 2004, Disability in chronic fatigue syndrome and idiopathic chronic fatigue[12] - (Full text)
  • 2007/updated 2009, Traditional Chinese medicinal herbs for idiopathic chronic fatigue and chronic fatigue syndrome[13] - (Full text)
  • 2012, Fatigue severity of patients with idiopathic chronic fatigue compared to healthy subjects[14] - (Full text)
  • 2013, Idiopathic chronic fatigue in older adults is linked to impaired mitochondrial content and biogenesis signaling in skeletal muscle[15] - (Full text)
  • 2013, Chronic fatigue syndrome 5 years after giardiasis: differential diagnoses, characteristics and natural course[16] - (Full text)
  • 2013, An open-label study of effects of acupuncture on chronic fatigue syndrome and idiopathic chronic fatigue: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial[17] - (Full text)
  • 2014, Chronic fatigue syndrome: A review[1] (Full Text)
  • 2016, Metabolic Rate and Perceived Exertion of Walking in Older Adults With Idiopathic Chronic Fatigue[3] (Full text)
  • 2019, Differential diagnosis between “chronic fatigue” and “chronic fatigue syndrome”[4] - (Full source)

See also[edit | edit source]

Learn more[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. 1.0 1.1 Singh, Shubh Mohan; Sarkar, Siddharth; Rao, Pradyumna; Balachander, Srinivas (July 1, 2014). "Chronic fatigue syndrome: A review". Medical Journal of Dr.D.Y. Patil University. 7 (4): 415. doi:10.4103/0975-2870.135252. ISSN 0975-2870.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Fukuda, K.; Straus, S.E.; Hickie, I.; Sharpe, M.C.; Dobbins, J.G.; Komaroff, A. (December 15, 1994). "The chronic fatigue syndrome: a comprehensive approach to its definition and study. International Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Study Group" (PDF). Annals of Internal Medicine. American College of Physicians. 121 (12): 953–959. ISSN 0003-4819. PMID 7978722.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Manini, Todd M.; Knaggs, JeffreyD.; Corbett, Duane B.; Valiani, Vincenzo (November 1, 2016). "Metabolic Rate and Perceived Exertion of Walking in Older Adults With Idiopathic Chronic Fatigue". The Journals of Gerontology: Series A. 71 (11): 1444–1450. doi:10.1093/gerona/glw108. ISSN 1079-5006.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Son, Chang-Gue (June 2019). "Differential diagnosis between "chronic fatigue" and "chronic fatigue syndrome"". Integrative medicine research. 8 (2): 89–91. doi:10.1016/j.imr.2019.04.005. ISSN 2213-4220. PMID 31193269.
  5. 5.0 5.1 Sigurdsson MD, Alex F. (November 8, 2017). "19 Important Causes of Fatigue - Tiredness and Chronic Fatigue Explained". docsopinion.com. Retrieved January 30, 2019.
  6. https://icd.who.int/browse11/l-m/en#/http%3a%2f%2fid.who.int%2ficd%2fentity%2f1829103493
  7. 7.0 7.1 "R53 Malaise and fatigue | General symptoms and signs (R50-R69) | ICD-10-CM Index and Tabular". National Center for Health Statistics. 2007. Retrieved September 21, 2022.
  8. https://www.cdc.gov/me-cfs/healthcare-providers/diagnosis/icd-10.html
  9. World Health Organization. "8E49 Postviral fatigue syndrome". ICD-11 - Mortality and Morbidity Statistics. Retrieved March 19, 2022. 8E49 Postviral fatigue syndrome
    Other disorders of the nervous system
    Inclusions
    chronic fatigue syndrome
    myalgic encephalomyelitis
    Exclusions
    Fatigue (MG22)
  10. Simpson, LO (March 1992). "Chronic Tiredness and Idiopathic Chronic Fatigue--A Connection?". New Jersey medicine. 89 (3): 211‐216. PMID 1574202. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
  11. C, Arpino; Mp, Carrieri; G, Valesini; E, Pizzigallo; P, Rovere; U, Tirelli; F, Conti; P, Dialmi; A, Barberio (1999). "Idiopathic Chronic Fatigue and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Comparison of Two Case-Definitions". Annali dell'Istituto superiore di sanita. PMID 10721210. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
  12. Carrico, Adam W.; Jason, Leonard A.; Witter, Elizabeth; Torres-Harding, Susan (2004). "Disability in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Idiopathic Chronic Fatigue". Review of Disability Studies: An International Journal. 1 (1). ISSN 1552-9215.
  13. Adams, Denise; Wu, Taixiang; Tai, Shusheng; Wiebe, Natasha; Vohra, Sunita (2007). "Traditional Chinese medicinal herbs for idiopathic chronic fatigue and chronic fatigue syndrome". Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (1). doi:10.1002/14651858.CD006348. ISSN 1465-1858.
  14. Lee, Nam Hun; Son, Chang Gue (September 1, 2012). "Fatigue severity of patients with idiopathic chronic fatigue compared to healthy subjects". Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine. 32 (3): 355–357. doi:10.1016/S0254-6272(13)60037-0. ISSN 0254-6272.
  15. Wawrzyniak, Nicholas R.; Joseph, Anna-Maria; Levin, David G.; Gundermann, David M.; Leeuwenburgh, Christiaan; Sandesara, Bhanuprasad; Manini, Todd M.; Adhihetty, Peter J. (July 18, 2016). "Idiopathic chronic fatigue in older adults is linked to impaired mitochondrial content and biogenesis signaling in skeletal muscle". Oncotarget. 7 (33): 52695–52709. doi:10.18632/oncotarget.10685. ISSN 1949-2553. PMC 5288142. PMID 27447862.
  16. Mørch, Kristine; Hanevik, Kurt; Rivenes, Ann C.; Bødtker, Jørn E.; Næss, Halvor; Stubhaug, Bjarte; Wensaas, Knut-Arne; Rortveit, Guri; Eide, Geir E. (February 12, 2013). "Chronic fatigue syndrome 5 years after giardiasis: differential diagnoses, characteristics and natural course". BMC Gastroenterology. 13 (1): 28. doi:10.1186/1471-230X-13-28. ISSN 1471-230X. PMC 3598369. PMID 23399438.
  17. Kim, Jung-Eun; Hong, Kwon-Eui; Kim, Hyeong-Jun; Choi, Jin-Bong; Baek, Yong-Hyeon; Seo, Byung-Kwan; Lee, Sanghun; Kang, Kyung-Won; Lee, Min-Hee (May 21, 2013). "An open-label study of effects of acupuncture on chronic fatigue syndrome and idiopathic chronic fatigue: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial". Trials. 14 (1): 147. doi:10.1186/1745-6215-14-147. ISSN 1745-6215. PMC 3663812. PMID 23693129.