Chronic fatigue syndrome or myalgic encephalomyelitis

Burns, Dianne; McGough, Amanda; Bennett, Collette

doi:10.7748/ns.26.25.48.s51

Cited by 5 publications

(4 citation statements)

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“…Despite the above studies, PIFS-related fatigue is not completely understood or recognised [ 19 ]. Chew-Graham et al [ 20 ] found that Practice Nurses had limited understanding of this illness and devalued their own skills.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fatigue in adults with post-infectious fatigue syndrome: a qualitative content analysis

2015

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BackgroundFatigue is a major problem among individuals with post-infectious fatigue syndrome (PIFS), also known as chronic fatigue syndrome or myalgic encephalomyelitis. It is a complex phenomenon that varies across illnesses. From a nursing perspective, knowledge and understanding of fatigue in this illness is limited. Nurses lack confidence in caring for these patients and devalue their professional role. The aim of this study was to explore in-depth the experiences of fatigue among individuals with PIFS. A detailed description of the phenomenon of fatigue is presented. Increased knowledge would likely contribute to more confident nurses and improved nursing care.MethodsA qualitative study with open interviews was employed. In-depth interviews with patients were fully transcribed and underwent a qualitative content analysis. A maximum variation sample of 26 affected adults between 26–59 years old was recruited from a population diagnosed at a fatigue outpatient clinic.ResultsThe fatigue was a post-exertional, multidimensional, fluctuating phenomenon with varying degrees of severity and several distinct characteristics and was accompanied by concomitant symptoms. Fatigue was perceived to be an all-pervasive complex experience that substantially reduced the ability to function personally or professionally. A range of trigger mechanisms evoked or worsened the fatigue, but the affected were not always aware of what triggered it. There was an excessive increase in fatigue in response to even minor activities. An increase in fatigue resulted in the exacerbation of other concomitant symptoms. The term fatigue does not capture the participants’ experiences, which are accompanied by a considerable symptom burden that contributes to the illness experience and the severe disability.ConclusionsAlthough some aspects of the fatigue experience have been reported previously, more were added in our study, such as the dimension of awakening fatigue and the characteristic beyond time, when time passes unnoticed. We also identified trigger mechanisms such as emotional, neurological, social, financial, and pressure on oneself or from others. This in-depth exploration of fatigue in PIFS provides an overview of the dimensions, characteristics, and trigger mechanisms of fatigue, thus making better clinical observations, early recognition, improved communication with patients and more appropriate nursing interventions possible.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fatigue in adults with post-infectious fatigue syndrome: a qualitative content analysis

2015

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“…Chronic fatigue is characterized by persistent and recurring fatigue that cannot be alleviated by rest [ 1 , 2 ]. It has been associated with lower quality of life [ 3 - 5 ] and higher health care utilization [ 6 - 10 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cost-effectiveness of chronic fatigue self-management versus usual care: a pilot randomized controlled trial

2014

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BackgroundFatigue is a common yet difficult to treat condition in primary care. The objective of this study is to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of a brief cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) based fatigue self-management (FSM) intervention as compared to usual care among patients with chronic fatigue in primary care.MethodsAn economic evaluation alongside of a parallel randomized controlled study design was used. Computer-generated variable-sized block randomization plan was used to assign patients into treatment groups and data collection staff were blinded to group assignments. Patients aged between 18 and 65 years with at least six months of persistent fatigue and no medical or psychiatric exclusions were enrolled from a large primary care practice in Stony Brook, New York. The FSM group (n = 37) received two sessions of a nurse-delivered, fatigue self-management protocol and a self-help book and the usual care group (n = 36) received regular medical care. The effectiveness measure was the Fatigue Severity Scale and the cost measure was total health care expenditures derived from monthly health services use diaries during follow-up. A societal perspective was adopted and bootstrapped incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) and net monetary benefit (NMB) were calculated as measures of cost-effectiveness.ResultsThe ICER for FSM was -$$2358, indicating that FSM dominates UC and it may generate societal cost savings as compared to usual care. Complete case analysis yielded smaller ICER (−$1199) with greater uncertainties. Net monetary benefit analysis showed that FSM has a probability of 0.833 (95% CI: 0.819, 0.847) to achieve positive NMB and the favorable results were not sensitive to assumptions about informal care or treatment costs.ConclusionThis economic evaluation found initial evidence that a two-session brief CBT-based FSM may be cost-effective as compared to usual care over 12 months. The FSM intervention is potentially a promising intervention for chronic fatigue patients in primary care. Additional research is needed to examine the reproducibility and generalizability of these findings.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov (NCT00997451, March 28, 2009).

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“…Self-control of sleeping patterns as well as utilising selfhelp techniques for pain management are also encouraged as part of a self-management repertoire. However this self-reliant mode is accompanied by medical guidance, since Burns et al (2012) states it is imperative that increases in patient activity should be closely supervised by an experienced therapist. Along with Furnham & McDermott (1994) and the current study then, the presence of self-reliance in conjunction with seeking help emerge as interrelated, paired factors for overcoming CFS/ME/PVFS.…”

Section: Results (I) Investigating the Questionnaire Dimensionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Indeed, it is must be noted that self-reliance is advocated by medical professionals in the context of overcoming conjoined CFS/ME. Burns et al (2012), for example, suggests that nurses should instil a sense of self-reliance in CFS/ME patients by encouraging them to keep a diary of their behaviour and set goals for themselves as a way of understanding their baseline activity and to focus on improvement without exacerbation of symptoms. Self-control of sleeping patterns as well as utilising selfhelp techniques for pain management are also encouraged as part of a self-management repertoire.…”

Section: Results (I) Investigating the Questionnaire Dimensionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Does It Matter What You Call It? Lay Beliefs for Overcoming Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, and Post-Viral Fatigue Syndrome

McDermott

Bendle

Griffin

et al. 2016

Ethical Hum Psychol Psychiatry

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The study reported here examines variation in beliefs about how best to overcome a health complaint when it is nominally designated in one of 3 different ways, namely, as chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), or as post-viral fatigue syndrome (PVFS). In a repeated measures design, the participant sample (n = 140) was presented with an adapted version of Knapp and Karabenick’s (1985) questionnaire which asks respondents to rate the degree to which single-item coping strategies would be most useful for overcoming each of the 3 designated complaints. Factor analysis of the coping items produces 3 groups of items as belief components: “self-reliance,” “seeking help,” and “external control.” The chronic fatigue syndrome appellation invoked significantly higher scores on the self-reliance factor and on external control than did the other two diagnostic labels. However, seeking help was considered to be the most important strategy for overcoming all three of the designated incarnations of the condition. In conclusion, “chronic fatigue syndrome” is the linguistic construction that bestows the most beneficial outlook for assisting individuals to overcome this complaint. Thereby, the use of this descriptor in current medical nomenclatures arguably is well placed.

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Chronic fatigue syndrome or myalgic encephalomyelitis

Cited by 5 publications

References 0 publications

Fatigue in adults with post-infectious fatigue syndrome: a qualitative content analysis

Fatigue in adults with post-infectious fatigue syndrome: a qualitative content analysis

Cost-effectiveness of chronic fatigue self-management versus usual care: a pilot randomized controlled trial

Does It Matter What You Call It? Lay Beliefs for Overcoming Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, and Post-Viral Fatigue Syndrome

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