CHRONIC FATIGUE SYNDROME - CURRENT PERSPECTIVES ON EVALUATION AND MANAGEMENT

Objective: To describe clinical and laboratory guidelines for assessme nt and management of patients presenting with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). Data sources: Relevant international consensus diagnostic crit eria and research literature on the epidemiology, pathophysiology, con current medical and psychological disturbance and clinical management of CFS. Conclusions: Medical and psychiatric morbidity should be caref ully assessed and actively treated, while unnecessary laboratory inves tigations and extravagant treatment regimens should be avoided. No sin gle infective agent has been demonstrated as the cause of CFS, and imm unopathological hypotheses remain speculative. The aetiological role o f psychological factors is debated, but they do predict prolonged illn ess. The rate of spontaneous recovery appears to be high. Effective cl inical management requires a multidisciplinary approach, with consider ation of the medical, psychological and social factors influencing rec overy.