GENDER DIFFERENCES IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC FATIGUE SYNDROME

Objective: To determine whether there are differences between men and women patients who have chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and, if so, to ascertain whether a gender-related pattern exists. Design: A descripti ve study of demographic, clinical, and psychosocial measures, the resu lts of which were prospectively collected for patients who had CFS.Set ting: A university-based referral clinic devoted to the evaluation and management of chronic fatigue. Patients: 348 CFS patients who had und ergone complete medical evaluations. Measures: Clinical variables incl uded symptoms, physical examination findings, and laboratory results. Psychosocial assessment consisted of a structured psychiatric intervie w, the Medical Outcomes Study Short-form General Health Survey to asse ss functional status, the General Health Questionnaire to ascertain ps ychological distress, the Multidimensional Health Locus of Control, an d measures of attribution, social support, and coping. Main results: O verall, few gender-related differences were identified. Women had a hi gher frequency of tender or enlarged lymph nodes (60% versus 33%, p le ss-than-or-equal-to 0.01) and fibromyalgia (36% versus 12%, p less-tha n-or-equal-to 0.001) and lower scores on the physical functioning subs cale of the Medical Outcomes Study Short-form General Health Survey (3 7.6 versus 52.2, p < 0.01); men more often had pharyngeal inflammation (42% versus 22%, p less-than-or-equal-to 0.001) and reported a higher lifetime prevalence of alcoholism (20% versus 9%, p less-than-or-equa l-to 0.01). Conclusions: In general, demographic, clinical, and psycho social factors do not distinguish men from women CFS patients.