SLEEP DISTURBANCE IN CHRONIC FATIGUE SYNDROME

Sleep and fatigue characteristics were evaluated in 72 patients who me t major criteria for the chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), 57 multiple s clerosis (MS) patients preselected for fatigue complaints, and 40 heal thy controls. Using previously validated rating scales, CFS patients h ad significant elevations in fatigue and sleep disturbance compared to the MS and healthy control groups. TO confirm these subjective measur es, polysomnography was carried out in a subgroup of CFS patients who included sleep disturbance as one of their symptoms on initial clinica l interview. In 10 of 16 (62.5%) polysomnography revealed clinically s ignificant and potentially treatable sleep abnormalities. Their sleep disorders included periodic movement disorder (4), excessive daytime s leepiness (3), apnea (2), and narcolepsy (1). We conclude that subject ive sleep disturbance is common in CFS and some CFS patients may have objective sleep disorders.