ME/CFS

ME/CFS is commonly known as chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) in many parts of the world. Some refer to it as chronic fatigue immune dysfunction syndrome (CFIDS). Still others consider myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) an all together separate disease.

Whatever the name, ME/CFS is a long term, seriously debilitating condition often affecting the central nervous system, brain, blood, muscles, joints, GI tract and lymph system. Symptoms include, disabling fatigue, physical instability, cognitive impairment, muscle weakness and pain.

The condition is very poorly understood by the overwhelming majority of the medical professionals. It is often misdiagnosed due, in part, to overlapping symptoms with other medical conditions such as Lyme disease, fibromyalgia, anemia, diabetes, thyroid disorders and multiple sclerosis among others.

Patients with ME/CFS are more functionally impaired than those suffering from type 2 diabetes, congestive heart failure, end-stage renal failure and multiple sclerosis.

Women suffer its ravages far more than men.

The latest projections reveal that as many as 25% of those afflicted cannot work or are receiving disability due to their illness.

Current research reveals that ME/CFS is not a single disease. More accurately, there are at least three to seven sub-groups of the illness that are in the process of being definitively identified. Both viral and neurological originations have thus far been revealed.

The most recently published study by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) reveals a projected prevalence rate of approximately 2.5% of adults in the United States may suffer from CFS (ME/CFS). That's 7,625,000 people based upon a population of 305 million. Many members of the ME/CFS research scientist community believe a prevalence rate of .42% is a more accurate projection for the United States. Projections for other countries around the world also vary based upon their respective symptom inclusion criteria.

ME/CFS, the illness is virtually a secret disease in most parts of the world. Most countries have not yet even officially recognized the condition. In the United States, research studies have revealed that as many as 80% of those identified as having ME/CFS had not been properly diagnosed by a physician. It is estimated that the situation is not very different in most other developed nations. Japan, in contrast, not only officially recognizes the disease but outspends all other nations in research on it.

Editor's note: This is the first of a planned series of articles to much more extensively cover fatigue, the clinical variations of ME/CFS, its diagnosis and impact as well as current research initiatives towards a cure.