The Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Abstract

Letters1 July 1995The Chronic Fatigue SyndromeKeiji Fukuda, MD, MPH, William C. Reeves, MD, and Stephen E. Strauss, MDKeiji Fukuda, MD, MPHCenters for Disease Control and Prevention; Atlanta, GA 30333National Institutes of Health; Bethesda, MD 20892Search for more papers by this author, William C. Reeves, MDCenters for Disease Control and Prevention; Atlanta, GA 30333National Institutes of Health; Bethesda, MD 20892Search for more papers by this author, and Stephen E. Strauss, MDCenters for Disease Control and Prevention; Atlanta, GA 30333National Institutes of Health; Bethesda, MD 20892Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-123-1-199507010-00019 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail IN RESPONSE:The remarks from Dr. Rest, coauthor of the recent guidelines on chronic fatigue syndrome [1], bear careful reflection because they touch on important and complex issues that are easily misunderstood.The 1988 chronic fatigue syndrome working case definition [2] was revised to mitigate ambiguities and deficiencies that became apparent after field testing. The revised case definition remains a work in progress and not a “definitive” diagnostic tool. Thus, until an independent way to identify the syndrome is found, the validity of this or any similar case definition cannot be definitively established. Do these considerations negate the clinical value ...