Abstract
Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a debilitating illness, but it is unclear if patient age and illness duration might affect symptoms and functioning of patients. In the current study, participants were categorized into four groups based upon age (under or over age 55) and illness duration (more or less than 10 years). The groups were compared on functioning and symptoms. Findings indicated that those who were older with a longer illness duration had significantly higher levels of mental health functioning than those who were younger with a shorter or longer illness duration and the older group with a shorter illness duration. The results suggest that older patients with an illness duration of over 10 years have significantly higher levels of mental health functioning than the three other groups. For symptoms, the younger/longer illness duration group had significantly worse immune and autonomic domains than the older/longer illness group. In addition, the younger patients with a longer illness duration displayed greater autonomic and immune symptoms in comparison to the older group with a longer illness duration. These findings suggest that both age and illness duration need to be considered when trying to understand the influence of these factors on patients.
Highlights
Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a chronic illness characterized by post-exertional malaise, cognitive dysfunction, unrefreshing sleep, and other symptoms [1]
The current study investigated the association between illness duration and patient age on measures of functionality and symptomatology
Future studies need to include more diverse populations to investigate possible cultural differences. These results suggest there is a meaningful relationship between age, illness duration, functionality, and symptoms in a CFS sample
Summary
Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a chronic illness characterized by post-exertional malaise, cognitive dysfunction, unrefreshing sleep, and other symptoms [1]. While 88 abnormal gene expressions have been identified in patients with CFS, the precise etiology remains unclear [2]. Found fewer than 10% of individuals return to their premorbid level of functioning. In spite of the debilitating nature of this illness, Looper and Kirmayer [4] found that patients with CFS perceived more stigma than patients with other chronic conditions such as Fibromyalgia or irritable bowel syndrome. The stigma associated with CFS creates barriers for access to care [5]. For individuals with CFS, there have been conflicting findings regarding how duration of illness affects symptoms and disability. It is possible that the early stages of this illness differ from later stages
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