A comparative psychiatric assessment of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome and muscle disease

Abstract

SYNOPSISThe psychiatric status of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (N = 34) and muscle disease (N = 24) attending a general medical clinic was studied. Among fatigue patients 14 (41·2%) were cases and a further 9 (26·5%) were subcases of psychiatric disorder as defined by CATEGO. A variety of diagnoses was found. Significantly fewer of the muscle patients had a psychiatric disorder with 3 (12·5%) being cases and 1 (4%) a subcase. The relative risk of psychiatric disorder in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome compared to patients with muscle disease was 3·3:1.