Chronic fatigue syndrome treatments lack evidence

January 01, 0001

Chronic fatigue syndrome treatments lack evidence

Chronic fatigue syndrome, or myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS), is a severe disabling condition. Patients with CFS usually trial many different medicines, both conventional and complementary. An overview of the pharmacological treatments used by CFS patients and the available evidence underpinning the use of these treatments would be of great value to both patients and their healthcare providers. Ninety-four CFS patients recruited into an Australian study investigating immunological biomarkers filled out a questionnaire assessing the medicines they were taking. Evidence from randomised clinical trials was sought in biomedical databases.

The 94 CFS patients used 474 different medicines and supplements. The most commonly used medicines were antidepressants, analgesics, sedatives, and B vitamins. The researchers identified 20 randomised controlled trials studying these medicines in CFS patients.

The researchers concluded: "While conventional and complementary medicines are widely used by CFS patients, the evidence for effectiveness in CFS is very limited."

Seems self-evident, but interesting in that a lot of the data is from people who believe they have the disorder.

For the full abstract, click here.

Australian Family Physician 40(11):907-912, November 2011 © The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners
Treating chronic fatigue syndrome - a study into the scientific evidence for pharmacological treatments. Sanne Kreijkamp-Kaspers, Ekua Weba Brenu, Sonya Marshall et al. Correspondence to Sanne Kreijkamp-Kaspers: skreijka@bond.edu.au

Category: HSR. Health Services Research. Keywords: chronic fatigue syndrome, evidence, pharmacological treratments, questionnaires, journal watch.
Synopsis edited by Dr Stephen Wilkinson, Melbourne, Australia. Posted on Global Family Doctor 2 December 2011

Pearls are an independent product of the Cochrane primary care group and are meant for educational use and not to guide clinical care.