Pooling was not appropriate for CFS.In studies with control groups of patients without the symptom of tiredness , prevalence of somatic disease was identical to those complaining of tiredness .
Depression , however , was more frequent among those with tiredness .
Conclusions Serious somatic disease is rare in patients complaining of tiredness .
Since prevalence is similar in patients without tiredness , the association may not be causal .
Background Tiredness is one of the most frequent complaints in primary care .
Although often self-limiting and frequently associated with psychosocial stress , patients but also their physicians are often uncertain regarding a serious cause and appropriate diagnostic work-up .
We conducted a systematic review and meta- analysis of studies reporting on differential diagnosis of fatigue in primary care .
Patients with fatigue in general practice: a prospective study.
OBJECTIVE --To describe the characteristics of patients attending their general practitioners and complaining of fatigue or being " tired all the time . " DESIGN -- Prospect i ve study of cohort aged 16 years and older with follow up at two weeks and by question naires at two and six months . SUBJECTS--220 patients ( 164 women ) with mean age 43 years and an age-sex matched comparison group . SETTING S -- Doctors and patients in four practice s in Lancashire , Mid Glamorgan , Suffolk , and Surrey . MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES --General clinical data , results from st and ard group of laboratory tests , fatigue question naire , and 12 item general health question naire . RESULTS --Over twice as many patients with fatigue had high scores on the health question naire compared with the comparison group ( 156 ( 75 % ) v 69 ( 34 % ) ) . Results of laboratory tests were abnormal and contributed to the diagnosis in 19 patients . 59 out of 102 patients who responded had high fatigue scores six months later . Patients with persistent fatigue were more likely to have a history of anxiety or depression and to have had fatigue for more than three months on entry to the study . CONCLUSIONS --Women are particularly at risk of fatigue . The outcome is better if patients have had symptoms for three months or less or there is no history of emotional illness
Pooling was not appropriate for CFS.In studies with control groups of patients without the symptom of tiredness , prevalence of somatic disease was identical to those complaining of tiredness .
Depression , however , was more frequent among those with tiredness .
Conclusions Serious somatic disease is rare in patients complaining of tiredness .
Since prevalence is similar in patients without tiredness , the association may not be causal .
Background Tiredness is one of the most frequent complaints in primary care .
Although often self-limiting and frequently associated with psychosocial stress , patients but also their physicians are often uncertain regarding a serious cause and appropriate diagnostic work-up .
We conducted a systematic review and meta- analysis of studies reporting on differential diagnosis of fatigue in primary care .