Adolescent chronic fatigue syndrome: a follow-up study

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Health
• Chronic Illness Management
• Adolescent Medicine

Background:

• Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) significantly impacts adolescent well-being and daily functioning.
• Long-term outcomes, healthcare utilization, and recovery predictors in pediatric CFS require further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To delineate the long-term symptomatic and educational trajectories of adolescents diagnosed with CFS.
• To identify risk factors associated with non-recovery in this population.
• To assess patterns of healthcare use among adolescents with CFS.

Main Methods:

• A follow-up study was conducted at an academic pediatric hospital.
• Sixty adolescents diagnosed with CFS were initially included, with 54 providing complete follow-up data.
• Standard care was provided, and outcomes were assessed using validated questionnaires and custom surveys.

Main Results:

• At a mean follow-up of 2.2 years, 51.9% of adolescents reported near-complete symptom improvement, while 48.1% did not recover.
• Among those attending school, an average of 33% of classes were missed; those in the workforce missed an average of 38.7% of a full-time job.
• High rates of healthcare utilization were observed, including physiotherapy (66.7%), rehabilitation (38.9%), psychological support (48.1%), and alternative treatments (53.7%).

Conclusions:

• Approximately half of adolescents with CFS experience sustained recovery, while the remainder face persistent severe fatigue and physical impairment.
• Older age at diagnosis, pain, poor mental health, low self-esteem, and diminished general health perception are linked to unfavorable outcomes.
• Future research should prioritize personalized treatment strategies and explore novel therapeutic interventions for pediatric CFS.