[Medical certification of chronic fatigue syndrome]

Chronic fatigue or chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is not a new disease, yet in recent years it has become increasingly important as an evaluation problem. It coincides with the well-known clinical picture of neurasthenia, shows extensive overlap with symptoms of depression and, finally, to the current concept of "burnout". Regarding the etiology there is fierce controversy between the representatives of a somatic and a psychological etiology. As reviewers you will be guided by the assessment criteria for somatoform disorders, especially because objectified findings are lacking. CFS can be independently encoded as neurological diagnosis G 93.3 according to ICD-10, although never objectified neurological deficits were detected, as well as neurasthenia F 48.0 or accompanying physical symptoms as somatization disorder F 45.0.