Sleep and symptoms in fibrositis syndrome after a febrile illness

Sleep physiology and symptoms of 9 patients with fibrositis syndrome secondary to a febrile illness were compared to 9 patients with fibrositis syndrome who did not attribute their symptoms to a febrile illness and to 10 healthy controls. Both patient groups showed an alpha EEG (7.5 to 11 Hz) nonrapid eye movement sleep anomaly, had similar observed tender points, and self-ratings of musculoskeletal pain. These findings suggest that patients with postfebrile fibrositis have a nonrestorative sleep disorder characteristic of patients with fibrositis syndrome and share similar symptoms with patients who have a "chronic fatigue syndrome."