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Chronic fatigue in primary care attenders
E McDonald1, A S David, A J Pelosi
1Department of Epidemiology, Institute of Psychiatry, London.
Psychological Medicine
|November 1, 1993
Summary
Primary care physicians identified chronic fatigue in 77 patients. A significant portion met criteria for chronic fatigue syndrome or other diagnoses, highlighting the need for early intervention.
Area of Science:
- General Medicine
- Psychiatry
Background:
- Persistent fatigue is a common complaint in primary care settings.
- Understanding the diagnostic landscape and contributing factors is crucial for effective management.
Observation:
- A screening identified 77 patients with chronic fatigue from 686 primary care attendees.
- Comprehensive evaluations were conducted on 65 of these patients.
Findings:
- 17 patients (26%) met criteria for chronic fatigue syndrome.
- 47 patients (72%) received an ICD-9 diagnosis, including neurotic depression (23) and neurasthenia (5).
- Psychiatric morbidity correlated more strongly with social stressors than fatigue severity.
Implications:
- Patients in primary care settings attribute fatigue to psychosocial factors more than physical causes compared to hospital patients.
- Early identification and management of persistent fatigue in primary care can prevent secondary disabilities associated with chronic fatigue syndromes.