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A comparative psychiatric assessment of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome and muscle disease

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2009

G. C. Wood
Affiliation:
Department of Medicine, Royal Liverpool Hospital; Sub-Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychiatry and the Muscle Research Centre, University of Liverpool
R. P. Bentall
Affiliation:
Department of Medicine, Royal Liverpool Hospital; Sub-Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychiatry and the Muscle Research Centre, University of Liverpool
M. Göpfert
Affiliation:
Department of Medicine, Royal Liverpool Hospital; Sub-Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychiatry and the Muscle Research Centre, University of Liverpool
R. H. T. Edwards*
Affiliation:
Department of Medicine, Royal Liverpool Hospital; Sub-Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychiatry and the Muscle Research Centre, University of Liverpool
*
1 Address for correspondence: Professor R. H. T. Edwards, Muscle Research Centre, University of Liverpool, PO Box 147, Liverpool, L69 3BX.

Synopsis

The psychiatric status of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (N = 34) and muscle disease (N = 24) attending a general medical clinic was studied. Among fatigue patients 14 (41·2%) were cases and a further 9 (26·5%) were subcases of psychiatric disorder as defined by CATEGO. A variety of diagnoses was found. Significantly fewer of the muscle patients had a psychiatric disorder with 3 (12·5%) being cases and 1 (4%) a subcase. The relative risk of psychiatric disorder in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome compared to patients with muscle disease was 3·3:1.

Type
Original Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1991

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