Chronic fatigue syndrome: A review

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disorder that is characterized by severe and debilitating fatigue of at least 6 months duration not explained on the basis of medical and psychiatric illnesses and has other associated characteristics. The disorder has a resemblance to many other disorders described in the past including myalgic encephalitis and post-infective fatigue; however, the term itself and the criteria for diagnosing this disorder were first laid out in 1988. The disorder has received attention from a wide range of clinicians and researchers. The mechanism of causation of this disorder has been poorly understood, though biological, psychological and social factors seem to play a role. The disorder causes significant impairment and is highly comorbid with other disorders. Non-pharmacological measures like graded exercise therapy and cognitive behavior therapy seem to work better for treatment than pharmacological measures. This narrative review takes an overview of chronic fatigue syndrome from a generalist standpoint and looks into the clinical features, etiopathogenesis and management of this disorder.