09 February 2008
Journal of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Vol. 14, #2, pp 7-23, Summer 2007
Nine-Year Follow-Up of Danish Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) Patients Impact on Health, Social, Vocational, and Personal Lives
Mette Marie Andersen, Henrik Permin, Frank Albrecht
Objective: To determine quality of life (QOL) and health in Danish CFS patients 9 years after diagnosis. Methods: Thirty-four adults with CFS responded to questions regarding QOL at diagnosis, and again 5 and 9 years later. At 9-year followup patients also responded to questions regarding health, fatigue, use of Health Care system, alcohol and exercise. Results: Two patients (6%) had recovered and 3 patients (10%) had received secondary diagnoses. Overall, there was no improvement, except with depression/anxiety. The order of severity among disabilities remained the same. Work had the highest disability score, followed by post-exertional malaise. Patients slept and rested 13.6 hours a day (mean). Self-reported physical health correlated with hours sleeping and resting. Rheumatic symptoms dominated the health symptoms. Alcohol consumption was low, and the use of the Health Care system was modest. Conclusion: After 9 years QOL was the same as at diagnosis, only mental health had improved.