Facts to Know

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1. Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) can affect all races, sexes and socioeconomic groups. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate that 85 percent of those with CFS are women, and is most common in people in their forties and fifties.

2. Studies find that adolescents are much less likely to develop the condition than adults. Cases in children under 12 are even less common.

3. CFS does not appear to be a new illness. Relatively small outbreaks of similar disorders have been described in medical literature since the 1930s.

4. This illness is called "chronic fatigue syndrome" because it reflects the most common symptom—long-term persistent fatigue. However, the word fatigue is highly misleading because it is one symptom among many and can create misunderstanding and trivialization of the illness.

5. There is no published data to indicate that CFS is contagious, that it can be transmitted through intimate or casual contact or by blood transfusion, or that people with CFS need to be isolated in any way.

6. Without objective diagnostic criteria, the prevalence of CFS is difficult to measure. In general, it is estimated that perhaps as many as one million persons in the U.S. have CFS. The condition often begins abruptly, but sometimes the onset is gradual. The sudden onset sometimes follows a respiratory, gastrointestinal or other acute infection, including mononucleosis. Other cases develop after emotional or physical traumas such as a serious accident, bereavement or surgery.

7. The severity of CFS symptoms vary with each individual. Besides debilitating fatigue that does not go away even with rest, several common symptoms of CFS include:

• Sleep that is unsatisfying and fails to refresh

• Impaired short-term memory or concentration

• Post-exertional malaise occurring within 12 to 24 hours of exertion and lasting 24 hours or more

• Muscle and joint pain

• More intense or changed patterns of headaches

• Tender lymph nodes in neck or underarms

• Recurrent sore throat

8. There is limited long-term data on the ultimate progression or regression of CFS. Symptoms can wax and wane, becoming more severe or improving over time. The CDC continues to monitor the recovery of CFS and finds that about half of patients report "recovery," most likely occurring within five years of the onset of the illness.

9. No specific diagnostic tests or therapies for CFS exist. If your health care professional has diagnosed you with CFS, treatment is focused on relieving symptoms, improving function and restoring quality of life.

10. A study from the CDC finds there may be a genetic component to CFS. Specifically, researchers reported that people affected with CFS appear to have an impaired response to physical and psychological stressors due to abnormally functioning brain and immune system-related genes. This is an important first step towards better ways to diagnose and treat CFS.