depression (relationship with chronic fatigue syndrome)

Last reviewed 11/2021

• patients with primary depression may have symptoms that resemble chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS); similarly patients with CFS may exhibit symptoms generally associated with depression
  
  
• however studies on the clinical features and laboratory features of depression and CFS suggest that these diseases are distinct (1); CFS can generally be distinguished from somatisation disorder (2)

Reference:

• (1) Prescribers' Journal (2000), 40 (2), 99-106.
• (2) Hickie I et al (1995). Can the chronic fatigue syndrome be defined by distinct clinical features? Psychol Med, 25, 925-35.