The Canadian/International Consensus Criteria identify patients who are more physically debilitated and have greater physical and cognitive functional impairments

by tonybritton on July 22, 2011:

From The Journal of Internal Medicine, July 2011 (manuscript accepted 15 July 2011 and published online on 20 July 2011)


Myalgic Encephalomyelitis: International Consensus Criteria


Bruce M Carruthers, MD, CM, FRCP(C) (coeditor); Independent, Vancouver, B.C., Canada

Marjorie I van de Sande, BEd, GradDip Ed (coeditor); Independent, Calgary, AB, Canada

Kenny L De Meirleir, MD, PhD; Department of Physiology and Medicine, Vrije University of Brussels, Himmunitas Foundation, Brussels, Belgium.

Nancy G Klimas, MD; Department of Medicine ,University of Miami Miller School of Medicine and Miami Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Miami, FL, USA

Gordon Broderick, PhD; Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada

Terry Mitchell, MA, MD, FRCPath; Honorary Consultant for NHS at Peterborough/Cambridge, Lowestoft, Suffolk, United Kingdom.

Don Staines, MBBS, MPH, FAFPHM, FAFOEM; Gold Coast Public Health Unit, Southport, Queensland; Health Sciences and Medicine, Bond University, Robina, Queensland, Australia AC

Peter Powles, MRACP, FRACP, FRCP(C), ABSM; Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University and St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, ON, Canada.

Nigel Speight, MA, MB, BChir, FRCP, FRCPCH, DCH; Independent, Durham, United Kingdom

Rosamund Vallings, MNZM, MB, BS, MRCS, LRCP; Howick Health and Medical Centre, Howick, New Zealand.

John Chia, MD; Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, University of California, Los Angeles; EV Med Research, Lomita, CA, USA

Alan R Light, PhD; Depts or Anesthesiology, Neurobiology and Anatomy,University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.

Judy A Mikovits, PhD; Whittemore Peterson Institute, University of Nevada, Reno, NV USA

Martin L Pall, PhD; Department of Biochemistry & Basic Medical Sciences, Washington State University, Portland, OR, USA

Staci Stevens, MA; Department of Sports Sciences, University of the Pacific, Stockton, CA USA.

et al.



Myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), also referred to in the literature as chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), is a complex disease involving profound dysregulation of the central nervous system (CNS) [1-3] and immune system [4-8], dysfunction of cellular energy metabolism and ion transport [9-11], and cardiovascular abnormalities [12-14]. The underlying pathophysiology produces measurable abnormalities in physical and cognitive function and provides a basis for understanding the symptomology.

Some symptoms of the Fukuda criteria overlap with depression whereas the Canadian Consensus Criteria [20] differentiate ME patients from those who are depressed and identify patients who are more physically debilitated and have greater physical and cognitive functional impairments [21].

The six-month waiting period before diagnosis is no longer required. No other disease criteria require that diagnoses be withheld until after the patient has suffered with the affliction for six months. Notwithstanding periods of clinical investigation will vary and may be prolonged, diagnosis should be made when the clinician is satisfied that the patient has ME rather than having the diagnosis restricted by a specified time factor. Early diagnoses may elicit new insights into the early stages of pathogenesis; prompt treatment may lessen the severity and impact.


>--< The pathological low threshold of fatigability of ME described in the following criteria often occurs with minimal physical or mental exertion, and with reduced ability to undertake the same activity within the same or several days. >--< Individuals meeting the International Consensus Criteria have myalgic encephalomyelitis and should be removed from the Reeves empirical criteria and the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) criteria for chronic fatigue syndrome. These guidelines are designed specifically for use by the primary care physician in the hope of improving rapid diagnosis and treatment by first-line medical care providers. This may result in the development of an additional short form version that would build on the relationships linking symptoms to formulate an abbreviated screening protocol. For the first time clinical, paediatric and research applications are provided, which will advance the understanding of myalgic encephalomyelitis and enhance consistency of diagnoses internationally. The compulsory critical criteria allow comparable data to be collected in various locations and may assist in developing consistent biomarkers and further insights into the mechanism and etiology of myalgic encephalomyelitis. Full ARTICLE

See also: The main characteristic of ME is an abnormally delayed muscle recovery after doing trivial things, if you don't have that, you don't have ME