Skip to main content
PMC home page
The British Journal of General Practice logoLink to The British Journal of General Practice
. 1991 Aug;41(349):339–342.

Antidepressant therapy in the chronic fatigue syndrome.

S Lynch 1, R Seth 1, S Montgomery 1
PMCID: PMC1371759  PMID: 1822108

Abstract

The chronic fatigue syndrome is a condition receiving increasing recognition. Symptoms of depression are not infrequent and may be persistent and severe enough to warrant treatment. The controversy over the use of antidepressant therapy in this condition may present a dilemma for the general practitioner considering possible treatments. This paper draws on the literature and on the authors' own observations of patients with the chronic fatigue syndrome to suggest guidelines for the use of antidepressant therapy.

Full text

PDF
341

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. ACHESON E. D. The clinical syndrome variously called benign myalgic encephalomyelitis, Iceland disease and epidemic neuromyasthenia. Am J Med. 1959 Apr;26(4):569–595. doi: 10.1016/0002-9343(59)90280-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Archer M. I. The post-viral syndrome: a review. J R Coll Gen Pract. 1987 May;37(298):212–214. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Baumhackl U., Bizière K., Fischbach R., Geretsegger C., Hebenstreit G., Radmayr E., Stabl M. Efficacy and tolerability of moclobemide compared with imipramine in depressive disorder (DSM-III): an Austrian double-blind, multicentre study. Br J Psychiatry Suppl. 1989 Oct;(6):78–83. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Behan P. O., Behan W. M. Postviral fatigue syndrome. Crit Rev Neurobiol. 1988;4(2):157–178. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Cooper G. L. The safety of fluoxetine--an update. Br J Psychiatry Suppl. 1988 Sep;(3):77–86. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. David A. S., Wessely S., Pelosi A. J. Postviral fatigue syndrome: time for a new approach. Br Med J (Clin Res Ed) 1988 Mar 5;296(6623):696–699. doi: 10.1136/bmj.296.6623.696. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Dorozynski A. AIDS priority dispute goes on. BMJ. 1990 Mar 31;300(6728):832–832. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Goldenberg D. L., Felson D. T., Dinerman H. A randomized, controlled trial of amitriptyline and naproxen in the treatment of patients with fibromyalgia. Arthritis Rheum. 1986 Nov;29(11):1371–1377. doi: 10.1002/art.1780291110. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Goldenberg D. L., Simms R. W., Geiger A., Komaroff A. L. High frequency of fibromyalgia in patients with chronic fatigue seen in a primary care practice. Arthritis Rheum. 1990 Mar;33(3):381–387. doi: 10.1002/art.1780330311. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Ho-Yen D. O. Patient management of post-viral fatigue syndrome. Br J Gen Pract. 1990 Jan;40(330):37–39. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Jones J. F., Straus S. E. Chronic Epstein-Barr virus infection. Annu Rev Med. 1987;38:195–209. doi: 10.1146/annurev.me.38.020187.001211. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Komaroff A. L., Straus S. E., Gantz N. M., Jones J. F. The chronic fatigue syndrome. Ann Intern Med. 1989 Mar 1;110(5):407–408. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-110-5-407. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Kroenke K., Wood D. R., Mangelsdorff A. D., Meier N. J., Powell J. B. Chronic fatigue in primary care. Prevalence, patient characteristics, and outcome. JAMA. 1988 Aug 19;260(7):929–934. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Lev M. Myalgic encephalomyelitis. J R Soc Med. 1989 Nov;82(11):693–694. doi: 10.1177/014107688908201127. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Lloyd A. R., Wakefield D., Boughton C., Dwyer J. What is myalgic encephalomyelitis? Lancet. 1988 Jun 4;1(8597):1286–1287. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(88)92107-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Lynch S., Seth R. Depression and myalgic encephalomyelitis. J R Soc Med. 1990 May;83(5):341–341. doi: 10.1177/014107689008300528. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Manu P., Matthews D. A., Lane T. J., Tennen H., Hesselbrock V., Mendola R., Affleck G. Depression among patients with a chief complaint of chronic fatigue. J Affect Disord. 1989 Sep-Oct;17(2):165–172. doi: 10.1016/0165-0327(89)90039-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Moldofsky H., Scarisbrick P. Induction of neurasthenic musculoskeletal pain syndrome by selective sleep stage deprivation. Psychosom Med. 1976 Jan-Feb;38(1):35–44. doi: 10.1097/00006842-197601000-00006. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Morrison J. D. Fatigue as a presenting complaint in family practice. J Fam Pract. 1980 May;10(5):795–801. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Ramsay A. M. 'Epidemic neuromyasthenia' 1955-1978. Postgrad Med J. 1978 Nov;54(637):718–721. doi: 10.1136/pgmj.54.637.718. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Scudds R. A., McCain G. A., Rollman G. B., Harth M. Improvements in pain responsiveness in patients with fibrositis after successful treatment with amitriptyline. J Rheumatol Suppl. 1989 Nov;19:98–103. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Stokes M. J., Cooper R. G., Edwards R. H. Normal muscle strength and fatigability in patients with effort syndromes. BMJ. 1988 Oct 22;297(6655):1014–1017. doi: 10.1136/bmj.297.6655.1014. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Taerk G. S., Toner B. B., Salit I. E., Garfinkel P. E., Ozersky S. Depression in patients with neuromyasthenia (benign myalgic encephalomyelitis). Int J Psychiatry Med. 1987;17(1):49–56. doi: 10.2190/8r67-n9er-xr74-9ra7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Wells K. B., Stewart A., Hays R. D., Burnam M. A., Rogers W., Daniels M., Berry S., Greenfield S., Ware J. The functioning and well-being of depressed patients. Results from the Medical Outcomes Study. JAMA. 1989 Aug 18;262(7):914–919. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Wessely S., David A., Butler S., Chalder T. Management of chronic (post-viral) fatigue syndrome. J R Coll Gen Pract. 1989 Jan;39(318):26–29. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Wessely S. Myalgic encephalomyelitis-a warning: discussion paper. J R Soc Med. 1989 Apr;82(4):215–217. doi: 10.1177/014107688908200411. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. Wessely S., Powell R. Fatigue syndromes: a comparison of chronic "postviral" fatigue with neuromuscular and affective disorders. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1989 Aug;52(8):940–948. doi: 10.1136/jnnp.52.8.940. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from The British Journal of General Practice are provided here courtesy of Royal College of General Practitioners

RESOURCES