Table 2.
Summary of classification for the ME/CFS case definitions
| Items | Categories | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ME | ME/CFS | CFS | SEID | |
| N. of case definitions (Country) | 11 (U.K., Canada) | 14 (U.S., Australia) | ||
| Author | Ramsay | Carruthers | Holmes | Clayton |
| Publication year | (1986) | (2003) | (1988) | (2015) |
| Most cited eight case definitions | Ramsay, ICC | CCC | Holmes, Australian, Oxford, Fukuda | IOM |
| Primary disorder | Viral | Inflammatory | Unknown | Multisystemic |
| Compulsory symptom | Neuroinflammatory symptoms (e.g., muscle disturbances) | Fatigue and/or malaise | ||
| Required conditions | Infective agents | Symptoms associated with fatigue (e.g., duration of the illness) | ||
| Depression and anxiety | Excluded | Inclusive | ||
| Coverage of symptoms | All five symptom categories* | Mainly neurologic and neurocognitive symptoms | ||
| Common symptomof the case definitions | Cognitive impairment | |||
| Common symptoms of the categories | Fatigue, cognitive impairment, sleep disorders, orthostatic intolerance | |||
*Five symptom categories: neurologic, neurocognitive, neuroendocrine, autonomic dysfunction, and immune