Prevalence of clinically significant functional fatigue or weakness in specialty outpatient clinics of Pune, India.
Paralikar, Vasudeo, Agashe, Mohan, Oke, Meera et al. · Journal of the Indian Medical Association · 2007
Quick Summary
This study looked at how common significant fatigue and weakness are in hospital outpatient clinics in Pune, India. Researchers surveyed nearly 1,900 patients across four different specialty clinics and found that about 5% experienced clinically significant fatigue or weakness. Women were more likely to have this condition than men, and it was more common in dermatology and traditional medicine clinics than in psychiatry or general medicine clinics.
Why It Matters
This study highlights that fatigue disorders are clinically significant in developing countries but remain under-recognized and understudied. For ME/CFS research, it demonstrates important sex differences and healthcare-seeking patterns that may inform how fatigue disorders are identified and managed across different medical specialties globally.
Observed Findings
Overall prevalence of clinically significant functional fatigue or weakness was 5.02% across four specialty clinics
Female patients represented 63.83% of those with the condition (p<0.001)
Prevalence was higher in dermatology and ayurved clinics compared to psychiatry and medicine clinics
Female sex was a significant predictor (OR 2.19, 95% CI 1.41-3.40)
Dermatology clinic attendance was a significant predictor (OR 1.70, 95% CI 1.02-2.85)
Inferred Conclusions
Clinically significant fatigue and weakness are prevalent in Indian specialty outpatient populations but underrecognized without structured screening
Female sex is a strong demographic risk factor for this condition, warranting gender-focused research
The variation across clinic types suggests patients with fatigue seek care from diverse healthcare providers based on symptom presentation
Cultural and clinical epidemiological studies are needed to inform recognition and management across medical specialties in India and similar settings
Remaining Questions
How does this operationally defined condition relate to ME/CFS and other fatigue disorders recognized in international diagnostic criteria?
What This Study Does Not Prove
This study does not diagnose ME/CFS specifically or distinguish between different fatigue disorders. The cross-sectional design cannot establish causation or temporal relationships. The screening instrument used was operationally defined for this study and may not fully capture ME/CFS diagnostic criteria, limiting direct comparability to international ME/CFS prevalence estimates.
Tags
Symptom:Fatigue
Method Flag:PEM Not DefinedWeak Case DefinitionExploratory Only
About the PEM badge: “PEM required” means post-exertional malaise was an explicit required diagnostic criterion for participant inclusion in this study — not that PEM was studied, observed, or discussed. Studies using criteria that do not require PEM (e.g. Fukuda, Oxford) are tagged “PEM not required”. How the atlas works →
What explains the higher prevalence in dermatology and traditional medicine clinics—are these healthcare preferences, disease presentation patterns, or both?
How do cultural beliefs about illness and fatigue in India influence clinical presentation and healthcare-seeking behavior?
What are the long-term outcomes and functional impairment associated with this condition in the Indian population?