Military medicine · 2015 · DOI
This review article examines how ME/CFS is currently defined and proposes that our understanding of the illness needs to be updated. The authors, writing in a military medicine context, suggest that the condition extends beyond what the traditional name 'Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome' captures. The paper calls for a broader perspective on how this serious illness should be recognized and understood.
Redefining ME/CFS more accurately could improve clinical recognition, reduce diagnostic delays, and ensure patients receive appropriate care. Better case definitions and nomenclature are essential for conducting high-quality research and advocating for adequate resources and support for those affected.
This review does not present new empirical data or clinical evidence proving specific mechanisms of ME/CFS. It does not establish new biomarkers, treatment efficacy, or disease etiology—rather, it offers a critique of existing definitions. The conclusions represent expert opinion and are not based on original experimental or observational studies.
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 →
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