Jason, 2013: Chronic fatigue syndrome following infections in adolescents

[WillowJ]

I can't see that this was posted previously. It must have come out in print this month, but maybe published online in Dec?

Curr Opin Pediatr. 2013 Feb;25(1):95-102. doi: 10.1097/MOP.0b013e32835c1108.
Chronic fatigue syndrome following infections in adolescents.
Katz BZ, Jason LA.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23263024

PURPOSE OF REVIEW:

To review the recent epidemiology, pathophysiology, and treatment of postinfectious chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) in adolescents.

RECENT FINDINGS:

Thirteen percent of adolescents (mainly women) met the criteria for CFS 6 months following infectious mononucleosis; the figure was 7% at 12 months and 4% at 24 months.

Peak work capacity, activity level, orthostatic intolerance, salivary cortisol, and natural killer cell number and function were similar between adolescents with CFS following infectious mononucleosis and recovered controls.

Autonomic system, oxygen consumption, peak oxygen pulse, psychological and cytokine network differences were documented between those who recovered and those who did not.

SUMMARY:

The prognosis of CFS is better in adolescents than in adults.

Activity level, exercise tolerance, and orthostatic testing could not distinguish patients with CFS from adolescents who have recovered from infectious mononucleosis (controls), while certain cytokine network analyses, life stress factors, and autonomic symptoms could.

 

[WillowJ]

I wonder if they are talking about comparing these parameters at six months, and unable to distingush at that point?

Otherwise I don't see the point of 'recovery' if there is no difference in activity level, exercise tolerance, or orthostatic testing. However Jason is a signer to the paper, so I'm sure the definition of recovery is not creative here.