Newspapers, Blogs and other Media Links on ME and CFS (YouTube videos are below these articles):

 

2020 (Feb. 18). Kristin Claes Mathews. NIH-funded study reveals many youth living with undiagnosed chronic fatigue syndrome.

https://resources.depaul.edu/newsline/sections/campus-and-community/Pages/youth_mecfs2020.aspx?utm_campaign=Daily_02182020&utm_medium=email&utm_source=EOACLK

 

2020 (Feb. 13). Darcel Rockett.  Chicago Tribune.  Chronic fatigue goes undiagnosed for Latino, black children - Chicago Tribune

https://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/health/ct-life-tt-myalgic-encephalomyelitis-diagnosis-in-children-20200213-20200213-dyqxu6i3hvg6jhwsfzvktryuxq-story.html

 

2020 (Feb. 12). Cort Johnson. Health Rising. Childhood ME/CFS takes a hike.

https://www.healthrising.org/blog/2020/02/12/childhood-chronic-fatigue-syndrome-prevalence-poll/?fbclid=IwAR164jNjLA1uEuA178CibOTHMVPksFlNFyQBtOA9VTPxCU9Q-LlPdcLQVQA

 

2020 (Feb. 5). Lara DeSanto. Health Central.  How tired is too tired. Sometimes sleep eludes us all. But a new study found that some of us may be walking around with an undiagnosed  chronic fatigue syndrome.

https://www.healthcentral.com/article/chronic-fatigue-syndrome-undiagnosed-in-children

 

2020 (Feb. 4). Simon McGrath. ME/CFS Research Reviews. Leonard Jason research finds that many young people have ME/CFS.

https://mecfsresearchreview.me/2020/02/04/leonard-jason-research-finds-that-many-young-people-have-me-cfs/

 

2020 (Feb. 3). Alayne Trinko DePaulia. DePaul researchers unmask misunderstood chronic illness.

https://depauliaonline.com/46034/news/depaul-researchers-unmask-misunderstood-chronic-illness/

 

2020 (Jan. 30). Valerie Nikolas. Chicago Health. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Is Debilitating but Often Dismissed

https://chicagohealthonline.com/chronic-fatigue-syndrome-is-debilitating-but-often-dismissed/

 

2020 (Jan. 30).   Healio. Most kids, teens with chronic fatigue syndrome are undiagnosed

https://www.healio.com/primary-care/pediatrics/news/online/%7Be53ea0de-0fac-406c-93a2-6e95e80f7f5c%7D/most-kids-teens-with-chronic-fatigue-syndrome-are-undiagnosed

 

2020 (Jan. 27). Kristen Dalli. Consumer Affairs. Chronic fatigue syndrome can go undiagnosed in many young people.

https://www.consumeraffairs.com/news/chronic-fatigue-syndrome-can-go-undiagnosed-in-many-young-people-012720.html

 

2020 (Jan. 23). Science Daily. Many Youth  Living with Undiagnosed Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/01/200123152453.htm

 

2020 (Jan. 24). Bernie Tafoya. WBBM News radio. Young People with chronic fatigue go undiagnosed. Researcher

https://wbbm780.radio.com/articles/young-people-with-chronic-fatigue-go-undiagnosed-researcher

 

2020 (Jan. 16). Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Mono in College Students. Press Release.

https://resources.depaul.edu/newsroom/news/press-releases/Pages/Chronic-fatigue-syndrome-and-mono-in-college-age-students.aspx

 

2019 (June 19). Kristen Dold and Lydia House. Women’s Health Magazine. 5 Signs Your Exhaustion Could Be A Symptom of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

https://www.womenshealthmag.com/uk/health/a28096017/chronic-fatigue-syndrome-symptoms/?utm_campaign=Daily_062019&utm_medium=email&utm_source=EOACLK

 

2019 (May 14). Academic Minute. Leonard Jason. Chronic fatigue syndrome.

https://academicminute.org/2019/05/leonard-jason-depaul-university-chronic-fatigue-syndrome/

 

2019 (March 14). DePaul Magazine. Abby Pickus. The Myth of “It’s All in Your Head”

https://depaulmagazine.com/2019/03/14/the-myth-of-its-all-in-your-head/?fbclid=IwAR28Lnu7ViskAsFv_zirRWL8aXinINTwQyeASWcj2xsbqmqMgKe7uu3M72A

 

2019 (March 6). Lifeline Crisis Centers. Lily Chu, Jose Montoya and Lenny Jason, How Chronic Illness Can Influence Suicide Risk

https://medium.com/@CrisisCenters/contributed-by-dr-lily-chu-8872bfb5f633

 

2018 (May10). Reader.  Megan Doherty.  The hidden ME too: 100,000 people in Illinois could suffer from debilitating disease.

https://m.chicagoreader.com/chicago/myalgic-encephalomyelitis-me-chicago-research/Content?oid=47619823

 

2018 (May 7). The DePaulia. Timothy Duke. Invisible Illnesses: The challenge of caring for students living with chronic illness

https://depauliaonline.com/35318/news/invisible-illnesses-the-challenge-of-caring-for-students-living-with-chronic-illness/

 

2018 (May 2). Virology Blog. David Tuller. Trial By Error: A Q-and-A with Leonard Jason, on Case Definition.

https://www.virology.ws/2018/05/02/trial-by-error-a-q-and-a-with-leonard-jason-on-case-definition/

 

2018 (Jan. 10). Nature. Emily Sohn. When sickness interrupts science. How to balance a long-term illness and a research career.

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-018-00112-7

 

2018 (Jan. 3). cid:image002.png@01D38537.3F859190Nature. Amy Maxmen. A reboot for chronic fatigue syndrome research. Research into this debilitating disease has a rocky past. Now scientists may finally be finding their footing.

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-017-08965-0?WT.feed_name=subjects_biotechnology

 

2017 (Sept. 29) Chicago Tribune   Darcel Rockett.  'Unrest' puts spotlight on disease that affects millions, including Riverside girl, 12

https://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/health/ct-life-me-cfs-unrest-film-20170928-story.html 2017

(Sept. 18). nextavenue. Edmund O. Lawler. Do You Have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome? Many factors can contribute to this debilitating and complex illness.

https://bit.ly/2fii8a1

 

2017 (August 20). Oxford University Press Blog. Leonard A. Jason. Scientific progress stumbles without a valid case definition.

https://blog.oup.com/2017/08/scientific-progress-without-valid-case-definition/

 

2017 (August 1). Seeker. Leah Rosenbaum. A New Clue Is Helping to Solve the Mystery Behind Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

https://www.seeker.com/health/a-new-clue-is-helping-to-solve-the-mystery-behind-chronic-fatigue-syndrome

 

2017 (March 16). Leonard Jason's case definition presentation at European Network, Barcelona

https://youtu.be/KfKJK1mnJvM

 

2017 (March 16). Cognitive neuroscientists use systems level approach to search for cause of chronic fatigue syndrome: Researchers hope for new insights to explain the debilitating illness. Jordyn Holliday 

https://resources.depaul.edu/newsroom/news/press-releases/Pages/brain-CFS.aspx

 

2017 (Jan 15). Ethical Humanist Society of Chicago. Leonard A. Jason. Understanding Unexplained Illness: From Knowledge to Action.

https://ethicalhumanistsociety.org/index.php/programs?id=116=Itemid=163

 

2016 (Dec. 23). Simmaron Research. Cort Johnson. Is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) a Brain Disease? The 2016 IACFS/ME Conference Pt. III

https://simmaronresearch.com/2016/12/is-chronic-fatigue-syndrome-mecfs-a-brain-disease-the-2016-iacfsme-conference-pt-iii/

 

2016 (Sept. 28). CBS Chicago. Lisa Fielding. Dozens rally to bring attention to incurable disease.

https://chicago.cbslocal.com/2016/09/27/dozens-rally-to-bring-attention-to-incurable-disease/#.V-sN4kSMCgc.facebook

 

2016 (Sept. 9). The Guardian. Rosie Ifould. Gluten wars: Skepticism Over Self-diagnosis and the Illness We Can't Explain.

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2016/sep/08/gluten-free-diet-celiac-disease-self-diagnosis

 

2016 (July 25). Healthrising. Cort Johnson. Laggard: Is an Under-Active Brain the Problem in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS)

https://www.healthrising.org/blog/2016/07/25/chronic-fatigue-syndrome-brain-under-functioning/

 

2016 (May 17). Healthrising. Cort Johnson. The 25% Disease: Is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) Unique in How Many People are Homebound?

https://bit.ly/20g5zrn 

 

2016 (May 9). MEAction. Jason Study Compares Housebound and Non-Housebound patients

https://www.meaction.net/2016/05/09/study-housebound-versus-nonhousebound-patients-with-mecfs/

 

2016 (May 9). MEAction. Jason Study Compares Housebound and Non-Housebound patients

https://www.meaction.net/2016/05/09/study-housebound-versus-nonhousebound-patients-with-mecfs/

 

2016 (March 19).MEAction. Sasha Nimmo. Study says scientists must agree on classifying patients.

https://www.meaction.net/2016/03/18/study-says-scientists-must-agree-on-classifying-patients/

 

 

2016 (Feb 26). Clinical Research: Open Access. Leonard Jason, Marcie Zinn and Mark Zinn. qEEG LORETA case study.

https://youtu.be/msfPDBP6HOc

 

2016 (Feb. 19). Medscape. Shannon Aymes. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Linked to Suicide Deaths

https://www.dropbox.com/s/uf6p3d9ni8ug3se/2016.%20Chronic%20Fatigue%20Syndrome%20Linked%20to%20Suicide%20Deaths.pdf?dl=0

 

2016 (Feb). The ME Action Network. Case study: “Brain Fog” in CFS can be seen in qEEG/Loreta analysis.

https://www.meaction.net/2016/02/07/case-study-brain-fog-in-cfs-can-be-seen-in-qeegloreta-analysis/

 

2015 (Nov 13). Virology Blog. Ronald W. Davis, Jonathan C.W. Edwards, Leonard A. Jason, Bruce Levin, Vincent R. Racaniello, Arthur L. Reingold. An open letter to Dr. Richard Horton and The Lancet.

https://www.virology.ws/2015/11/13/an-open-letter-to-dr-richard-horton-and-the-lancet/

 

2015 (Nov 10). Mosaic. The Science of Life. Virginia Gewin. Fighting over fatigue.

https://mosaicscience.com/chronic-fatigue-syndrome-me

 

2015 (Nov 10). Mosaic. The Science of Life. Virginia Gewin. How to diagnose chronic fatigue syndrome.

https://mosaicscience.com/extra/how-diagnose-chronic-fatigue-syndrome

 

2015 (OCTOBER 21) Virology. David Tuller, TRIAL BY ERROR: The Troubling Case of the PACE Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Study

https://www.virology.ws/

https://www.virology.ws/2015/10/22/trial-by-error-ii/

https://www.virology.ws/2015/10/23/trial-by-error-iii/

 

2015 (Oct. 10).Health Rising. Cort Johnson. IOM Diagnostic Criteria Redeemed? Dr. Klimas Answers Critics at CFSAC Meeting.

https://www.cortjohnson.org/blog/2015/10/10/iom-diagnostic-criteria-redeemed-dr-klimas-answers-critics-at-cfsac-meeting/

 

2015 (Oct). Invest in ME Research. Leonard A. Jason and Zachary Siegel. 10 Years of Biomedical Research - Invest in ME.

https://www.investinme.eu/IIMEC11-news-0902.shtml

 

2015 (Sept. 28). Oxford University Press Blog. Leonard A. Jason. Patients Battle for Justice.

https://blog.oup.com/2015/09/patients-battle-for-justice/

 

2015 (Sept 22). DePaul Distinctions. Margaret Hoag. Radical Research

https://resources.depaul.edu/distinctions/words-and-deeds/Pages/Radical-Research.aspx

 

2015 (Sept. 11). Medpagetoday. Shannon Firth. Chronic Fatigue: A Call for Real Answers to a Real Disease Controversial, tough-to-treat illness starts gaining attention.

https://www.medpagetoday.com/Pathology/GeneralPathology/53502

 

2015 (July 19). Health Rising. Cort Johnson. Excluding Factors: Jason Critiques the IOM Definition for ME/CFS.

https://www.cortjohnson.org/blog/2015/07/19/excluding-factors-jason-critiques-the-iom-definition-for-mecfs/

 

2015 (May 27). Nature. Virginia Gewin. Medical research: Subject to reflection. https://www.nature.com/naturejobs/science/articles/10.1038/nj7553-551a

 

2015 (March 26). Medical News Today. James McIntosh. How important is the name of a disease? Do names influence treatment?

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/291511.php

 

2015 (March 15). Health Rising. Cort Johnson. The Outsider: Jason Takes Aim at the IOM Report – Again

https://www.cortjohnson.org/blog/2015/03/15/the-outsider-jason-takes-aim-at-the-iom-report-again/

 

2015 (March 4). Oxford University Press Blog. Leonard A. Jason. IOM’s Effort to Dislodge Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

https://oxford.ly/18LEEiQ 

 

2015 (Feb. 22). WVUM 90.5FM.  We Are The Voice. Natalie Maureen Kivell,

Where are the patients? The role of community psychology in engaging patients in their own lives.

https://youtu.be/IeYvHjyqi6o

https://www.mixcloud.com/WVUMNews/where-are-the-patients-the-role-of-community-psychology-in-engaging-patients-in-their-own-lives/

 

2015 (Feb. 16). Oxford University Press Blog. Leonard A. Jason. How Disease Names Can Stigmatize.

https://blog.oup.com/2015/02/disease-name-chronic-fatigue-syndrome-me/

 

2015 (Feb. 11). Nature magazine. Sarah Reardon Chronic-Fatigue Syndrome Gets Controversial Redefinition An HHS panel recommends changing the condition's name to "systemic exertion intolerance disease"

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/chronic-fatigue-syndrome-gets-controversial-redefinition/

 

2015 (Feb. 10). New York Times. David Tuller. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Gets a New Name https://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/02/10/chronic-fatigue-syndrome-gets-a-new-name/?_r=0

 

2015 (Feb. 10). America.Aljazeera.com  Natasha Sheriff  Institute of Medicine calls for renaming chronic fatigue syndrome

https://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2015/2/10/institute-of-medicine--calls-for-renaming-chronic-fatigue-syndrome.html

 

 

2015 (Jan. 23). Health Rising. Cort Johnson. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Articles Making Waves in the Medical Community:

https://www.cortjohnson.org/blog/2015/01/22/chronic-fatigue-syndrome-articles-making-waves-medical-community/

 

2015 (Jan. 22). Medscape. Miriam Tucker. Addressing Fear of Exercise Cuts Chronic Fatigue... Perhaps:

https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/838452

 

2014 (Nov. 25). New York Times. David Tuller. Brains of People with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Offer Clues About Disorder:

https://nyti.ms/1r5rnJU

 

2014 (Oct 17). Medscape Medical News. Miriam E. Tucker. Chronic Fatigue: NIH Literature Review Faulted:

https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/833428

 

2014 (Oct). Monitor: American Psychological Association. Beyond Tired: Chronic Fatigue Syndrome remains misunderstood and understudied. Psychologists are among those trying to change that:

https://www.apamonitor-digital.org/apamonitor/201410#pg70

 

2014. Health Rising. Cort Johnson. Differentiating ME/CFS from depression: 

https://www.cortjohnson.org/blog/2014/04/26/prove-doctor-youve-got-chronic-fatigue-syndrome-mecfs-just-depressed/

 

2014. Health Rising. Cort. Jason’s ME/CFS diagnostic talk at the 2014 IACFS/ME meeting in San Francisco:

https://www.cortjohnson.org/blog/2014/04/23/report-san-fran-v-chronic-fatigue-syndrome-defining-momentns-dr-leonard-jason-defining-house-cards/

 

2014. Oxford University Press’ Blog. Leonard Jason. Diseases can stigmatize:

https://blog.oup.com/2014/01/diseases-can-stigmatize-chronic-fatigue-syndrome/

 

2014 (March 28). Buzzfeed. David Tuller. IACFS/ME San Francisco conference:

https://www.cfstreatmentguide.com/blog/with-significant-advances-but-little-money-chronic-fatigue-syndrome-research-tries-crowdfunding

 

2014. Mercury News. Bay Area pharmaceutical company develops treatment for chronic fatigue syndrome:

https://www.mercurynews.com/health/ci_25409360/bay-area-pharmaceutical-company-develops-treatment-chronic-fatigue

 

2014. Kate Benson. Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: It’s all in the Definition:

https://trialx.com/curetalk/2011/10/myalgic-encephalomyelitischronic-fatigue-syndrome-its-all-in-the-definition/

 

2013. Prohealth. Psychologist Leonard Jason Receives NIH Grant to Study CFS in Youth:

https://www.prohealth.com/library/showarticle.cfm?libid=18637

 

2013. Monitor: American Psychological Association. When Symptoms are a Mystery:

https://www.apamonitor-digital.org/apamonitor/20130708?folio=66#pg66

 

2013. The film Voices from the Shadows:

https://vimeo.com/ondemand/22513/24683179

https://voicesfromtheshadowsfilm.co.uk/specialists/

 

2013. Yahoo.voices. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: More than just being fatigued. Patients have to cope with misunderstanding the "silent" illness

https://www.mecfsforums.com/index.php?topic=17112.0

 

2012. Prevention Magazine. How tired is too tired:

https://www.prevention.com/health/sleep-energy/how-normal-fatigue-differs-chronic-fatigue-syndrome

 

2011 (March 4). New York Times. David Tuller’s article:  Defining an Illness Is Fodder for debate:

https://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/08/health/research/08fatigue.html?_r=0

 

2011. Virology Blog. David Tuller.  Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and the CDC: A Long, Tangled Tale:

https://www.virology.ws/2011/11/23/chronic-fatigue-syndrome-and-the-cdc-a-long-tangled-tale/

 

2011. Wall Street Journal. Leonard Jason. An illness that is hard to live with—or define:

https://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704507404576179031979295592.html?mod=WSJ_article_related

 

2011 AJCP. Leonard Jason. Small wins:

https://www.springerlink.com/content/c726m71k010685r8/fulltext.pdf

 

2011 (Feb). MyHealthNewsDaily Rachael Rettner. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Therapies Raise Hopes, and Questions:

https://www.livescience.com/35495-chronic-fatigue-syndrome-therapies-effective-safe-110217.html:

 

2011 (Aug).  New York Times.  David Tuller. Study links chronic fatigue to virus class

https://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/24/health/research/24fatigue.html

 

2011. Live science. Rachael Rettner. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome proves chronically mysterious:

https://www.livescience.com/13543-chronic-fatigue-syndrome-research-biomarkers.html

 

2010. Everyday Health. Dennis Thompson, Jr.  Just fatigue or CFS?:

https://www.everydayhealth.com/chronic-fatigue-syndrome/is-it-just-fatigue-or-chronic-fatigue-syndrome.aspx

 

2010. CFS Central. Mindy Kitei. Q & A with CDC’s Steve Monroe:

https://www.cfscentral.com/2010/08/sunday-monroe-5-am-final-final.html

 

2010 (July) .Wall Street Journal. Amy Dockser Marcus. CDC Team’s XMRV-Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Paper Is Out:

https://blogs.wsj.com/health/2010/07/01/cdc-teams-xmrv-chronic-fatigue-syndrome-paper-is-out/

 

2009. The Opray Magazine. Dr. Oz’s treatments for Fibromyalgia:

https://www.oprah.com/health/Dr-Oz-Treatments-for-Fibromyalgia

 

2008 (May). New York Times. David Tuller. Learning Firsthand About Chronic Fatigue Syndrome:

https://www.nytimes.com/ref/health/healthguide/esn-chronicfatigue-expert.html

 

2007 (July 17). New York Times. David Tuller: Chronic Fatigue No Longer Seen as 'Yuppie Flu':

https://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/17/science/17fatigue.html?_r=0

 

2007. Wndu.com. Chronic fatigue syndrome is a debilitating for those affected:

https://www.wndu.com/home/headlines/5415806.html

 

2007 (Sept). Leonard Jason, PhD - ME/CFS Researcher and Bridge Builder:

https://www.prohealth.com/library/showarticle.cfm?libid=12838

 

2007 (August). Live chat with Q&A with ME/CFS Research & Policy Leader Leonard A. Jason, PhD:

https://www.prohealth.com/library/showarticle.cfm?libid=13053

 

2007 (Feb 21). Chicago Defender. Soo-Kyung Seo. Suffers find chronic fatigue syndrome tiring to explain:

https://news.medill.northwestern.edu/chicago/news.aspx?id=4101

 

2006. Joint flexibility may offer insight into Chronic Fatigue Syndrome:

https://news.healingwell.com/index.php?p=news1&id=534241

 

2005. Psychology Today. Leonard Jason corrects mistakes in an interview:

https://www.theoneclickgroup.co.uk/news.php?id=785#newspost

 

2002. Smithsonian Magazine. Larry Katzenstein. Betting on Seabiscuit:

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/people-places/betting-on-seabiscuit-72723414/?no-ist

 

2002. Chicago Tribune. Marc Davis. Hope for the exhausted. DePaul study finding therapies to combat drain of chronic fatigue:

https://articles.chicagotribune.com/2002-11-17/features/0211170226_1_cfs-chronic-fatigue-condition

 

2003. Finding the True Face of CFIDS (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome):

https://www.prohealth.com/library/showarticle.cfm?libid=9810

 

2001 (Dec 17). Health & Fitness. Susan Ferraro. Mystery Malaise. New treatments show promise, but CFS continues to stump investigators (article reprinted in newsletter):

https://www.endfatigue.com/media/In-The-Media--Mystery-Malaise--Dr-Jacob-Teitelbaum.html

 

2001 (Dec 7). Chicago Reader. Cara Jepsen. On Film: When you can’t move, it’s hard to make a movie:

https://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/on-film-when-you-cant-move-its-hard-to-make-a-movie/Content?oid=907197

 

2001 (Jan 30). Reuters Health. John Schieszer. Gulf War Ills May Be Clue to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

https://lists.topica.com/lists/Co-Cure/read/message.html?sort=t&mid=1601024824

 

2001. USA Today. Worn out at the finish line:

https://www.anapsid.org/cnd/coping/hillenbrand.html

 

2000 (May 12). SFGate. Dorothy Wall. New Research Debunks Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Myth:

https://www.sfgate.com/opinion/openforum/article/New-Research-Debunks-Chronic-Fatigue-Syndrome-Myth-2760138.php

 

2000 (March). Monitor: American Psychological Association.  K. Foxhall. Study finds high rates of CFS in minorities, people with less education:

https://www.apa.org/monitor/mar00/cfs.aspx00

 

2000 (Jan 10). United Press International. Chronic fatigue not likely "in head":

https://lists.topica.com/lists/Co-Cure/read/message.html?sort=d&mid=1600820226

 

2000 (Jan 26). Chicago Tribune. Mary Beth Sammons. Chicago Tribune. The Reality Behind Chronic Fatigue:

https://articles.chicagotribune.com/2000-01-26/features/0001260304_1_ethnic-groups-prevalence-syndrome

 

1998. Chicago Tribune. Charles Osgood. Meet Zac. He’s really sick of being tired:

https://articles.chicagotribune.com/1998-11-15/features/9811150474_1_chronic-fatigue-syndrome-abdominal-pain-sore-throat

 

1998 (Nov 15). Chicago Tribune. Janice Neumann. Chronic Fatigue Totals Exceed Estimates:

https://articles.chicagotribune.com/1998-11-15/features/9811150503_1_fatigue-chronic-cdc-study

 

1997 (Aug 19). Los Angeles Times. Shari Roan. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Another Mind-Body Debate

https://articles.latimes.com/1997/aug/18/news/ls-23525

 

1996 (Sept 17). The Hartford Courant. Garret Condon. Losing The Teenage Years To The Disabling Exhaustion Of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome:

https://articles.courant.com/1996-09-17/features/9609170033_1_cfs-chronic-fatigue-syndrome-school-seniors

 

1993 (Jan 28).  Chicago Sun-Times. Jim Ritter. Chronic fatigue changes life:

https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-4152729.html

 

           YouTube Videos on ME and CFS:

 

2018 (May 12). Leonard Jason presenting at ME Protest meeting in Chicago.https://youtu.be/nwh8EkgdPIM

 

2018 (March 20). Leonard Jason presenting on QuantiaMD about myths regarding CFS. https://youtu.be/dguHdXZnrm4

 

2017 (Oct. 1). Panel discussion in Chicago that occurred following the movie Unrest: https://youtu.be/c2UQpAfKeIM

 

2017 (Sept. 22). Practice Council of the Society for Community Research and Action, Leonard A. Jason, Ethical Issues When Working on Policy and Advocacy.

https://youtu.be/_MKlWXn22UE

 

2017 (Jan 15). Ethical Humanist Society of Chicago. Leonard A. Jason. Understanding Unexplained Illness: From Knowledge to Action.

https://youtu.be/CSFWTs2BbCs

 

2016, Sept. #MillionsMissing Protest in Chicago. Leonard Jason’s speech.

            https://youtu.be/vde2sOzwDTM

 

2016, July. New York Times. CFS Name Change Effort. Article posted at DePaul University.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayYch4Nn2gg

 

2015, Oct. The National Society for ME patients’ Fall 2015 conference "The Invisible - a conference on severe ME and CFS and the way forward", in Stockholm. Leonard A. Jason. Defining Essential Features of ME and CFS.

      https://youtu.be/FKekIV4imao

 

2015, August, Summit on Fatigue and Health

      https://youtu.be/kthcrNFJx4A

 

2015, July, DePaul University Chili Challenge!

      https://youtu.be/llCD1tHG2YM

 

2014 P2P NIH Workshop titled “Advancing Research on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

     Leonard Jason’s Presentation on the Case Definition

     Panel Discussion at the P2P NIH meeting on ME and CFS

     Leonard A. Jason asks several questions of panel members

 

2014, 8 broadcasts out of the Netherlands regarding a patient program called: Science to Patients.   

In this first webinar, I discuss some of my current research with ME:

       https://youtu.be/01WSwZWuc0o

In the send webinar, I discuss the name and Case Definition.

      https://youtu.be/GkGX0kpp62w

The third webinar covers what might cause ME, the stigma associate with ME and the DSQ.  

     https://youtu.be/6OKQs-1GJCo

The fourth webinar explains the difference between ME/CFS and Major Depressive Disorders. 

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKSaYlR7ZHU

The fifth webinar involves treating and managing of ME.

      https://youtu.be/mu_6j_vHRpo

The sixth webinar involves symptoms of ME and treatments.

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ih2xa_EDoXM&feature=youtu.be

The seventh webinar involves the need for services and social action.

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsXze-Qw6Q8&feature=youtu.be

The last webinar involves future directions for ME research.

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2C6aSDyt1Rw&feature=youtu.be

 

2014 (May 5) Institute of Medicine open meeting on Diagnostic Criteria for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

My lecture titled: Diagnostic Criteria Issues for ME/CFS:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5WA-a8lzrQ&list=PLGTMA6QkejfinnREnfX1fGQqdtOo3Xdud

Questions and Answer session:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNAK1lbYCgY&list=PLGTMA6QkejfinnREnfX1fGQqdtOo3Xdud

 

2014, Jennifer Brea’s Thrive google show on patient activism:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eblZlHfXSXQ

Advertisement for May 2014 Thrive show on patient activism:

https://bit.ly/1g0tNnD    

 

2011, the White House Chronicle PBS program aired a program discussing ME/

CFS, and Jason was one of the panel members. The TV show can be found at this site, but when you click on the link, the show will begin after 30 seconds:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aD9Oi3cqFOg

 

2011, Llewellyn King interviewed Jason for three episodes of his ME/CFS Alert:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtIvyKkFCHw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VCQPFopbWs&feature=relmfu

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpCzZ3UORo8

 

2011, Jason presented a lecture on diagnostic criteria and case definitions at the NIH State of Knowledge Workshop on ME/CFS:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWGRpUOeRiI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VbtSssQAkk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TN9R_XDvdQA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPl5aVn5Vvs

 

2011 (Nov 8) meetings at CFS Advisory Committee, where Jason served as the Chairperson of the Research Subcommittee:

9-11:15 am                https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uB8xnB69KaE

11:30 am - 1 pm        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6H8w38aJ6lk

2 pm - 4 pm               https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBUiu3LNy-8

4 pm - 5 pm               https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sp06mS3_n7I

2011 (November 9)  CFS Advisory Committee meeting:

9 am -- 10:30 am       https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CPZrFM-sA0

10:45 am -- 1:15 pm  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nf2yOxf74bE

1:30 pm -- 4:30 pm   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VclEVvfJYRg

 

2010 (Oct.) CFS Advisory Committee meeting where Jason asked the CDC CFS chief Beth Unger on her course of research:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhfGw_jZQUs

 

2010 (Oct.) Second day at this meeting of the CFSAC. Jason makes a motion to change the name to ME/CFS from hour 5, minute 57, second 17 to hour 6, minute 10, second 43.  Jason asks the FDA tough questions at hour 6, minute 18, second 28:

https://hhs.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=5&clip_id=105

 

2010 (Oct.) Clips of the longer tape above where the FDA official is confronted regarding the lack of progress with getting FDA approval:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EoZxfJhrknI&feature=youtu.be

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0EOuFd0NcU&feature=youtu.be

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLbMUA1lYQE&feature=youtu.be

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFnD3iq7aQY&feature=youtu.be

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2Eu-vivXZc&feature=youtu.be

 

2010 technical webinar, which Jason conducted on problems with the diagnostic criteria for ME/CFS for the CFIDS Association, can be found at this site:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JelwLvzW6eI

 

2004 lecture Jason gave at a patient conference called OFFER in Utah on the diagnosis and epidemiology of chronic fatigue syndrome:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZCT9eb2o8Y

 

­­­­­

­­­­­­­­­­­_____________________________________________________________________________________________________­­

                              

                                             Other ME and CFS Media Contacts Not Available On The Web

                    (You need a dropbox account to access these links from my dropbox account)   

 

   

2008 (May 5). American Chronicle. Lourdes Salvador. The economic impact of chronic fatigue:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/joz2k4p1mr43lt3/2008.%20American%20Chronicle.%20Lourdes%20Salvador.%20The%20economic.pdf?dl=0

 

2004 (Feb). Southwest Airlines Spirit. Heather Millar. Why am I always tired?:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/rvz59578zx628c2/2004.%20Southwest%20Airlines%20Spirit.%20Heather%20Millar.%20Why%20am.pdf?dl=0

 

2003 (Oct). Alternative Medicine. Sally Lehrman. Spotlight on chronic fatigue:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/h0ukfl179jkio0h/2003.%20Alternative%20Medicine.%20Sally%20Lehrman.%20Spotlight.pdf?dl=0

 

2002 (April 5). CQ Researcher. Published by Congressional Quarterly. Sarah Glazer. Chronic fatigue syndrome. Is the cause physical or psychological:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/kwlrfck26ph5ang/2002.%20CQ%20Researcher.%20Sarah%20Glazer.%20Chronic%20fatigue%20syndrome.pdf?dl=0

 

2001 (Dec 11). Health and Fitness News Service. Susan J. Landers. With no definitive diagnosis or treatment, physicians and patients look to researchers for answers to chronic fatigue syndrome:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ohjse1m915smp6c/2001.%20Health%20and%20Fitness%20News%20Service.%20Susan%20J.%20Landers.%20With%20no%20definitive.pdf?dl=0

 

2001 (Nov). Ladies’ Home Journal. Paula Chin. The disease that nearly destroyed me:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/8idph99691i037z/2001.%20Ladies%E2%80%99%20Home%20Journal.%20Paula%20Chin.%20The%20disease.pdf?dl=0

 

2001 (Sept). Chicagoland senior news. James Gaffney. High levels of chronic fatigue prompts new study.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/dao9hge413skj21/2001.%20Chicagoland%20senior%20news.%20James%20Gaffney.%20High%20levels.pdf?dl=0

 

2001 (Jan 19). The Lisle Sun. Susan Frick Carlman. Unrelenting exhaustion. No longer called yuppie flu, chronic fatigue syndrome is stricking all levels of society:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/deant69pd0a27xb/2001.%20The%20Lisle%20Sun.%20Susan%20Frick%20Carlman.%20Unrelenting%20exhaustion.pdf?dl=0

 

2000. La Prensa. Gina Cortez. Depression or chronic fatigue?:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/mm7i2xq856wykrb/2000.%20La%20Prensa.%20Gina%20Cortez.%20Depression.pdf?dl=0

 

2000 (Feb/March). HealthQuest. Sick and tired:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/qrbjrk4h8mlp25i/2000.%20HealthQuest.%20Sick%20and%20tired.pdf?dl=0

 

2000 (Jan 13). USA Today. Kathleen Fackelmann. Real life with a phantom disease:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/4ab0fkpk2zq11n0/2000.%20USA%20Today.%20Kathleen%20Fackelmann.%20Real%20life%20with.pdf?dl=0

 

2000 (winter). Minority Nurse. Pam Chwedyk. Chronic fatigue syndrome not just a ‘whites only’ disease:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/3xd2tzzoeshey78/2000.%20Minority%20Nurse.%20Pam%20Chwedyk.%20Chronic%20fatigue%20syndrome.pdf?dl=0

 

2000 (winter). Healthwatch. Renee Brehio. No more yuppie flu:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/kcz6yx7uof9x78g/1999.%20Today%E2%80%99s%20Chicago%20Woman.%20Yuppie%20flu.pdf?dl=0

 

1999 (Dec). Today’s Chicago Woman. Yuppie flu not true:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/kcz6yx7uof9x78g/1999.%20Today%E2%80%99s%20Chicago%20Woman.%20Yuppie%20flu.pdf?dl=0

 

1999 (Nov 15). Daily Midway Driller. Study finds CFS more common than originally thought:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/w1qj8g8gxtoxllj/1999.%20Daily%20Midway%20Driller.%20Study%20finds%20CFS.pdf?dl=0

 

1999 (Nov 2). News Democrat. Chronic fatigue:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/4wpwllwht8181nm/1999.%20News%20Democrat.%20Chronic%20fatigue.pdf?dl=0

 

1999 (Oct 28). Newsclip. Latinos highly affected by chronic fatigue syndrome:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/3zqk1ydti7vi8i6/1999.%20Newsclip.%20Latinos%20highly%20affected.pdf?dl=0

 

1999 (Oct 19). Culpeper Star Exponent. Study breaks myth of ‘yuppie flu’:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/fbcr08jnrcjxlqe/1999.%20Culpeper%20Star%20Exponent.%20Study%20breaks.pdf?dl=0

 

1999 (Oct 12). Chicago Defender. Joe Ruklick. African-Americans suffer from CFS at higher rate, commonly overlooked than in whites:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/nqhzmj5wfkjkd49/1999.%20Chicago%20Defender.%20Joe%20Ruklick.%20African%20Americans.pdf?dl=0

 

1999 (Sept 13). Philadelphia Daily News. Fatigue. Doc: Illness needs a name change:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/jjuby51nxj5ndlu/1999.%20Philadelphia%20Daily%20News.%20Fatigue.pdf?dl=0

 

1998 (March 19). Lansing State Journal. Tracey Birkenbauer. Burnt-out blues. Chronic fatigue results from stress, but can be treated:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/9zou6gdwlyuul4g/1998.%20Lansing%20State%20Journal.%20Tracey%20Birkenbauer.%20Burnt%20out%20blues.pdf?dl=0

 

1996 (Nov). Monitor. American Psychological Association. Psychologist calls for a better definition of chronic fatigue:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/7i02gmpqgmdmcky/1996.%20Monitor.%20%20Psychologist%20calls.pdf?dl=0

 

1995 (Nov). Women’s Health Letter. Chronic fatigue syndrome. Redefinition raises hope:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/v3i5tuin69czbr0/1995.%20Women%E2%80%99s%20Health%20Letter.%20Chronic%20fatigue%20syndrome.pdf?dl=0

 

1994 (Nov). Working Woman. Hillary Johnson. The Invisible Epidemic:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/f3lnzolnea5ffvh/1994.Working%20Woman.%20Hillary%20Johnson.%20The%20Invisible%20Epidemic.pdf?dl=0

 

1994 (June 26). Times News. Shirley Collins. Half-million Americans suffer from chronic fatigue:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/5j0em5z6rkl87vv/1994.%20Times%20News.%20Half%20million.pdf?dl=0

 

1993 (Feb 8). RT Image. Denise Leathers. Sick and tired. Imaging techniques help unravel the mystery of chronic fatigue syndrome:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/eo5mdbqo0tj8eej/1993.%20RT%20Image.%20Sick%20and%20Tired.pdf?dl=0

 

1992 (Nov). Chicago Tribune. Paul Fine. DePaul professor studies effects of chronic fatigue syndrome:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/r29d1egi87d2x61/1992.%20Tribune.%20DePaul%20professor%20studies.pdf?dl=0

 

1992 (Oct). Chicago Tribune. Study puts high number of chronic fatigue cases:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ktcxbv84t94tou5/1992.%20Tribune.%20Study%20puts%20high%20number.pdf?dl=0 

 

 

 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                       Other ME and CFS materials

 

Below is a description of trying to get reporters to accurately describe their interviews:

     Have you ever experienced being misquoted by the media, and even worse, has this ever lead to stigmatizing the very organizations, groups, or individuals you have been working with?  I experienced this very situation and my account is below:

     One morning, I opened an email and found a message from an activist who said it was with disgust that he read an article stating among other things: “Sleepiness can turn into chronic fatigue syndrome.” Certainly, this phrase and others like it trivializes the very serious illness known as chronic fatigue syndrome. Unfortunately, the reporter in this article had been quoting me, but I had never made these types of statements when I was interviewed.

     I immediately emailed my PR contact at DePaul and sought his advice. He responded by mentioning that if I thought the interview and the quotes attributed  to me were totally distorted, I might request a clarification.  But, he added, if it was only an incidental piece of not quite true information, I might let it slide. His sense was that it was overall a good story and that being so prominently featured in such a major publication was quite a coup, as circulation was about 3.5 million.

     Reporters rarely are willing to allow us to read and edit their news stories where we are quoted before they are published. I was not sure whether they might be willing to retract part of a story or insert a correction. I next spoke with my research team members, and they urged me to confront the reporter.  I took their advice and sent this note to the reporter: 

     “Thank you for your interview, and I am sure the piece will be widely read.  As I read your recently published article on fatigue for which I was interviewed, one of my statements was used in an erroneous context. Sleep deprivation does not lead to CFS – they are different entities. I believe the statement I made was meant to show the difference between normal fatigue and CFS – it was not meant to imply that sleepiness can turn into CFS.  If it is possible to publish a correction for the inaccurate statements, I would be willing to help with the changes.”

     The reporter immediately responded, and in his email mentioned he was really disappointed with the changes his editor made, and then indicated that he would be happy to make the corrections.  I then thanked him and asked him to remove the statement, “Sleepiness Can Turn Into Chronic Fatigue Syndrome” under the term Prevention News at the top of the article, and requested a set of other changes throughout the article. Finally, I mentioned that I was a community psychologist, and I wondered if that could be inserted in the article. 

     The next morning, the reporter thanked me for my politeness and patience, and mentioned that the changes would be made within the next few hours. This series of interactions highlights the importance of a supportive team who encouraged me to take a proactive stances, and how sometimes a quick intervention can result in a small win when dealing with the media. It is ironic that our research group is currently collecting data on a study involving how CFS is portrayed in the media.

 

The revised article is at: https://www.prevention.com/health/sleep-energy/how-normal-fatigue-differs-chronic-fatigue-syndrome

 

National Alliance for ME’s description of our DePaul team:

https://www.name-us.org/ResearchPages/ResJason.htm

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­________________________________________________________________________________________

                                       Past Media articles

                                                      Amednews.com

                       (the newspaper for America's physicians)

                                Puzzling malaise: Unlocking the clues

With no definitive diagnosis or treatment, physicians and their patients look to researchers

                     for some answers to chronic fatigue syndrome

                                       By Susan J. Landers, AMNews staff

                                                     July 23, 2001

Christine Petty, MD, a family physician in Rockford, Ill., treated a patient for an illness that lasted six years. During that time, the man, then in his 40s, became so disabled he couldn't leave his home. He took a leave of absence from his job. His wife divorced him. Although his condition ultimately improved, his life was nearly destroyed.

Dr. Petty's patient had chronic fatigue syndrome, an illness that is often as devastating as it is puzzling and one for which there are more questions than answers.

Estimates of those with the illness have reached 800,000 in this country alone, according to recent research. But pinpointing its exact symptoms can be as perplexing as CFS itself.

Fatigue is a common complaint. But in the case of this patient, Dr. Petty could pick up signs that his difficulties were different. This patient's fatigue was both bone-crushing and unexplained. He also complained for at least six months of a host of other ills: low-grade fever, muscle aches, sore throat and sleep problems.

While there is a definition for CFS that was developed in 1994 and used by Dr. Petty in her diagnosis, most researchers and clinicians find it flawed. A new one is in the works. It is expected to be ready by 2003.

There is no definitive way to identify CFS. "It's mainly a diagnosis of exclusion," said Dr. Petty. Physicians must first rule out viral causes and cancer. So blood work and a thorough physical exam and good medical history are the first steps to take, she explained.



800,000 Americans, across all ethnic groups, suffer from chronic fatigue syndrome.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends a series of about 15 tests physicians can use to screen for CFS. They include a complete blood count, measures of total protein in blood plasma as well as glucose levels.

Unusual findings in any of the tests could point to a disorder that a physician may successfully diagnose and treat.

However, 90% of CFS patients will test at normal levels, according to the CDC.

Treatment concerns

After ruling out all other diseases, doctors should consider CFS. But, as with the diagnosis of the illness, there is no definitive treatment.

For Dr. Petty, treatment included providing a lot of support for her patient. Sometimes antidepressants are prescribed, particularly tricyclics to help patients gain more restful sleep.

Holistic management of patients' lives can also be a central element of care, said Dr. Petty. Eating right, getting adequate rest, moderate exercise, controlling stress and maintaining social ties are important considerations, she notes.

Cognitive behavioral therapy in skilled hands may also be included in treatment, according to Anthony Komaroff, MD, professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School.

A commonsense clinical approach is best, said William Reeves, MD, principal investigator of CDC's chronic fatigue syndrome program.

Dr. Petty noted that she doesn't do much referring unless it's to a social worker or a massage therapist. "I don't find infectious disease specialists are particularly helpful with the diagnosis," she said.

The Dept. of Health and Human Services' newly formed Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Coordinating Committee identified primary care physicians as those most likely to care for patients with chronic illnesses such as CFS.

Needless to say, diagnosing and treating a complex case of CFS can consume an inordinate amount of a physician's time, an item in short supply in the current managed care era. CFS also poses a quandary in a medical climate that emphasizes a scientific basis for prevention, diagnosis and treatment.

"While it is pretty clear there are objective, biological things wrong with many patients," said Dr. Komaroff, "the problem is that none has been found to be present in every patient. So we don't yet have the two things that the average doctor and patient are looking for -- a diagnostic test that is sufficiently accurate to be useful and a proven treatment."

As a result, patients with the syndrome must often endure the skepticism of family and friends and even some physicians. Patients and their advocacy groups have become vocal defenders of the physiological basis, even if unknown, of CFS.

Arthur Barsky, MD, a psychiatrist at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, received a rash of angry letters after he and a colleague published a study suggesting that the responses of physicians and others to the diagnosis of a controversial illness such as CFS could cause patients to exaggerate and maintain their symptoms.

Most letter-writers assumed Dr. Barksy was saying the illness was more a state of mind.

But Dr. Barsky wasn't really surprised by the responses to the study published in the June 1999 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine . "There is a great deal of heat around the status of all these syndromes," he said. "Obviously there are a lot of advocacy groups, and a lot of people feel strongly about whether they are 'real' diseases or not."

And attitudes in general also seem to be changing, according to Dr. Komaroff. He said there is much less skepticism among physicians now than there was a decade ago, before research evidence began to roll in.

Nonetheless, treating patients with CFS might not be every physician's cup of tea, noted Dr. Reeves. Patients with CFS are often very articulate, they don't look sick and they have a lot of complaints, he said. Common complaints and symptoms of patients are often cognitive, so a physician may have a patient who just can't stay on track. "These are hard patients to deal with," he said.

Physicians also need to be wary that they don't attribute all a patient's complaints to CFS. "Women with CFS can get breast cancer just as well as those without," Dr. Reeves said.

If a diagnosis of CFS in adults is controversial, CFS in children is even more so, with many physicians and others questioning whether it exists in children and teens.

David Bell, MD, a pediatrician in Lyndonville, N.Y., is a believer. He was drawn to the issue when a cluster of about 50 cases of CFS occurred in 1985 among children in his rural area of the state, halfway between Buffalo and Rochester. CFS is a diagnosis that physicians often miss in children, he said. And this is a big problem.

Dr. Bell goes about diagnosing the illness a bit differently than do many other physicians. "I disagree that you should rule out every other disease and then you're left with CFS," he said.

"The pattern of fatigue and activity limitation is a little different from other illnesses that cause fatigue," Dr. Bell said. "Associated symptoms of cognitive problems, muscle and joint pain and sore throat and lymph node pain and sleep disturbances make this a unique illness."

The average age of onset was 11 to 12 among a group of children in a study published by Dr. Bell in the May, 2001, issue of Pediatrics .

He reported that 80% of the children made a good recovery. Most took three to four years to recover with nine years being the longest period of recovery. But the remaining 20% of the children are still quite affected, he said.

Many children are unable to go to school because of the severity of their illness, he said, and one of the most important aspects of care is to make sure their education is provided for.

Although schools are required by federal law to accommodate these children, physicians must first make a clear diagnosis of CFS, he said.

Researchers gear up

The pursuit of a cause and proper treatment for CFS is heating up with a new emphasis by HHS on research. "We are trying to reinvigorate the field now because there are so many new methods for doing genetic analyses and studying the brain," said Eleanor Hanna, PhD, a senior adviser at NIH's Office of Research on Women's Health, which is coordinating the department wide CFS initiative.

A new request for research proposals is scheduled to be released shortly, Dr. Hanna said.

Research needs were mapped out during a State of the Science Conference on CFS held last fall in Arlington, Va. The event was sponsored by several of the NIH institutes and offices as well as the CDC.

Participants, including a patient, a community physician and researchers, cited the need for longitudinal studies, studies designed for specific subgroups of patients and on the physiology of pain and sleep disturbances, to name only a few.

Researchers are already using imaging technology to measure brain hormones and are examining the functioning of the immune system. "There is considerable evidence already that the immune system is in a state of chronic activation in many patients with CFS," Dr. Komaroff said.

The CDC will soon begin a national survey to determine prevalence rates. "We will be particularly interested in ethnic minorities and will be looking at adolescents," Dr. Reeves said.

Recent research findings by Leonard A. Jason, PhD, psychology professor at DePaul University in Chicago, threw into question a long-held belief that CFS is most common among white women. His survey of nearly 29,000 Chicago residents found that the illness occurred across all ethnic groups. "Latinos had rates almost twice as high as Caucasians, and African Americans had rates similar to Caucasians," Dr. Jason said.

The search for specific infectious agents that may trigger or perpetuate symptoms of the illness is also ongoing, Dr. Komaroff said. "Although it is still unproven that any infectious agent is the cause of CFS, a number of us think that is a very plausible possibility in many if not all patients."

But when the dust finally clears around CFS, few researchers believe a single, infectious agent will be found to explain all the cases, Dr. Komaroff said.

And many believe that a variety of poorly understood syndromes ranging from CFS to Gulf War syndrome to fibromyalgia and multiple chemical sensitivity may turn out to be one and the same illness.

Another theory is that CFS will turn out to be similar to cancer or heart disease in which a comprehensive term covers many varieties.

"I think what we will eventually find is that there are different pathways and different subtypes, some that have immunological problems and some that have no immunological problems and some with other problems," Dr. Jason said.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                                 THE CFIDS ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA APPLAUDS
                                                   RESEARCH PRESENTING CLEARER PICTURE OF
                                                        CHRONIC FATIGUE SYNDROME

                                                                       October 7, 1999                        
 

    Charlotte, NC—In the 1980s, chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) was portrayed as the “yuppie flu,” a relatively rare condition that affected mostly upper middle class white professionals. Now researchers at DePaul University have shattered that image. A paper to be published in the October 11 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine reports that as many as 800,000 people nationwide may suffer from CFS, twice the number previously estimated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
And those at greatest risk are not who you would think. The study, which used a random sample of individuals in an ethnically and socioeconomically diverse inner-city community, paints a very different picture of how race, social class and gender may impact an individual’s chances of developing CFS.
 “For years, this medical condition has been marginalized and misunderstood,” says Kim Kenney, Executive Director of The Chronic Fatigue and Immune Dysfunction Association of America. “This crucial piece of research presents a new ‘face’ for CFS. The high prevalence coupled with the fact that only 10% of those identified in the study had previously been diagnosed makes this illness a priority for redoubled research and education efforts by government and academic institutions.”
     There is no known cure for CFS, which also is called chronic fatigue and immune dysfunction syndrome (CFIDS) and myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME). Symptoms include debilitating fatigue that is not improved by bed rest and may be worsened by physical or mental activity, impairment of short-term memory or concentration, sore throat, tender lymph nodes, muscle and joint pain and headaches. Symptoms must be present for more than six months without any other medical explanation. Individuals with CFS function at a substantially lower level of activity than before onset of the illness, and many are unable to continue holding jobs, attending school or caring for themselves or family members.
     The CFIDS Association of America, Inc. is the nation’s leading organization working to conquer chronic fatigue and immune dysfunction syndrome (CFIDS). Since 1987, the Association has invested more than $8.5 million in education, public policy and research programs in its efforts to bring an end to the suffering caused by the condition.

    For more information about the study or to receive a copy, call Roxanne Brown Jahi at DePaul University, 312/362-8623. Full text of the study will also be posted on the Archives of Internal Medicine web site at www.archinternmed.com on the morning of 10/11/99.

###

Message Points for CFS Prevalence Study

    CFS is a much bigger public health problem than has previously been estimated. Dr. Jason’s research found that as many as 800,000 people nationwide may suffer from the illness, which is twice as many as previously estimated by the Centers for Disease Control.

    The DePaul study also dispels the myth of CFS as the “yuppie flu,” mostly affecting upper class white professionals. Dr. Jason found that the condition is most prevalent among minorities and blue collar workers. Latinos are twice as likely to develop CFS as Caucasians.

    The high rate among medically underserved ethnic groups is particularly alarming, given that they are the least well-equipped to seek out diagnosis and treatment. Only 10% of all individuals with CFS in the study had been diagnosed.

    Dr. Jason’s research found that women have a very high rate of CFS versus men. Compared to other illness rates in women, CFS is 15 times as prevalent as lung cancer and more than 40 times as prevalent as AIDS. This makes it a major women’s health issue.

    These findings point toward the need to make this illness a priority for redoubled research and education efforts by government and academic institutions.

    Individuals who want more information on CFS can call the CFIDS Association of America toll-free, 24 hours a day at 1-800-442-3437, or visit the Association’s web site at www.cfids.org.
 


                                           NEW STUDY FINDS CFIDS/ME COMMON!

                                                            The National CFIDS Foundation


                                                                         By Cheryl Tai

In an article published this October in the Archives of Internal Medicine, a large study by Dr. Leonard A. Jason, et al shows that: ME "is one of the more common health problems,
The numbers of people suffering are about double the estimation of the CDC,  ME occurs more in women across ethnic groups, ME is more common among those with lower levels of education and blue collar workers, and The CDC’s prevalence study left out huge  numbers of ethnic minorities.

In a huge sampling of 128,673 adults in Chicago, the authors have, with one strong paper, disproved the commonly held belief that ME is found mostly in well-educated, high-income, stressed-out women!  Jason, et al buried the government’s propaganda of the illness occurring in low numbers, finding a huge 0.4% in their random community-based sample. The previous and erroneous estimates "have been biased by differential access to health care treatment linked with gender, ethnic identification, and socioeconomic status."

In A Community Based Study of Myalgic Encephalopathy, the first paragraph dramatically states the implications of this underestimated and mainly ignored disease. The estimated annual direct and indirect cost to the community for each person with Myalgic Encephalopathy (ME) has been projected to be $9,436. In addition, the quality of life for individuals with ME has been found to be significantly lower than for other chronic illness groups. Since the functional disability associated with ME results in marked interruption of work and family life, the syndrome carries important implications related to public health and policy.

The previously reported prevalence rates did not adequately evaluate ethnicity and had lower rates by half. In addition, British studies did not use medical examinations as part of their study. Earlier studies done both privately and by federal agencies came up with an under-representation because they were often looking at behavioral aspects that prejudiced the studies. This landmark study was carried out in two phases.  The first screened 128,673 adults by telephone in a random way (the closest birthday). In phase two, those who tested positive for ME symptoms were given a structured psychiatric interview, comprehensive examinations, laboratory tests, and a medical history. Two medical review boards approved this carefully completed study. An examination for fibromyalgia was included.

Women afflicted with ME were significantly higher, with 522 females per 100,000 versus only 291 males per 100,000. This study illustrates "a serious women’s health problem. For example, only 12 women per 100,000 have AIDS. Only 26 women per 100,000 have breast cancer. Only 33 women per 100,000 have lung cancer. Other findings that emerged included the information that ME "tends to peak during middle age, was most prevalent in those 40-49 years old, and least prevalent in 18-29 year olds and in those over 60 years old. Patients identified were more commonly found to be unemployed or working part time as well as on  disability. The rates for psychiatric diagnoses were in a minority "confirming previous contentions that ME cannot be entirely attributable to psychological factors."  A majority of 59.3%, in fact, could not meet a
psychiatric criteria. The "psychiatric comorbidity" was explained by "psychosocial stress resulting from  compromised social and financial resources and  emotional distress emerging from the experience of physical symptoms and functional impairment."

In previous studies by Dr. Leonard Jason, it was found that Psychosocial Factors Show Little Relationship to Myalgic Encephalopathy Recovery  (J Psych & Behav Sci, 1988[12], Comacho and Jason) and that "purely psychiatric interpretations of CFS contradict a growing body of data that point to a  pathophysiological cause and phenomenology..." (Psych Times, July 1999, Psychiatric Aspects of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Taylor and Jason). Another study found that the type of test influences a psychiatric label (Psychol & Health, 1998, Comparing the DIS With the SCID: Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Psychiatric Comorbidity, Taylor and Jason.

[Ed. Note: This will probably be news for your Congressmen since the CDC still lists the numbers from the flawed 1987 study that gave 4 to 9 per 100,000 people on their web site as well as in their newly  printed booklets from both the NIH and CDC. Dr. David Satcher was told of this at the Spring 1999 CFSCC meeting. It has been five months and nothing has changed, although Dr. Satcher said in response to Tom Hennessey, "There is no excuse for the  government to put out incorrect information." Letters to your congressmen about this new information won't hurt. It would help us if the NCF was mentioned as your source of information.] ¯

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                                                        CFS Attributional Study

New Chronic Fatigue Study Fuels Debate On Name Change; DePaul Professor Says Biological Name Taken More Seriously

                                                                 July 28, 1999

What’s in a name? Plenty, when the subject is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), according to DePaul University psychology professor Leonard Jason, whose recent study suggests that a name change would result in the much-maligned illness being taken more seriously.

An international debate on the issue weighs whether or not CFS’s weak moniker has hampered efforts to gain recognition and government support. Jason was joined by Sigita Plioplys, M.D., a psychiatry resident affiliated with the University of Illinois at Chicago and a research team from DePaul, which set out to determine if doctors’ perceptions of the disease would change if the name were changed.

The team found that when groups of medical trainees reviewed case studies of CFS patients that featured three different names for the disease, their perceptions did change depending on the name the illness was given. The names used in the study were: CFS, Florence Nightingale Disease (FN), named for the public health nurse who served during the Crimean War and was believed to have suffered from chronic fatigue; and Myalgic Encephalopathy (ME), the medically based term used to describe the condition.

More than 100 Chicago medical students and residents responded to questions pertaining to prognosis, correct diagnosis, illness cause and appropriate treatment.

When asked to assess the likelihood that the patient would improve within two years, 42 percent of the medical trainees assessing the Florence Nightingale name, and a similar 41 percent of trainees evaluating the CFS name responded that it was likely or very likely that the patient would improve. However, only 16 percent of the students and residents who thought the condition was called
Myalgic Encephalopathy felt it was likely or very likely that the patient would improve. This finding suggests that the doctors perceived the ME label as being indicative of a more chronic and debilitating illness as compared to the labels CFS and FN, Jason said.

When asked what factors were most likely responsible for the person’s illness, a greater proportion of medical trainees in the ME group attributed the illness to medical causes (39 percent) as compared with trainees in the FN (30 percent) and CFS (22 percent) groups.

"If you have a more medical-sounding name it does seem to change perceptions of the illness," said Jason. "This study provides a much-needed methodology for helping to change the name, and a way to go about it in a scientific, systematic way."

According to Jason, a more biological-sounding name for CFS will be beneficial because people tend to interact in a more sympathetic way when an illness has a name that communicates medical and scientific legitimacy. Also, the perception that CFS is a trivial illness has negatively affected government funding and support services. Jason indicated that more research and studies are needed to erase this myth.

Jason has conducted numerous studies on the prevalence of CFS and has written a book about the condition.

Other study team members were Renee A. Taylor, a project director affiliated with DePaul’s psychology department; Jennifer Shlaes, a graduate student of psychology at DePaul, and Zuzanna Stepanek, a volunteer research assistant and recent graduate of DePaul’s bachelor’s degree program in psychology.

The study, "Evaluating Attributions for an Illness based upon the Name: Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Myalgic Encephalopathy and Florence Nightingale Disease," was reported in the July/August 1999 issue of the "Chronic Fatigue Immune Dysfunction Syndrome (CFIDS) Chronicle."

The findings of the study have bolstered Jason’s confidence that CFS will have a new name in the future. "In the next year or two, a new name will come," said Jason. "A consensus is needed on what to change it to, and the scientific community will have to make that decision."

CFS is a chronic condition with symptoms that are severe, but often difficult to detect upon physical examination. They include fatigue, headaches and insomnia. For years the condition went un- or misdiagnosed because physicians weren’t able to differentiate between common fatigue and CFS.

 


                                                                       Tired All the Time?

                                                    We tell you how to rest up to rev up
                                                                                      by Kristyn Kusek

According to a recent National Sleep Foundation poll, one in five Americans says they're so sleepy during the day that it interferes with their activities. Could you use more z's? Lifetime Online spoke with the experts to find out how much sleep is enough, how to get what you need and how to tell if that sleepiness could actually be a sign of illness.

Sleep Sapper: Sloppy Bedtime Habits

Surprise, surprise: The number one reason most of us are exhausted is that we're simply not sleeping enough. How to tell? "If you wake up feeling groggy instead of refreshed, you're not getting enough sleep," says Leonard A. Jason, Ph.D., a chronic fatigue expert at the Center for Community Research at DePaul University in Chicago. While some people can get by on just a few hours, it's best to shoot for at least eight hours a night. To ensure an adequate amount of shut-eye, practice good sleep habits: Go to bed and get up at roughly the same time each day (even on weekends), use your bed for sleeping only (and for sex, of course) and put the kabosh on any noises or lights that could be disturbing your slumber.


Sleep Sapper: A Stimulating Diet

There are six common dietary pitfalls that can affect your energy level throughout the day, according to Cynthia Sass, R.D., of the University of South Florida in Tampa and a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association (ADA): not drinking enough water (dehydration makes you feel sluggish), eating too little protein (protein keeps organs functioning and energy levels high), eating too few or too many carbohydrates (carbs keep blood sugar levels in check so you feel wide awake throughout the day), relying on caffeine (if you need it to be alert, you're drinking too much — try to limit your intake to approximately one cup of coffee or two diet sodas per day), not timing meals well (waiting too long to refuel results in low blood sugar and energy levels) and not eating a balanced diet (which means you're probably missing out on important vitamins and minerals). Make just a few of these changes, says Sass, and you'll feel more vigorous almost immediately.


Sleep Sapper: Lack of Exercise

Contrary to popular belief, exercise shouldn't make you feel more tired; indeed, working up a sweat is actually energizing. Physical activity conditions your body so that everyday tasks are more effortless. According to Dr. Jason, when researchers asked regular exercisers to take a break from their usual routine, their energy levels actually dropped. For maximum sleep benefits, try to work out at least three times a week for at least 20 minutes a shot. On days when you're especially weary, try some simple stretches, to relax you and get your blood pumping.


Sleep Sapper: Illness

If you're practicing good sleep habits, eating right and getting enough exercise but you still feel drowsy every day, you might have a sleep disorder. In addition to general sleepiness, for instance, chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is characterized by short-term memory or concentration loss, sore throat, tender lymph nodes, muscle or joint pain, headaches, and fatigue that lasts longer than 24 hours after exertion. Sleep apnea, a condition that causes irregular breathing patterns during sleep, may result in daytime memory loss and depression. PMS, the blues and mononucleosis can also cause fatigue. The bottom line: If your energy has dipped dramatically or if your sleep patterns are out of whack on a regular basis, see your doctor