Published online June 22, 2007
PEDIATRICS Vol. 119 No. 3 March 2007, pp. e603-e609 (doi:10.1542/peds.2006-2231)
This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow P3Rs: Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when P3Rs are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow E-mail this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My File Cabinet
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via CrossRef
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Rimes, K. A.
Right arrow Articles by Chalder, T.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow Articles by Rimes, K. A.
Right arrow Articles by Chalder, T.
Related Collections
Right arrow Office Practice

ARTICLE

Incidence, Prognosis, and Risk Factors for Fatigue and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome in Adolescents: A Prospective Community Study

Katharine A. Rimes, DPhila, Robert Goodman, PhDb, Matthew Hotopf, PhDa, Simon Wessely, MDa, Howard Meltzer, PhDc and Trudie Chalder, PhDa

King’s College London, Institute of Psychiatry, a Section of General Hospital Psychiatry
b Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, London, United Kingdom
c Academic Department of Psychiatry, Brandon Mental Health Unit, Leicester General Hospital, Leicester, United Kingdom

OBJECTIVE. The objective of this study was to describe the incidence, prevalence, risk factors, and prognosis of fatigue, chronic fatigue, and chronic fatigue syndrome in 11- to 15-year-olds.

METHODS. A random general population sample (n = 842) of British adolescents and their parents were assessed at baseline and 4 to 6 months later. The main outcomes were fatigue, chronic fatigue, and chronic fatigue syndrome, operationally defined.

RESULTS. The incidence over 4 to 6 months was 30.3% for fatigue, 1.1% for chronic fatigue, and 0.5% for chronic fatigue syndrome. The point prevalence was 34.1% and 38.1% for fatigue, 0.4% and 1.1% for chronic fatigue, and 0.1% and 0.5% for chronic fatigue syndrome at time 1 and time 2, respectively. Of participants who were fatigued at time 1, 53% remained fatigued at time 2. The 3 cases of chronic fatigue and 1 case of chronic fatigue syndrome at time 1 had recovered by time 2. Higher risk for development of chronic fatigue at time 2 was associated with time 1 anxiety or depression, conduct disorder, and maternal distress; in multivariate analysis, baseline anxiety or depression remained a significant predictor of chronic fatigue. Increased risk for development of fatigue at time 2 was associated with time 1 anxiety or depression, conduct disorder, and older age; in multivariate analyses, these factors and female gender all were significant predictors of fatigue.

CONCLUSIONS. The incidence rates for chronic fatigue and chronic fatigue syndrome in this adolescent sample were relatively high, but the prognosis for these conditions was good. This prospective study provides evidence for an association between emotional/behavioral problems and subsequent onset of fatigue/chronic fatigue.

Key Words: chronic fatigue • incidence • prognosis • risk factors • prevalence

Abbreviations: CFS—chronic fatigue syndrome • CF—chronic fatigue • CDC—Centers for Disease Control and Prevention • GHQ—General Health Questionnaire • CI—confidence interval

Accepted Oct 16, 2006.