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International Consensus Criteria
Clinical descriptions of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) vary. Different groups have produced sets of diagnostic criteria that share many similarities. The biggest differences between criteria are whether post-exertional malaise (PEM) is required, and the number of symptoms needed. Aspects of the condition are controversial, with disagreements over etiology, pathophysiology, treatment and naming between medical practitioners, researchers, patients and advocacy groups. Furthermore, diagnosing CFS can be difficult due to several factors, including lack of a standard test and non-specific symptoms. Subgroup analysis suggests that, depending on the applied definition, CFS may represent a variety of conditions rather than a single disease entity. Definitions 2015 IOM criteria The IOM criteria come from the IOM's 2015 report on CFS, and the CDC currently uses this definition. The IOM criteria require the following three symptoms: * Severe, disabling fatigue of new onset * Post-exe ...
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Sleep
Sleep is a sedentary state of mind and body. It is characterized by altered consciousness, relatively inhibited sensory activity, reduced muscle activity and reduced interactions with surroundings. It is distinguished from wakefulness by a decreased ability to react to stimuli, but more reactive than a coma or disorders of consciousness, with sleep displaying different, active brain patterns. Sleep occurs in repeating periods, in which the body alternates between two distinct modes: REM sleep and non-REM sleep. Although REM stands for "rapid eye movement", this mode of sleep has many other aspects, including virtual paralysis of the body. Dreams are a succession of images, ideas, emotions, and sensations that usually occur involuntarily in the mind during certain stages of sleep. During sleep, most of the body's systems are in an anabolic state, helping to restore the immune, nervous, skeletal, and muscular systems; these are vital processes that maintain mood, memory, an ...
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Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate
The erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR or sed rate) is the rate at which red blood cells in anticoagulated whole blood descend in a standardized tube over a period of one hour. It is a common hematology test, and is a non-specific measure of inflammation. To perform the test, anticoagulated blood is traditionally placed in an upright tube, known as a Westergren tube, and the distance which the red blood cells fall is measured and reported in millimetre at the end of one hour. Since the introduction of automated analyzers into the clinical laboratory, the ESR test has been automatically performed. The ESR is governed by the balance between pro-sedimentation factors, mainly fibrinogen, and those factors resisting sedimentation, namely the negative charge of the erythrocytes (zeta potential). When an inflammatory process is present, the high proportion of fibrinogen in the blood causes red blood cells to stick to each other. The red cells form stacks called ''rouleaux'' whic ...
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Thyroid Function Test
The thyroid, or thyroid gland, is an endocrine gland in vertebrates. In humans it is in the neck and consists of two connected lobes. The lower two thirds of the lobes are connected by a thin band of tissue called the thyroid isthmus. The thyroid is located at the front of the neck, below the Adam's apple. Microscopically, the functional unit of the thyroid gland is the spherical thyroid follicle, lined with follicular cells (thyrocytes), and occasional parafollicular cells that surround a lumen containing colloid. The thyroid gland secretes three hormones: the two thyroid hormones triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4)and a peptide hormone, calcitonin. The thyroid hormones influence the metabolic rate and protein synthesis, and in children, growth and development. Calcitonin plays a role in calcium homeostasis. Secretion of the two thyroid hormones is regulated by thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), which is secreted from the anterior pituitary gland. TSH is regulated by ...
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Liver Enzyme
Liver function tests (LFTs or LFs), also referred to as a hepatic panel, are groups of blood tests that provide information about the state of a patient's liver. These tests include prothrombin time (PT/INR), activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), albumin, bilirubin (direct and indirect), and others. The liver transaminases aspartate transaminase (AST or SGOT) and alanine transaminase (ALT or SGPT) are useful biomarkers of liver injury in a patient with some degree of intact liver function. Most liver diseases cause only mild symptoms initially, but these diseases must be detected early. Hepatic (liver) involvement in some diseases can be of crucial importance. This testing is performed on a patient's blood sample. Some tests are associated with functionality (e.g., albumin), some with cellular integrity (e.g., transaminase), and some with conditions linked to the biliary tract ( gamma-glutamyl transferase and alkaline phosphatase). Because some of these tests do not mea ...
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Renal Function
Assessment of kidney function occurs in different ways, using the presence of symptoms and signs, as well as measurements using urine tests, blood tests, and medical imaging. Functions of a healthy kidney include maintaining a person's fluid balance, maintaining an acid-base balance; regulating electrolytes including sodium, potassium, and other electrolytes; clearing toxins; regulating blood pressure; and regulating hormones, such as erythropoietin; and activation of vitamin D. Introduction The functions of the kidney include maintenance of acid-base balance; regulation of fluid balance; regulation of sodium, potassium, and other electrolytes; clearance of toxins; absorption of glucose, amino acids, and other small molecules; regulation of blood pressure; production of various hormones, such as erythropoietin; and activation of vitamin D. Much of renal physiology is studied at the level of the nephron, the smallest functional unit of the kidney. Each neph ...
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Glucose
Glucose is a simple sugar with the molecular formula . Glucose is overall the most abundant monosaccharide, a subcategory of carbohydrates. Glucose is mainly made by plants and most algae during photosynthesis from water and carbon dioxide, using energy from sunlight, where it is used to make cellulose in cell walls, the most abundant carbohydrate in the world. In energy metabolism, glucose is the most important source of energy in all organisms. Glucose for metabolism is stored as a polymer, in plants mainly as starch and amylopectin, and in animals as glycogen. Glucose circulates in the blood of animals as blood sugar. The naturally occurring form of glucose is -glucose, while -glucose is produced synthetically in comparatively small amounts and is less biologically active. Glucose is a monosaccharide containing six carbon atoms and an aldehyde group, and is therefore an aldohexose. The glucose molecule can exist in an open-chain (acyclic) as well as ring (cyclic) fo ...
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Electrolyte
An electrolyte is a medium containing ions that is electrically conducting through the movement of those ions, but not conducting electrons. This includes most soluble salts, acids, and bases dissolved in a polar solvent, such as water. Upon dissolving, the substance separates into cations and anions, which disperse uniformly throughout the solvent. Solid-state electrolytes also exist. In medicine and sometimes in chemistry, the term electrolyte refers to the substance that is dissolved. Electrically, such a solution is neutral. If an electric potential is applied to such a solution, the cations of the solution are drawn to the electrode that has an abundance of electrons, while the anions are drawn to the electrode that has a deficit of electrons. The movement of anions and cations in opposite directions within the solution amounts to a current. Some gases, such as hydrogen chloride (HCl), under conditions of high temperature or low pressure can also function as electrolytes ...
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Complete Blood Count
A complete blood count (CBC), also known as a full blood count (FBC), is a set of medical laboratory tests that provide information about the cells in a person's blood. The CBC indicates the counts of white blood cells, red blood cells and platelets, the concentration of hemoglobin, and the hematocrit (the volume percentage of red blood cells). The red blood cell indices, which indicate the average size and hemoglobin content of red blood cells, are also reported, and a white blood cell differential, which counts the different types of white blood cells, may be included. The CBC is often carried out as part of a medical assessment and can be used to monitor health or diagnose diseases. The results are interpreted by comparing them to reference ranges, which vary with sex and age. Conditions like anemia and thrombocytopenia are defined by abnormal complete blood count results. The red blood cell indices can provide information about the cause of a person's anemia such as iron ...
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Post-exertional Neuroimmune Exhaustion
Post-exertional malaise (PEM) is a worsening of chronic fatigue syndrome symptoms that occurs after exertion. PEM involves increased fatigue, and an exacerbation of other symptoms. PEM is often severe enough to be disabling, and is triggered by ordinary activities that healthy people tolerate. Post-exertional malaise typically begins 12–48 hours after the activity that triggers it, and lasts for days, but this is highly variable. Management of PEM is symptomatic, and patients are recommended to pace their activities to avoid triggering PEM. Description Post-exertional malaise involves fatigue, and is of such a severity that it impacts a person's functioning. Other symptoms that may be experienced during PEM include cognitive impairment, flu-like symptoms, pain, weakness or trouble sleeping. While typically cast as a worsening of existing symptoms, patients may experience some symptoms exclusively during PEM. Patients often describe PEM as "crash," "relapse," or "setback." PEM ...
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International Consensus Criteria
Clinical descriptions of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) vary. Different groups have produced sets of diagnostic criteria that share many similarities. The biggest differences between criteria are whether post-exertional malaise (PEM) is required, and the number of symptoms needed. Aspects of the condition are controversial, with disagreements over etiology, pathophysiology, treatment and naming between medical practitioners, researchers, patients and advocacy groups. Furthermore, diagnosing CFS can be difficult due to several factors, including lack of a standard test and non-specific symptoms. Subgroup analysis suggests that, depending on the applied definition, CFS may represent a variety of conditions rather than a single disease entity. Definitions 2015 IOM criteria The IOM criteria come from the IOM's 2015 report on CFS, and the CDC currently uses this definition. The IOM criteria require the following three symptoms: * Severe, disabling fatigue of new onset * Post-exe ...
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Action For ME
Action for ME is a charitable organisation and self-help group based in the United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ... and dedicated to helping people with M.E., more commonly known in the medical profession as chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). The "ME" in "Action for ME" refers to two of the alternative names for chronic fatigue syndrome, ''myalgic encephalomyelitis'' or ''myalgic encephalopathy,'' that are preferred by patient groups in the United Kingdom. The organisation also believes that individuals with M.E./CFS may be diagnosed with post-viral fatigue syndrome. The organisation was founded by patients in 1987 as The M.E. Action Campaign and changed its name to 'Action for M.E.' in 1993. References External links Official website Non-profit ...
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