TGI Friday! Our weekly round-up of recently published research abstracts and related items | 14 February 2014

Dr Charles Shepherd comments: “Q fever is one of several non viral infections that can cause an ME/CFS-like illness”

From the Journal of Infection, 25 January 2014 [Epub ahead of print]

Serious long-term health consequences of Q-fever and Legionnaires' disease.

van Loenhout JA(1), van Tiel HH(2), van den Heuvel J(3), Vercoulen JH(4), Bor H(5), van der Velden K(6), Paget WJ(7), Hautvast JL(8).
1) Academic Collaborative Centre AMPHI, Department of Primary and Community Care, Radboud University Medical Center, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands. Electronic address: joris.vanloenhout@radboudumc.nl.
2) Academic Collaborative Centre AMPHI, Department of Primary and Community Care, Radboud University Medical Center, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands. Electronic address: hhmmvantiel@gmail.com.
3) Department of Infectious Disease Control, Municipal Health Service Hart voor Brabant, ‘s-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands. Electronic address: j.vd.heuvel@ggdhvb.nl.
4) Department of Medical Psychology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Department of Pulmonary Diseases, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. Electronic address: jan.vercoulen@radboudumc.nl.
5) Academic Collaborative Centre AMPHI, Department of Primary and Community Care, Radboud University Medical Center, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands. Electronic address: hans.bor@radboudumc.nl.
6) Academic Collaborative Centre AMPHI, Department of Primary and Community Care, Radboud University Medical Center, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands. Electronic address: koos.vandervelden@radboudumc.nl.
7) Academic Collaborative Centre AMPHI, Department of Primary and Community Care, Radboud University Medical Center, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Netherlands Institute for Health Services Research (NIVEL), Utrecht, The Netherlands. Electronic address: john.paget@radboudumc.nl.
8 Academic Collaborative Centre AMPHI, Department of Primary and Community Care, Radboud University Medical Center, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands. Electronic address: jeannine.hautvast@radboudumc.nl.

Abstract

BACKGROUND

We assessed and compared the long-term health status of Q-fever patients and patients with Legionnaires' disease.

METHODS

Q-fever patients and patients with Legionnaires' disease fulfilling the Dutch notification criteria filled out a questionnaire at one year after onset of illness. The proportion of patients with an abnormal score was calculated for 12 health status subdomains and mean scores for the most relevant subdomains were compared between the patient groups.

RESULTS

We included 309 Q-fever patients and 190 patients with Legionnaires' disease in the study. A large proportion of the two patient groups was negatively affected on many of the subdomains, especially ‘Fatigue', ‘General Quality of Life' and ‘Role Physical'. We assessed health status of the patient groups using a multivariate regression analysis and found no significant difference for ‘Fatigue' and ‘General Quality of Life'. Only for the subdomain ‘Role Physical', Q-fever patients scored significantly worse compared to patients with Legionnaires' disease.

CONCLUSIONS

Many Q-fever patients and patients with Legionnaires' disease suffer from a severely affected health status on one or more subdomains at one year after onset of illness. We recommend additional support for a large proportion of both patient groups during the first year after onset of illness.

From the Journal of Health Psychology, 7 February 2014 [Epub ahead of print]

Are Myalgic Encephalomyelitis and chronic fatigue syndrome different illnesses? A preliminary analysis

Leonard A Jason ljason@depaul.edu Center for Community Research, DePaul University, USA
Madison Sunnquist, Center for Community Research, DePaul University, USA
Abigail Brown, Center for Community Research, DePaul University, USA
Meredyth Evans, Center for Community Research, DePaul University, USA
Julia L Newton, Institute for Ageing and Health, Newcastle University, UK

Abstract

Considerable discussion has transpired regarding whether chronic fatigue syndrome is a distinct illness from Myalgic Encephalomyelitis. A prior study contrasted the Myalgic Encephalomyelitis International Consensus Criteria with the Fukuda and colleagues' chronic fatigue syndrome criteria and found that the Myalgic Encephalomyelitis International Consensus Criteria identified a subset of patients with greater functional impairment and physical, mental, and cognitive problems than the larger group who met Fukuda and colleagues' criteria. The current study analyzed two discrete data sets and found that the Myalgic Encephalomyelitis International Consensus Criteria identified more impaired individuals with more severe symptomatology.

From the Journal of the Royal Naval Medical Services. 2013;99(3):121-6.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome in the UK armed forces.

Le Blackadder-Coward JC(1), Perry S(2).
1) General Practice Vocational Training Scheme Trainee.
2) Department of Community Mental Health, Sunny Walk PP6, HMNB Portsmouth. PO1 3LT.

Abstract

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) is a debilitating condition that can have a significant impact on the lives of patients and those who care for them. In the UK Armed Forces this condition can also have a marked impact on a patient's career and their ability to function in the deployed environment. In this article the recognition and management of CFS will be discussed, as well as the occupational considerations within the UK Armed Forces.