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Article: Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: What Is It? Who Has It?
- Article from:
- The Washington Post
- Article date:
- October 17, 1995
CopyrightThis material is published under license from the Washington Post. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Washington Post. (Hide copyright information)
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Studies suggest that at least one-fourth of the general adult
population has had fatigue lasting two weeks or more, so doctors
often have trouble determining just who suffers from chronic fatigue
syndrome. In a December 1994 revision of what has been an evolving
definition of the disease, a group of international experts convened
by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention agreed on
criteria based on the time and severity of debilitating fatigue and
its related symptoms.
The primary complaint must be unexplained "persistent or relapsing
fatigue" lasting for six months or longer that cannot be alleviated
by rest and that results in substantial reduction in previous levels
of ...