New Research Points to Common Misdiagnosis of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

24 Aug 2009 06:21:07

Craig Whittaker

Study of 168 CFS patients shows they actually have water damaged building illness.

An important article recently published in the Bulletin of the IACFS/ME discusses the common misdiagnosis of illness from water damaged buildings as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS). Research by practicing physician Dr. Ritchie Shoemaker examined 163 cases of patients under the age of 18 years who have been diagnosed with CFS for at least 3 months. The research concluded that all 163 cases of medically-diagnosed pediatric CFS were actually water damaged building (WDB) illness. Dr. Shoemaker's findings provide an opportunity to strengthen CFS case definition by ensuring that CFS-like syndromes, especially WDB-illness, are not identified as CFS.

Dr. Shoemaker recommends that physicians treating a CFS patient collect an environmental history and states that the presence of i) visible mold, ii) musty smells or iii) microbial amplification, as confirmed by environmental testing, creates a ready confounder for the diagnosis of CFS.

Download the complete article here.