Buchwald, D · Rheumatic diseases clinics of North America · 1996 · DOI
This review compared ME/CFS and fibromyalgia (FM), two conditions that cause fatigue, muscle pain, and sleep problems. The researchers found that these two illnesses are very similar in their symptoms and how they affect people's lives, even though doctors use different criteria to diagnose them. Some patients have both conditions at the same time, which makes their suffering worse.
Understanding the similarities and differences between ME/CFS and fibromyalgia helps patients and clinicians recognize when both conditions may be present, potentially improving diagnosis and treatment planning. This work supports the recognition of overlapping syndromes and may guide future research into shared biological mechanisms and targeted interventions for patient subgroups.
This review does not establish whether ME/CFS and FM share a common underlying cause or are distinct diseases that frequently co-occur. It does not identify specific biomarkers or diagnostic tests that can reliably distinguish the two conditions or explain their pathogenic mechanisms. The review also cannot determine which specific treatments work best for each condition or their combination.
About the PEM badge: “PEM required” means post-exertional malaise was an explicit required diagnostic criterion for participant inclusion in this study — not that PEM was studied, observed, or discussed. Studies using criteria that do not require PEM (e.g. Fukuda, Oxford) are tagged “PEM not required”. How the atlas works →
The first block is for the primary paper and is the citation you should use in research work. The atlas-snapshot line only applies if you are specifically referring to this atlas’s reading of the paper on the date shown.
Primary citation
Buchwald, D (1996). Fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome: similarities and differences.. Rheumatic diseases clinics of North America. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0889-857x(05)70270-2
BibTeX
@article{mecfsatlas-buchwald-1996-fibromyalgia-chronic,
author = {Buchwald, D},
title = {Fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome: similarities and differences.},
journal = {Rheumatic diseases clinics of North America},
year = {1996},
doi = {10.1016/s0889-857x(05)70270-2},
note = {PubMed: 9157484},
url = {https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/buchwald-1996-fibromyalgia-chronic},
}Atlas snapshot reference
ME/CFS Atlas. Generator v1 / Scanner v1.4 / policy v0.1. Accessed 2026-05-30. https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/buchwald-1996-fibromyalgia-chronic
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