Goshorn, R K · Seminars in neurology · 1998 · DOI
This review explains that ME/CFS is a real condition characterized by long-lasting fatigue, muscle and joint pain, sleep problems, and thinking difficulties. While doctors don't yet fully understand what causes ME/CFS, research suggests it involves subtle problems with the nervous system, hormones, and immune function. Treatment focuses on managing symptoms to help patients feel better, though the approach is personalized since every patient is different.
This review addresses a critical gap in clinical understanding by emphasizing that ME/CFS is a legitimate medical condition deserving systematic investigation and compassionate care. It validates the experiences of patients experiencing multiple overlapping symptoms and advocates for standardized research definitions to accelerate understanding of disease mechanisms. The paper's emphasis on skillful clinical management offers practical guidance for healthcare providers treating ME/CFS patients.
This editorial does not present original research data or identify definitive causes of ME/CFS. It cannot establish which specific neuroendocrine or immunologic abnormalities are primary versus secondary consequences of the illness. The review does not prove that any particular treatment is effective—it only acknowledges that symptom management is possible with careful medical practice.
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 →
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