Sterzl, I, Zamrazil, V · Vnitrni lekarstvi · 1996
This review discusses how disorders of the endocrine system (hormone-producing glands) can cause fatigue and other symptoms that overlap with ME/CFS, making them difficult to distinguish. The authors highlight that some patients initially thought to have ME/CFS actually have treatable hormone conditions, particularly autoimmune thyroid disease or other glandular disorders. They also explore how problems with the stress-hormone system (the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis) might play a role in both endocrine disease and ME/CFS.
This work highlights a critical clinical problem: patients with treatable endocrine disorders may be incorrectly diagnosed with ME/CFS and thus miss appropriate treatment. By emphasizing comprehensive endocrinological screening and exploring potential shared biological mechanisms (particularly HPA axis dysfunction), this paper helps clinicians avoid misdiagnosis and informs our understanding of ME/CFS pathophysiology.
This editorial presents expert opinion and does not present new experimental data or patient cohort studies. It does not prove that HPA axis dysfunction causes ME/CFS, only that it may be involved in some cases. It cannot establish the prevalence of misdiagnosis or determine causative relationships between endocrine conditions and ME/CFS symptoms.
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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Primary citation
Sterzl, I & Zamrazil, V (1996). [Endocrinopathy in the differential diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome].. Vnitrni lekarstvi. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8984770/
BibTeX
@article{mecfsatlas-sterzl-1996-endocrinopathy-differential,
author = {Sterzl, I and Zamrazil, V},
title = {[Endocrinopathy in the differential diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome].},
journal = {Vnitrni lekarstvi},
year = {1996},
note = {PubMed: 8984770},
url = {https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/sterzl-1996-endocrinopathy-differential},
}Atlas snapshot reference
ME/CFS Atlas. Generator v1 / Scanner v1.4 / policy v0.1. Accessed 2026-05-29. https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/sterzl-1996-endocrinopathy-differential
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