Vermeulen, Ruud C W · Population health metrics · 2006 · DOI
This study tested whether a Dutch translation of a symptom checklist used to diagnose ME/CFS works as well as the original English version. Researchers asked 139 ME/CFS patients and 43 healthy people to complete the questionnaire and compared the results. The Dutch version performed well and gave similar results to the English version, confirming it's a useful tool for doctors and researchers in Dutch-speaking countries.
This validation study ensures that Dutch-speaking ME/CFS patients and healthcare providers have a reliable, standardized tool for assessing ME/CFS symptoms. Standardized instruments across languages allow for consistent diagnosis and enable international research collaboration and data comparison.
This study does not establish the CDC Symptom Inventory as a diagnostic gold standard—it only validates its reliability as a secondary assessment tool. The study also does not explain the underlying causes of ME/CFS or clarify the significant sex-related differences observed in the Dutch version. Results are limited to a tertiary care setting and may not represent all ME/CFS patient populations.
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
Vermeulen, Ruud C W (2006). Translation and validation of the Dutch language version of the CDC Symptom Inventory for assessment of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS).. Population health metrics. https://doi.org/10.1186/1478-7954-4-12
BibTeX
@article{mecfsatlas-vermeulen-2006-translation-validation,
author = {Vermeulen, Ruud C W},
title = {Translation and validation of the Dutch language version of the CDC Symptom Inventory for assessment of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS).},
journal = {Population health metrics},
year = {2006},
doi = {10.1186/1478-7954-4-12},
note = {PubMed: 17049095},
url = {https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/vermeulen-2006-translation-validation},
}Atlas snapshot reference
ME/CFS Atlas. Generator v1 / Scanner v1.4 / policy v0.1. Accessed 2026-05-28. https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/vermeulen-2006-translation-validation
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