Original ManuscriptsThe Low Yield of Physical Examinations and Laboratory Investigations of Patients with Chronic Fatigue
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Cited by (82)
Chronic fatigue: What investigations? And what for?
2023, Revue de Medecine InterneApproach to Fatigue: Best Practice
2021, Medical Clinics of North AmericaCitation Excerpt :Owing to the very broad, and potentially fatal, differential diagnoses that can present as fatigue, a rational approach to diagnosis is critical. Performing a battery of diagnostic tests is unlikely to assist with diagnosis,5,6 highlighting the importance of forming an appropriately prioritized patient-centered differential diagnosis through a comprehensive history of presenting illness, review of systems, and physical examination.5,6 Although fatigue is a common complaint, it may be confused with sleepiness as patients often present with a vague complaint of being “tired” or “exhausted".7
Adolescent fatigue, POTS, and recovery: A guide for clinicians
2014, Current Problems in Pediatric and Adolescent Health CareCitation Excerpt :Testing for POTS will be discussed in detail in a later section. Additional laboratory or imaging studies have not been shown to be useful in making the diagnosis of CFS; however, they may be obtained if deemed necessary given the information obtained through history and physical examination.24 The diagnosis of unexplained chronic fatigue cannot be made if patient has an active medical condition that explains chronic fatigue such as hypothyroidism, primary sleep disorder, or a medication side effect.
Fatigue
2014, Medical Clinics of North AmericaCitation Excerpt :Often one of the most challenging aspects of evaluating a patient with nonspecific fatigue characterized by a generalized lack of energy is deciding on the appropriate scope of laboratory evaluation. Although in general the data are sparse, it seems that laboratory studies only rarely reveal the cause of a patient’s fatigue; diagnosis is made after laboratory evaluation in approximately 5% of cases.2 Standard recommendations regarding the initial, rational laboratory evaluation include complete blood count, a basic metabolic panel, hepatic function testing, an erythrocyte sedimentation rate, thyroid dysfunction screening with a thyroid-stimulating hormone, and pregnancy testing in women of childbearing age.
Naturopathic Physical Medicine Approaches to General Health Enhancement and Specific Conditions
2008, Naturopathic Physical MedicineAn audit of clinically relevant abnormal laboratory parameters investigating athletes with persistent symptoms of fatigue
2007, Journal of Science and Medicine in SportCitation Excerpt :This study, and ours, is in agreement that there is a low yield from blood tests in athletes presenting with fatigue. These findings are remarkably similar to studies of patients presenting with chronic fatigue in general practice.9–11 It also highlights the importance of the clinical history in the diagnosis of fatigued athletes,3 and the potential role of other parameters e.g. mood state questionnaires.5
The authors are indebted to the nursing and clerical staff of the General Medicine Outpatient Module at the University of Connecticut Health Center. Farmington. for their help throughout this study.
This paper has been presented. in part. at the National Meeting of the Society for General Internal Medicine. Washington. D.C., April 28. 1988.