The Canadian criteria for ME/CFS will be met if patients exhibit fatigue, post-exertional malaise and/or fatigue, sleep dysfunction, and pain; have two or more neurological/cognitive manifestations and one or more symptoms from two of the categories of autonomic, neuroendocrine and immune manifestations (including confusion, disorientation, short-term memory impairment, ataxia), and the illness must persist for at least 6 months.

Canadian ME/CFS Case Definition

The Fukuda case definition for ME/CFS was the first case definition created and has lesser requirements than subsequent case definitions. To meet this criteria, patients must experience chronic fatigue for at least 6 months along with four or more of the following symptoms: impaired memory or concentration, sore throat, tender lymph nodes, muscle pain, multi-joint pain, headaches, unrefreshing sleep, and post-exertional malaise.

Fukuda ME/CFS Case Definition

There is no single, universally agreed-upon case definition for ME/CFS. The most widely used case definitions are the Canadian, Fukuda, Institute of Medicine (IOM), and International Consensus Criteria (ICC) definitions.

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ME/CFS (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/ Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) is a disorder distinguished by symptoms of severe fatigue as well as cognitive impairments, sleep disturbances, and pain. Research has shown that this disorder is not a psychiatric disorder, but many doctors still believe it to be psychosomatic in nature and treat it with interventions intended for psychological disorders, such as cognitive behavioral therapy and graded exercise therapy, which can be harmful to the outcome of ME/CFS patients. Thus, it is important for clinical psychologists to better understand this disorder.

ME/CFS (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/ Chronic Fatigue Syndrome)

Bruce M. Carruthers, Anil Kumar Jain, Kenny L. De Meirleir, Daniel L. Peterson, Nancy G. Klimas, A. Martin Lerner, Alison C. Bested, Pierre Flor-Henry, Pradip Joshi, A. C. Peter Powles, Jeffrey A. Sherkey & Marjorie I. van de Sande (2003) Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Journal of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, 11:1, 7-115, DOI: 10.1300/J092v11n01_02

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