Depression in paediatric chronic fatigue syndrome

• Published in: Archives of disease in childhood Vol. 98; no. 6; pp. 425 - 428
• Main Authors: Bould, Helen, Collin, Simon M, Lewis, Glyn, Rimes, Katharine, Crawley, Esther
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health 01.06.2013; BMJ Publishing Group; BMJ Publishing Group Ltd; BMJ Publishing Group LTD
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adolescents; Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Attendance; Biological and medical sciences; Care and treatment; Child; Child Psychiatry; Children; Chronic Fatigue Syndrome; Comorbidity; Control Groups; Cross-Sectional Studies; Depression; Depression (Psychology); Depressive Disorder - epidemiology; Depressive Disorder - etiology; Depressive Disorder - psychology; Diagnosis; Emotional Disturbances; Epidemiology; Fatigue; Fatigue - etiology; Fatigue - psychology; Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic - complications; Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic - epidemiology; Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic - psychology; Female; General aspects; Health aspects; Humans; Male; Medical care; Medical care (Private); Medical sciences; Mental depression; Mental Health Programs; Miscellaneous; Mood disorders; Pain; Pain - etiology; Pain - psychology; Prevalence; Prevention and actions; Psychological aspects; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Questionnaires; Rating Scales; Schools; Severity of Illness Index; Statistical Analysis; Students - psychology; Studies; Surveys and Questionnaires; Teenagers; Young Adults; United Kingdom > UK; England; Human; Mood disorder; Pediatrics; Depressions; Depression; Child; Public health; Chronic fatigue syndrome; Chronic Fatigue Syndrome; Epidemiology; Child Psychiatry
• ISSN: 0003-9888; 1468-2044; 1468-2044
• DOI: 10.1136/archdischild-2012-303396

Objective To describe the prevalence of depression in children with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS)/myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) and investigate the relationship between depression in CFS/ME and clinical symptoms such as fatigue, disability, pain and school attendance. Design Cross-sectional survey data using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) collected at assessment. Setting Specialist paediatric CFS/ME service in the South West. Patients Children aged 12–18 years with CFS/ME. Main outcome measure Depression was defined as scoring >9 on the HADS depression scale. Results 542 subjects had complete data for the HADS and 29% (156/542) (95% CI 25% to 33%) had depression. In a univariable analysis, female sex, poorer school attendance, and higher levels of fatigue, disability, pain, and anxiety were associated with higher odds of depression. Age of child and duration of illness were not associated with depression. In a multivariable analysis, the factors most strongly associated with depression were disability, with higher scores on the physical function subscale of the 36 item Short Form (SF-36). Conclusions Depression is commonly comorbid with CFS/ME, much more common than in the general population, and is associated with markers of disease severity. It is important to screen for, identify and treat depression in this population.