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Chronic fatigue syndrome ( CFS ) or myalgic encephalomyelitis ( ME ) is different in children compared to in adults : a study of UK and Dutch clinical cohorts . OBJECTIVE To investigate differences between young children , adolescents and adults with chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis ( CFS/ME ) . STUDY DESIGN Comparison of clinical cohorts from 8 paediatric and 27 adult CFS/ME services in the UK and a paediatric randomised controlled trial from the Netherlands . Outcome measures include : fatigue ( the UK-Chalder Fatigue Scale ) ; Disability ( the UK-SF-36 physical function subscale ; the Netherlands-CHQ-CF87 ) ; school attendance , pain , anxiety and depression ( the UK-Hospital Anxiety & Depression Scale , Spence Children 's Anxiety Scale ; the Netherlands-Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children , Children 's Depression Inventory ) ; symptoms ; time-to-assessment ; and body mass index . We used multinomial regression to compare younger ( aged < 12 years ) and older ( aged 12-18 years ) children with adults , and logistic regression to compare UK and Dutch adolescents . RESULTS Younger children had a more equal gender balance compared to adolescents and adults . Adults had more disability and fatigue , and had been ill for longer . Younger children were less likely to have cognitive symptoms ( OR 0.18 ( 95 % CI 0.13 to 0.25 ) ) and more likely to present with a sore throat ( OR 1.42 ( 1.07 to 1.90 ) . Adolescents were more likely to have headaches ( 81.1 % , OR 1.56 ( 1.36 % to 1.80 % ) ) and less likely to have tender lymph nodes , palpitations , dizziness , general malaise and pain , compared to adults . Adolescents were more likely to have comorbid depression ( OR 1.51 ( 1.33 to 1.72 ) ) and less likely to have anxiety ( OR 0.46 ( 0.41 to 0.53 ) ) compared to adults . CONCLUSIONS Paediatricians need to recognise that children with CFS/ME present differently from adults . Whether these differences reflect an underlying aetiopathology requires further investigation . TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBERS FITNET trial registration numbers are ISRCTN59878666 and NCT00893438 . This paper includes secondary ( post-results ) analysis of data from this trial , but are unrelated to trial outcomes .
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Intervention_Other
multinomial regression
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Outcome_Physical
disability
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Outcome_Physical
fatigue
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Outcome_Mental
cognitive symptoms
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Outcome_Physical
headaches
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Outcome_Physical
lymph nodes , palpitations , dizziness , general malaise
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Outcome_Pain
pain
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Outcome_Mental
comorbid depression
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Outcome_Mental
anxiety
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Participant_Age
children
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Participant_Age
young children
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Participant_Age
adolescents
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Participant_Age
adults
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Participant_Condition
chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis ( CFS/ME )
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Participant_Age
younger ( aged < 12 years )
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Participant_Age
older ( aged 12-18 years ) children
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Participant_Age
adults
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Participant_Age
Younger children
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Participant_Age
adolescents and adults
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Participant_Age
Adults
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Participant_Age
children