In clinical practice the diagnosis of “fibromyalgia” is often given to individuals with chronic widespread pain for which no alternative cause can be identified. The 1990 classification criteria of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) for fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) combine chronic widespread pain (CWP), which indicates pain on both sides of the body, above and below the waist, and axial ...

OBJECTIVE To test the efficacy of a graded aerobic exercise programme in the chronic fatigue syndrome. DESIGN Randomised controlled trial with control treatment crossover after the first follow up examination. SETTING Chronic fatigue clinic in a general hospital department of psychiatry. SUBJECTS 66 patients with the chronic fatigue syndrome who had neither a psychiatric disorder nor appr...

The chronic fatigue syndrome has become one of the past decade's causes celebres, vying with ecological issues for a place in the public perception of real and imagined threats to society and the individual. Perhaps this interest is a manifestation ofthe malaise offin de siecle which in other ages has led to outbursts of anarchy' or increased eschatological preoccupation. Fortunately, the passi...