Systematic Review of the Epidemiological Burden of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Across Europe: Current Evidence and EUROMENE Research Recommendations for Epidemiology

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Estevez-Lopez, Fernando
Mudie, Kathleen
Wang-Steverding, Xia
Bakken, Inger Johanne
Ivanovs, Andrejs
Castro-Marrero, Jesus
Nacul, Luis
Alegre, Jose
Zalewski, Pawel
Slomko, Joanna
Strand, Elin Bolle
Pheby, Derek
Shikova, Evelina
Lorusso, Lorenzo
Capelli, Enrica
Sekulic, Slobodan
Scheibenbogen, Carmen
Sepulveda, Nuno
Murovska, Modra
Lacerda, Eliana
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2020
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Abstract

This review aimed at determining the prevalence and incidence of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) in Europe. We conducted a primary search in Scopus, PubMed and Web of Science for publications between 1994 and 15 June 2019 (PROSPERO: CRD42017078688). Additionally, we performed a backward-(reference lists) and forward-(citations) search of the works included in this review. Grey literature was addressed by contacting all members of the European Network on ME/CFS (EUROMENE). Independent reviewers searched, screened and selected studies, extracted data and evaluated the methodological and reporting quality. For prevalence, two studies in adults and one study in adolescents were included. Prevalence ranged from 0.1% to 2.2%. Two studies also included incidence estimates. In conclusion, studies on the prevalence and incidence of ME/CFS in Europe were scarce. Our findings point to the pressing need for well-designed and statistically powered epidemiological studies. To overcome the shortcomings of the current state-of-the-art, EUROMENE recommends that future research is better conducted in the community, reviewing the clinical history of potential cases, obtaining additional objective information (when needed) and using adequate ME/CFS case definitions; namely, the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention-1994, Canadian Consensus Criteria, or Institute of Medicine criteria.

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Journal of Clinical Medicine

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9

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5

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© 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

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Clinical sciences

central nervous system diseases

infections

muscular diseases

post-exertional malaise

virus diseases

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Estévez-López, F; Mudie, K; Wang-Steverding, X; Bakken, IJ; Ivanovs, A; Castro-Marrero, J; Nacul, L; Alegre, J; Zalewski, P; Słomko, J; Strand, EB; Pheby, D; Shikova, E; Lorusso, L, et al, Systematic Review of the Epidemiological Burden of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Across Europe: Current Evidence and EUROMENE Research Recommendations for Epidemiology, Journal of Clinical Medicine, 2020, 9 (5), pp. 1557:1-1557:15

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