An audit of the investigation of patients with suspected chronic fatigue syndrome

We report an audit of patients referred to our departments with suspected chronic fatigue focusing on the relative roles that clinical assessment and screening investigations played in the making offmal diagnoses. Methods: A Retrospective review of the notes of 73 new patients referred with possible chronic fatigue. The main outcome measures were clinical features, investigations undertaken, the final diagnosis and the cost of investigations. Results: Diagnoses other than chronic fatigue were made in 17% of patients. These were the result of specific features in the clinical history or examination findings supported by selected targeted further tests, not a result of screening investigations. Conclusions: Following thorough clinical assessment (history and examination) extensive screening investigations did not contribute to the final diagnosis or to the management of the patients in this study.