Differences in the presence of symptoms among UK and Dutch adolescents with CFS/ME, showing OR derived from logistic regression controlling for age and sex (Dutch adolescents as reference group)
| UK | Netherlands | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N | Frequency (%) | N | Frequency (%) | OR (95% CI)* | |
| Cognitive dysfunction | 1478 | 1281 (86.7) | 135 | 123 (91.1) | 0.77 (0.41 to1.43) |
| Sore throat | 1482 | 860 (58.0) | 135 | 78 (57.8) | 1.03 (0.72 to 1.48) |
| Tender lymph nodes | 1469 | 601 (40.9) | 135 | 49 (36.3) | 1.28 (0.88 to 1.85) |
| Muscle pain | 1484 | 1093 (73.7) | 135 | 103 (76.3) | 0.93 (0.61 to 1.41) |
| Joint pain | 1483 | 895 (60.4) | 135 | 87 (64.4) | 0.86 (0.59 to 1.24) |
| Headaches | 1487 | 1206 (81.1) | 135 | 121 (89.6) | 0.54 (0.30 to 0.96) |
| Sleep dysfunction | 1462 | 1394 (95.4) | 135 | 129 (95.6) | 1.02 (0.43 to 2.42) |
| Postexertional malaise | 1485 | 1444 (97.2) | 135 | 117 (86.7) | 5.66 (3.07 to 10.45) |
| Pain (ref no pain)† | 1349 | 166 (12.3) | 134 | 22 (16.4) | – |
| Mild pain | 1349 | 370 (27.4) | 134 | 56 (41.8) | 0.98 (0.57 to 1.67) |
| Moderate pain | 1349 | 538 (39.9) | 134 | 44 (32.8) | 1.81 (1.04 to 3.13) |
| Severe pain | 1349 | 275 (20.4) | 134 | 12 (9.0) | 3.12 (1.49 to 6.54) |
| Depression‡ | 1360 | 379 (27.9) | 135 | 23 (17.0) | 2.01 (1.26 to 3.22) |
| Anxiety§ | 1357 | 285 (21.0) | 135 | 15 (11.1) | 2.62 (1.49 to 4.59) |
*Adjusted for age and sex.
†Pain in UK adolescents was measured on a visual analogue scale, categorised as none (0–4), mild (5–44), moderate (45–74) and severe (75–100); pain in Dutch adolescents was measured on a 0–4 Likert scale at four separate times each day for 12 days.
‡Depression in UK adolescents was defined as HADS depression score >9 (boys) or >10 (girls); depression in Dutch adolescents was defined as CDI score >15.
§Anxiety in UK adolescents was defined as HADS anxiety score >12 (boys) or >16 (girls); anxiety in Dutch adolescents was defined as STAIC score >43.
CDI, Children's Depression Inventory; CFS/ME, chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis; HADS, Hospital and Anxiety Depression Scale; STAIC, Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children.