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Page: Prognosis
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A systematic review of 14 studies of the outcome of untreated people with CFS found that "the median full recovery rate was 5% (range 0–31%) and the median proportion of patients who improved during follow-up was 39.5% (range 8–63%). Return to work at follow-up ranged from 8 to 30% in the three studies that considered this outcome." .... "In five studies, a worsening of symptoms during the period of follow-up was reported in between 5 and 20% of patients." It is not known whether any patients truly 'recover' entirely from the illness, or achieve remission from a relapsing, remitting illness. Few untreated patients report a total 'cure.' People diagnosed with CFS may die, as in the case in the UK of Sophia Mirza, where the coroner recorded a verdict of "Acute anuric renal failure due to dehydration arising as a result of CFS." (It should be noted, however, that according to Sophia's mother, Sophia reduced her water intake to 4 fluid ounces per day because she believed that she was allergic to it, and this is the likely reason for the dehydration). The pathologist said, "ME describes inflammation of the spinal cord and muscles. My work supports the inflammation theory...The changes of dorsal root ganglionitis seen in 75% of Sophia‘s spinal cord were very similar to that seen during active infection by herpes viruses." A systematic review of 14 studies of the outcome of CFS reported 8 deaths, but none were considered directly attributable to CFS. CFS has been linked to heart damage and cardiac arrest among other causes of death; research has not yet progressed to determine whether this is in fact the case, and some patients die from co-morbid diseases. To date there have been two studies on CFS life expectancy. The largest study of some 641 patients with CFS, who were followed up for a mean of 9 years, found no excess mortality.
Deaths
CFS is unlikely to increase the risk of an early death. In a preliminary 2006 study of CFS self-help group members, it was reported that CFS patients were likely to die at a younger than average age for cancer, heart failure, and suicide. However, a much larger study of 641 CDC criteria diagnosed patients with CFS, who were followed up for a mean of 9 years, showed no excess risk of dying from any cause. In June 13 2006, a coroner "of Brighton and Hove Coroners Court, UK, recorded the cause of death of a 32-year-old woman as acute anuric renal failure (failure to produce urine) due to dehydration as a result of CFS. The deceased woman [...] had suffered from CFS for six years" Previous cases have listed CFS as the cause of death in the US and Australia.
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