OBJECTIVE: A systematic review of the literature about chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). METHODS: A search of the Medline database (via Ovid and PubMed) with the key words chronic fatigue syndrome, diagnosis, classification, epidemiology, etiology, physiopathology, metabolism, microbiology, immunology, virology, psychology, drug therapy, rehabilitation, and therapy. The reference lists of each article were examined for additional related articles. RESULTS: CFS was defined in 1988 by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The prevalence of chronic fatigue syndrome has ranged from 0.2% to 0.7% in the general population. In 1994, the definition of CFS was revised by Fukuda et al. Despite various research in several topics (eg, infection, immune systems, neuroendocrinology, autonomic activity, neuromuscular involvement), the pathophysiology remains unknown. CONCLUSION: CFS, with its various major clinical and functional impacts, should be associated with a 'biopsychosocial model'. Progressive muscular rehabilitation, combined with behavioral and cognitive treatment, is an essential part of therapy.

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