special subjects
Fatigue
Etiology of Fatigue
Most serious (and many minor) acute and chronic illnesses produce fatigue. However, many of these have other more prominent manifestations (eg, pain, cough, fever, jaundice) as the presenting complaint. This discussion focuses on disorders that can manifest primarily as fatigue. The most common disorders manifesting predominantly as recent fatigue (lasting < 1 month) are Adverse Drug Reactions None Evaluation of Anemia None Stress and/or Depressive Disorders None The most common causes manifesting predominantly as prolonged fatigue (lasting 1 to 6 months) are Diabetes Mellitus (DM) None Hypothyroidism None Sleep disturbances (eg, Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) ) Overview of Cancer None The most common causes manifesting predominantly as chronic fatigue (lasting > 6 months) are Chronic Fatigue Syndrome None Postviral fatigue syndrome Psychologic causes (eg, Depressive Disorders ) Drugs Several factors commonly cause or contribute to a chief complaint of fatigue, usually prolonged or chronic fatigue (see table). 