RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Chronic fatigue syndrome and arthralgia following parvovirus B19 infection.
JF The Journal of Rheumatology
JO J Rheumatol
FD The Journal of Rheumatology
SP 595
OP 602
VO 29
IS 3
A1 Jonathan R Kerr
A1 Janice Bracewell
A1 Ian Laing
A1 Derek L Mattey
A1 Robert M Bernstein
A1 Ian N Bruce
A1 David A J Tyrrell
YR 2002
UL http://www.jrheum.org/content/29/3/595.abstract
AB OBJECTIVE: To determine the incidence of arthralgia and fatigue complicating B19 infection, along with associated B19 markers and autoantibodies. METHODS: We studied patients with acute B19 infection (n = 51), patients followed from the time of acute B19 infection (mean 22.5 mo) (n = 39), and healthy controls (n = 50). Clinical details were collected using a questionnaire and blood was tested for B19 markers and autoantibodies. RESULTS: Acute B19 arthralgia occurred in 31 patients and was associated with female sex (p = 0.007) and age > 20 years (p = 0.02). Acute B19 fatigue occurred in 8 patients and was not significantly associated with any marker. At followup, symptoms consisted of arthralgia (n = 5), arthralgia and fatigue (n = 6), fatigue (n = 7), lymphadenopathy (n = 1), and purpura due to thrombocytopenia (n = 2). Chronic B19 arthralgia was associated with persistent B19 viremia (p = 0.029). Comparison of the B19 followup group with the controls revealed a significantly increased prevalence of arthralgia (p = 0.0002), fatigue (p < 0.0001), and all other markers. Chronic B19 arthralgia was associated with both acute B19 arthralgia (p = 0.0168) and positive ANA at acute infection (p = 0.0043). Chronic B19 fatigue was associated with acute B19 fatigue (p = 0.011). Five patients fulfilled the Centers for Disease Control criteria for a diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and one of these was negative for serum anti-B19 IgG at followup by both Western blot and immunofluorescence. However, there was no characteristic pattern of B19 markers/autoantibodies in patients with B19 associated chronic fatigue. CONCLUSION: CFS may follow acute parvovirus B19 infection; however, attribution of a case of CFS to B19 infection may be extremely difficult in the absence of serological confirmation of acute infection at fatigue onset.