BMJ 1996;312:1096 (27 April)

Letters

Cognitive behaviour therapy for the chronic fatigue syndrome

Evening primrose oil and magnesium have been shown to be effective

EDITOR,--In their paper on cognitive behaviour therapy for the chronic fatigue syndrome Michael Sharpe and colleagues state that many pharmacological treatments have been suggested but none are of proved value.1 Last year Lewith stated that the only two treatments that had been properly evaluated were evening primrose oil and magnesium by injection.2 Intramuscular magnesium supplements have been given to patients with low red cell magnesium in a double blind placebo controlled trial; myalgia and fatigue improved in about 70% of subjects.3 Evening primrose oil has been used to treat myalgic encephalomyelitis and is the only other treatment that has been adequately tested in a controlled trial. High doses in randomised controlled trials have been shown to have a significant effect in 70-80% of patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis or the chronic fatigue syndrome.4 I would be interested to hear Sharpe . . . [Full text of this article]


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Relevant Article

Cognitive behaviour therapy for the chronic fatigue syndrome: a randomised controlled trial
Michael Sharpe, Keith Hawton, Sue Simkin, Christina Surawy, Ann Hackmann, Ivana Klimes, Tim Peto, David Warrell, and Valerie Seagroatt
BMJ 1996 312: 22-26. [Abstract] [Full Text]

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