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Table 2 Categories of medications used by subjects with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), insufficient symptoms/fatigue (ISF) and Well controls in Georgia

From: Use of medications by people with chronic fatigue syndrome and healthy persons: a population-based study of fatiguing illness in Georgia

Drug category

CFS

(n = 113)

ISF

(n = 264)

Well

(n = 124)

p-value

 

N (%) users

CFS vs. Well

CFS vs. ISF

Pain relievers (includes all NSAIDs and narcotics)

74 (65.5)

136 (51.5)

66 (53.2)

0.056

0.02

-NSAIDs (aspirin included)

53 (46.9)

107 (40.5)

55 (44.4)

0.74

0.31

-NSAIDs (aspirin excluded)

45 (39.8)

82 (31.1)

34 (27.4)

0.043

0.10

-Acetaminophen-containing

27 (23.9)

38 (14.4)

14 (11.3)

0.011

0.026

-Narcotic pain relievers

19 (16.8)

16 (6.1)

5 (4.0)

0.001

0.001

-Aspirin containing

15 (13.3)

35 (13.3)

27 (21.8)

0.09

1.00

Supplements/vitamins

50 (44.2)

117 (44.3)

65 (52.4)

0.158

0.68

Anti-allergy medications (anti-histamines, nasal steroids, sympathomimetics)

46 (40.7)

94 (35.6)

35 (28.2)

0.04

0.36

Asthma medications

9 (7.96)

9 (3.4)

3 (2.4)

0.097

0.065

Cold/sinus medications (anti-histamines, sympatho-mimetics, anti-cough drugs)

46 (40.7)

95 (36.0)

34 (27.4)

0.025

0.4

Anti-histamines

40 (35.4)

74 (28.0)

27 (21.8)

0.017

0.17

Antidepressants

41 (36.3)

48 (18.2)

11 (8.9)

< 0.0001

0.0007

Female hormones

(birth control and HRT)a

28 (30.4)

49 (24.4)

26 (28.0)

0.68

0.3

- Birth control

6 (6.5)

20 (9.9)

11 (11.8%)

0.11

0.34

- Hormone replacement

19 (20.7)

28 (13.9)

13 (14%)

0.23

0.15

Gastrointestinal, acid-reducing drugs

30 (26.6)

38 (14.4)

16 (12.9)

0.0082

0.009

All cardiovascular

21 (18.6)

46 (17.4)

26 (21.0)

0.90

0.86

Sedatives (including benzodiazepines)

20 (17.7)

18 (6.8)

5 (4.0)

0.002

0.004

- Benzodiazepines only

14 (12.4)

14 (5.3)

3 (2.4)

0.003

0.027

Lipid-lowering

13 (11.5)

31 (11.7)

13 (10.5)

0.69

0.56

Thyroid hormones

12 (10.6)

11 (4.2)

8 (6. 5)

0.28

0.04

Muscle relaxants

10 (8.9)

8 (3.0)

0

< 0.001

0.002

Antibiotics

8 (7.1)

19 (7.2)

6 (4.8)

0.53

0.82

Anti-migraine

7 (6.2)

5 (1.9)

4 (3.2)

0.47

0.047

Amphetamines

5 (4.4)

7 (2.65)

2 (1.6)

0.20

0.37

Glucose-lowering

1 (0.9)

10 (3.8)

4 (3.2)

0.51

0.13

Any category

108 (95.6)

234 (88.6)

112 (90.3)

0.12

0.03

  1. NSAID, Nonsteroid anti-inflammatory drug, HRT, hormone replacement therapy
  2. a Percentages for female hormones are calculated for n = 386 women (n = 92 CFS, n = 201 ISF, and n = 93 Well)