Rainbow at shoreline

The Massachusetts ME/CFS & FM Association, a 501(c)3 founded in 1985, exists to meet the needs of patients with ME (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis), CFS (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) or FM (Fibromyalgia), their families and loved ones. The Massachusetts ME/CFS & FM Association works to educate health-care providers and the general public regarding these severely-disabling physical illnesses. We also support patients and their families and advocate for more effective treatment and research.

The Journal of Rheumatology, July 2011 issue, published a comprehensive study that examined symptoms in 1,155 Fibromyalgia (FM) patients (i.e. their severity and overall change or stability) on a semi-annual basis for up to 11 years. Initially all patients satisfied the American College of Rheumatology preliminary 2010 FM criteria modified for survey research.

The study revealed, amongst other things, that variability of symptoms caused 44% of patients to fail to meet FM criteria at least once over the study period.

The researchers found that about 10% of patients had substantial improvement and about 15% had moderate improvement of pain over the study period.

Overall, FM severity worsened in 35.9% and pain in 38.6%. This study could help physicians and patients to develop more realistic expectations about the course of FM.

View the abstract and find out how to access the full text article.

Notice about names

The Massachusetts ME/CFS & FM Association would like to clarify the use of the various acronyms for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), Chronic Fatigue & Immune Dysfunction Syndrome (CFIDS) and  Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) on this site. When we generate our own articles on the illness, we will refer to it as ME/CFS, the term now generally used in the United States. When we are reporting on someone else’s report, we will use the term they use. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) and other federal agencies, including the CDC, are currently using ME/CFS. 

Massachusetts ME/CFS & FM Association changed its name in July, 2018, to reflect this consensus.