Australian Guidelines
There are a number of Guidelines that are of relevance to diagnosis here in Australia:
1. 2002 RACP CFS Guidelines - Loblay et al., 'RACP Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Clinical Practice Guidelines' Medical Journal of Australia 2002; 176 (Supplemental): S17-S56.
NOTE: This Guidelines is heavily out of date and has not been reviewed. The treatment options and information within the document have limited utility and are for the most, substantially out of date. These are useful for their description of Total and Permanent Disability. These guidelines utilise the 1994 Fukuda et al Criteria for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.
2. 2003 Canadian Guidelines - Carruthers, et al., 'Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Clinical Case Working Definition, Diagnostic and Treatment Guidelines A Consensus Document' Journal of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome 2003; 11(1): 7 - 115.
NOTE 1: This is the most comprehensive guideline that is currently available.
NOTE 2: The summary document is Carruthers, B.M. and van de Sande, M.I., 'Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Clinical Case Definition and Guidelines for Medical Practitioners, An Overview of the Canadian Consensus Document' 2005 Carruthers B.M. and van de Sande M.I.
Other Guidelines
There are a number of other guidelines that are of assistance to practitioners:
1. 2011 International Consensus Criteria - Carruthers, et al., 'Myalgic encephalomyelitis: International Consensus Criteria' Journal of International Medicine, 2011; 270: 327-338, doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2796.2011.02428.x.
NOTE 1: This document is an attempt to define ME and is a comprehensive analysis of the research developments up until 2011. This criteria has not found acceptance yet, but is arguably a good quality complement to the 2003 document.
2. 2011 Nightingale Research Foundation Definition of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (M.E.) - 2011 definition.
NOTE 1: This is a definition of ME only. It is not a definition of ME/CFS or CFS,
3. Pediatric Case Definition - Jason, et al., 'A Pediatric Case Definition for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome' Journal of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, 2006; 13(2/3): 1-44.
4. Guidelines for Psychiatrists - Stein, E., 'Assessment and Treatment of Patients with ME/CFS: Clinical Guidelines for Psychiatrists', (2005).