Gary P Wormser1, Eugene D Shapiro. 1. Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, New York Medical College, Munger Pavilion Room 245, Valhalla, NY 10595, USA. gary_wormser@nymc.edu
Abstract
BACKGROUND: "Post-Lyme disease syndrome" refers to prolonged subjective symptoms after antibiotic treatment and resolution of an objective manifestation of Borrelia burgdorferi infection (Lyme disease). "Chronic Lyme disease" is a vaguely defined term that has been applied to patients with unexplained prolonged subjective symptoms, whether or not there was or is evidence of B. burgdorferi infection. OBJECTIVE: To determine if the population of patients with chronic Lyme disease differs from the populations of patients with either Lyme disease or post-Lyme disease syndrome by examining the gender of patients with these diagnoses. METHODS: Data on gender were compiled in this cross-sectional study based on a systematic review of published studies of antibiotic treatment in United States patients with post-Lyme disease syndrome (n = 184) or chronic Lyme disease (n = 490), and on cases of adults with Lyme disease reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from 2003 to 2005 (n = 43,282). RESULTS: Patients with chronic Lyme disease were significantly more likely to be female than were patients diagnosed with either Lyme disease (odds ratio [OR] 2.42, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.98-2.94, p < 0.0001) or with post-Lyme disease syndrome (OR 2.32, 95% CI 1.62-3.34, p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with chronic Lyme disease differ with regard to gender from those with either B. burgdorferi infection or post-Lyme disease syndrome. This finding suggests that illnesses with a female preponderance, such as fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, or depression, may be misdiagnosed as chronic Lyme disease.
BACKGROUND: "Post-Lyme disease syndrome" refers to prolonged subjective symptoms after antibiotic treatment and resolution of an objective manifestation of Borrelia burgdorferi infection (Lyme disease). "Chronic Lyme disease" is a vaguely defined term that has been applied to patients with unexplained prolonged subjective symptoms, whether or not there was or is evidence of B. burgdorferi infection. OBJECTIVE: To determine if the population of patients with chronic Lyme disease differs from the populations of patients with either Lyme disease or post-Lyme disease syndrome by examining the gender of patients with these diagnoses. METHODS: Data on gender were compiled in this cross-sectional study based on a systematic review of published studies of antibiotic treatment in United States patients with post-Lyme disease syndrome (n = 184) or chronic Lyme disease (n = 490), and on cases of adults with Lyme disease reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from 2003 to 2005 (n = 43,282). RESULTS:Patients with chronic Lyme disease were significantly more likely to be female than were patients diagnosed with either Lyme disease (odds ratio [OR] 2.42, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.98-2.94, p < 0.0001) or with post-Lyme disease syndrome (OR 2.32, 95% CI 1.62-3.34, p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS:Patients with chronic Lyme disease differ with regard to gender from those with either B. burgdorferiinfection or post-Lyme disease syndrome. This finding suggests that illnesses with a female preponderance, such as fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, or depression, may be misdiagnosed as chronic Lyme disease.
Authors: Daniel Cameron; Andrea Gaito; Nick Harris; Gregory Bach; Sabra Bellovin; Kenneth Bock; Steven Bock; Joseph Burrascano; Constance Dickey; Richard Horowitz; Steven Phillips; Laurence Meer-Scherrer; Bernard Raxlen; Virginia Sherr; Harold Smith; Pat Smith; Raphael Stricker Journal: Expert Rev Anti Infect Ther Date: 2004 Impact factor: 5.091
Authors: Henry M Feder; Barbara J B Johnson; Susan O'Connell; Eugene D Shapiro; Allen C Steere; Gary P Wormser; W A Agger; H Artsob; P Auwaerter; J S Dumler; J S Bakken; L K Bockenstedt; J Green; R J Dattwyler; J Munoz; R B Nadelman; I Schwartz; T Draper; E McSweegan; J J Halperin; M S Klempner; P J Krause; P Mead; M Morshed; R Porwancher; J D Radolf; R P Smith; S Sood; A Weinstein; S J Wong; L Zemel Journal: N Engl J Med Date: 2007-10-04 Impact factor: 91.245
Authors: Meghan L McCarthy; Rebecca Reece; Sara E Vargas; Jennie Johnson; Jennifer Adelson-Mitty; Timothy Flanigan Journal: R I Med J (2013) Date: 2020-12-01
Authors: Franc Strle; Gary P Wormser; Paul Mead; Kanthi Dhaduvai; Michael V Longo; Omosalewa Adenikinju; Sandeep Soman; Yodit Tefera; Vera Maraspin; Stanka Lotrič-Furlan; Katarina Ogrinc; Jože Cimperman; Eva Ružić-Sabljić; Daša Stupica Journal: PLoS One Date: 2013-05-30 Impact factor: 3.240