Endocrine Abstracts

Chronic fatigue presenting in the endocrine clinic is often intangible and difficult to assess. From the patients perspective fatigue is very disruptive to quality of life, exacerbates health related anxiety and can trigger functional symptoms. Patients with symptoms of chronic fatigue frequently have multiple contributory components to their symptoms, including endocrine, behavioural, and other medical factors. Investigation and management approaches will depend on whether the patient has existing hormone deficiency or excess, or whether they have been referred for a possible endocrine cause of fatigue without a clear endocrine diagnosis. Optimising endocrine replacement therapy in patients with known endocrine disease is important and can significantly improve quality of life. Validating symptoms, appropriate focussed diagnostics, dovetailed with practical symptom management is essential whether or not and endocrine cause of ongoing fatigue is suspected or identified. These strategies can help direct the fatigued patient towards appropriate management and sustainable quality of life improvement.