Diagnosing and treating chronic fatigue syndrome by electrocardiographic monitoring of T-waves

• US 5,213,106 A
• Filed: 03/25/1991
• Issued: 05/25/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Albert M. Lerner
• Original Assignee: Albert M. Lerner
• Inventors: Lerner, Albert M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kamm, William E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SCHAETZLE, KENNEDY
• Application Number:
  US07/675,542
• Time in Patent Office: 792 Days
• Field of Search: 128/696, 128/702, 128/704, 128/706, 128/707
• US Class Current: 600/508
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/332 Portable devices specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/336 Magnetic recording apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/349 Detecting specific parameters of the electrocardiograph cycle
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/355 Detecting T-waves
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 15/00 ICT specially adapted for medical reports, e.g. generation or transmission thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

A method for diagnosing chronic fatigue syndrome is performed by electrocardiographically monitoring an ambulatory patient who has unexplainable fatigue and determining the frequency when the T-wave of the ambulatory patient is not positive. This monitoring is preferably performed by a portable monitor and the data is magnetically stored so as to permit subsequent analysis. A treatment is also prescribed, preferably restricting activity and refraining from the intake of alcohol, when there is an excessively high frequency of the T-wave not being positive. Recovery is determined by further electrocardiographic monitoring of the ambulatory patient and noting when the normally positive T-waves are present all, or at least almost all, of the time.

Claims

1. A method for diagnosing chronic fatigue syndrome, comprising:

electrocardiographically monitoring to detect T-waves of an ambulatory patient who has unexplainable fatigue;

determining the T-wave frequency when the T-wave of the ambulatory patient is not positive; and

providing a diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome based on the determination of T-wave frequency.

2. A method as in claim 1 wherein a portable monitor is utilized to perform the electrocardiographic monitoring of the ambulatory patient.

3. A method as in claim 1 wherein the data from the electrocardiographic monitoring is magnetically stored.

4. A method as in claim 1 wherein the number of cycles when the T-wave is not positive during a given time period is utilized as the numerator of a ratio whose denominator is the total number of cycles during said given time period.

5. A method as in claim 1, 2, 3, or 4 wherein the frequency when the T-wave is not positive is determined for a time period when the patient'"'"'s pulse rate is below 100 cycles per minute such as during normal activity.

6. A method as in claim 1, 2, 3, or 4 wherein the frequency when the T-wave is not positive is determined for a time period when the patient'"'"'s pulse rate is between 100 and 120 cycles per minute such as during moderate tachycardia.

7. A method as in claim 1, 2, 3, or 4 wherein the frequency when the T-wave is not positive is determined for a time period when the patient'"'"'s pulse rate is above 120 cycles per minute such as during severe tachycardia.

8. A method as in claim 1, 2, 3, or 4 wherein the frequency when the T-wave is not positive is determined for a given time period regardless of the patient'"'"'s pulse rate.

9. A method for diagnosing chronic fatigue syndrome comprising:

utilizing a portable monitor to electrocardiographically monitor T-waves of an ambulatory patient who has unexplainable fatigue;

magnetically storing the electrocardiographic data of the patient;

determining the T-wave frequency when the T-wave of the patient is not positive; and

providing a diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome based on the determination of T-wave frequency.

10. A method for diagnosing and treating chronic fatigue syndrome, comprising:

electrocardiographically monitoring to detect T-waves of an ambulatory patient who has unexplainable fatigue;

determining the T-wave frequency when the T-wave of the ambulatory patent is not positive; and

prescribing a treatment when there is an excessively high frequency of the T-wave not being positive.

11. A method as in claim 10 wherein the treatment prescribed is selected from the group consisting of restricting activity and refraining from the intake of alcohol.

12. A method as in claim 10 or 11 wherein recovery is monitored by performing further electrocardiographic monitoring of the treated ambulatory patient and determining the frequency when the T-wave is not positive.

13. A method for diagnosing and treating chronic fatigue syndrome, comprising:

utilizing a portable monitor to electrocardiographically monitor T-waves of an ambulatory patient who has unexplainable fatigue;

magnetically storing the electrocardiographic data of the patient;

determining the frequency when the T-wave of the ambulatory patient is not positive; and

prescribing a treatment that includes both restricting activity and refraining from the intake of alcohol when there is an excessively high frequency of the T-wave not being positive.

14. A method as in claim 13 wherein further electrocardiographic monitoring of the treated ambulatory patient is performed with the portable monitor to determine the frequency when the T-wave is not positive in order to determine when the patient has recovered.