Comprehensive Fatigue Test

What is the Comprehensive Fatigue Test?

The Comprehensive Fatigue blood test is an extensive test that goes beyond the basic package and specifically looks at inflammation and complete blood counts. This test is suitable for people with severe or long-lasting fatigue that does not improve, or when the basic package did not provide a clear explanation. In addition to all basic tests, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and a complete blood count (CBC) are added to detect active inflammation, infections, and blood disorders that can cause fatigue.

What is tested?

• Vitamin D – For energy, immune system, and bone health
• Vitamin B12 – Essential for energy production and nerve function
• TSH – Thyroid-stimulating hormone
• fT4 – Free thyroxine (active thyroid hormone)
• Glucose – Blood sugar level
• Ferritin – Iron storage in the body (early indicator of iron deficiency)
• ESR (sedimentation) – Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (inflammation)
• CBC complete – Hemoglobin, Platelets, Leukocytes (full blood count) + much more

Why should you have a Comprehensive Fatigue Test?

This test is important when your basic fatigue test results were normal but you are still very tired, or when, in addition to fatigue, you have other symptoms such as fever, weight loss, night sweats, or painful joints. The ESR (sedimentation) is a sensitive marker for inflammation and can indicate autoimmune diseases, infections, or other inflammatory conditions. A complete blood count shows whether there are problems with white blood cells (infections, immune disorders) or platelets. Ferritin is more sensitive than serum iron for detecting iron deficiency. This test requires fasting.

What does it indicate?

The results provide deeper insight into possible causes of persistent fatigue. This comprehensive test measures:

• Inflammatory activity – ESR can indicate rheumatism, autoimmune diseases, chronic infections, or malignancies
• Complete blood counts – Abnormal leukocytes indicate infections or immune disorders; low platelets can cause bleeding tendencies and fatigue
• Iron storage – Ferritin shows iron deficiency before anemia develops
• Basic markers – Vitamins, thyroid, and glucose are also checked

This extensive analysis also helps detect rarer causes of fatigue.

What does a high level mean?

• Elevated ESR – Significant and may indicate severe inflammatory processes, infections, autoimmune diseases such as lupus or rheumatism, or malignancies (always requires follow-up investigation)
• Elevated leukocytes – Indicate infections or inflammation
• High platelets – Can occur with inflammation or bleeding disorders
• Elevated ferritin – May indicate iron overload or acute inflammation (ferritin is an acute phase protein)
• Other abnormalities – Elevated glucose, low TSH have the same meaning as in the basic package

What does a low level mean?

• Low ferritin – Early warning for iron deficiency, should be treated immediately before anemia develops
• Low hemoglobin – Confirms anemia
• Low leukocytes – May indicate immune problems or bone marrow disorders
• Low platelets – Increase bleeding risk
• Low vitamins (D and B12) – Common treatable causes
• Hypothyroidism (high TSH, low fT4) – Causes extreme fatigue, well treatable with medication

The advantage of this comprehensive package is that underlying inflammation and blood disorders, which might otherwise be missed, are also detected.