How Does The Test Work
Prof. Davis shares the motivation for his research, saying, Too often, is categorized as imaginary. He goes on to explain that physicians often misguidedly test liver, kidney, and heart function, as well as take blood samples and immune cell counts from people who seek help for ME/CFS.
All these different tests would normally guide the doctor toward one illness or another, says Prof. Davis, but for , the results all come back normal. The issue, he adds, is that none of these tests look deep enough.
Instead, their new diagnostic test looks at how a persons immune cells react to stress. Specifically, the scientists used a nanoelectronic assay, which measures small changes in energy to assess the health of immune cells and blood plasma, to see how the immune cells and blood plasma process stress.
To develop the test, the team took advantage of advancements in micro/nanofabrication, direct electrical detection of cellular and molecular properties, microfluidics, and artificial intelligence techniques.
The test detects biomolecular interactions in real time by using thousands of electrodes to create an electrical current, and by using small chambers that contain blood samples with only immune cells and blood plasma.
Inside the small chambers, the immune cells and plasma interact with the electrical current, altering its flow.
We clearly see a difference in the way healthy and chronic fatigue syndrome immune cells process stress.
Prof. Ron Davis
Pathway And Gene Enrichment Analysis
Analysis of predicted and validated miRNA-mRNA interactions was performed with the freely available software MiRTargetLink 2.0 . Gene ontology enrichment analysis was performed using the miEAA tool incorporated into MiRTargetLink 2.0, targets were retrieved, sorted by adjusted p-value, and presented in table format. Selected networks of mRNAs targeted by at least two miRNAs were drawn using Adobe Illustrator software.
Recent Research Into Brain Inflammation Could Also Bring Hope For Me/cfs
Fortunately, recent research breakthroughs in brain inflammation offer promise in not only validating ME/CFS but also its treatment.
Brain inflammation is more common than previously realized and is increasingly linked to myriad conditions other than ME/CFS, including depression, anxiety, childhood brain development disorders, and Alzheimers and Parkinsons disease.
Immune cells in the brain outnumber neurons 10 to one and are vastly more important than previously realized. They are responsible for maintaining neuronal health and function and removing debris and plaque from the brain. However, when the brain is impacted by inflammation from dietary or lifestyle factors or a brain injury, the brains immune cells must abandon their jobs of supporting neuronal health and instead go into persistent warrior mode, damaging brain tissue in the process. Unlike the bodys immune system, the brains has no off switch.
There are no drugs to tame brain inflammation, however, it has been shown to respond to certain botanical compounds and functional medicine protocols that include dietary, lifestyle, and health interventions.
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Children Young People And Me/cfs
ME/CFS can affect people of all ages, including the very young. Young people with ME/CFS, especially children under the age of ten, might have trouble knowing or articulating that something is wrong. They may not realise that their loss of stamina, or other symptoms they are experiencing, are not normal. Alternatively, they may not have the words to describe what they are feeling.
For both younger children and teenagers, schooling can be affected but ME/CFS is not school refusal. While school refusal can often be accompanied by physical complaints , and these complaints may tend to disappear when the young person stays home, the pattern is different with ME/CFS. In a young person with ME/CFS, some symptoms never ease and symptom exacerbation is triggered by activity. In ME/CFS, symptoms are likely to be worse after school attendance, and can reduce with pacing and rest, which includes time away from school or during holidays.
Some young people with ME/CFS can continue to attend school, and others may be too unwell for regular classroom attendance. Parents, healthcare providers, schools and the child or teenager need to work together to come up with a plan for the young persons continued education. This plan needs to take into account the energy limits of ME/CFS. Being creative and flexible is key and might include things like fewer subjects or school from home.
Pacing Activity For People With Me/cfs
Pacing, or keeping within your available energy, is a self-management strategy to help people with ME/CFS make sure that they dont overdo activity or exercise. It reduces the likelihood of triggering PEM and can help reduce symptoms. Pacing is not a cure for ME/CFS and does not treat the underlying, physical cause of the disease.
The goal of pacing is for activity to be sustainable, so that the person can have some stability in their symptoms and what they can do each day. Pacing should be used in conjunction with rest.
The most challenging aspect of pacing is that PEM is very often delayed by as much as 24-48 hours, which can make it difficult to recognise when youve done too much. Using tools like an activity diary or heart rate monitor help you learn about your body and how much activity you can safely tolerate.
Suggestions on how to pace yourself include:
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When Will A Diagnostic Blood Test For Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Be Available
Although a pilot study published in 2019 showed promise for a potential CFS blood test, theres still no singular test that can help diagnose this condition. However, scientists across the globe, such as those involved in Stanfords Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Initiative, are working hard to find new diagnostic and treatment options for CFS.
What Questions Should I Ask My Doctor
- Take along a list of all the symptoms you are experiencing in case you forget some of them during your talk with the doctor or nurse.
- Talk about how much you can do at work or school and around the house.
- Ask if there are any financial supports or services you could apply for.
- Ask for help with pain, sleep and remaining active if these are problems for you.
- Ask about what you should be eating.
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Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Essentials Of Diagnosis And Management
- Alison C. BestedAffiliations
- Lily ChuCorrespondenceCorrespondence: Address to Lily Chu, MD, MSHS, Independent Consultant, 16 Lorton Ave, Unit 4, Burlingame, CA 94010.
- Nancy G. KlimasAffiliationsInstitute for Neuro Immune Medicine, Dr Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL
- Jose G. MontoyaAffiliationsDr Jack S. Remington Laboratory for Specialty Diagnostics, Palo Alto Medical Foundation Research Institute, Palo Alto, CA
- Irma R. ReyAffiliationsInstitute for Neuro Immune Medicine, Dr Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL
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A New Study Looks At The Potential For A Single Blood Test To Detect Chronic Fatigue Syndrome By Measuring How Immune Cells Respond To Stress
Up to 250,000 Australians are affected by the debilitating but poorly understood neurological conditions known as Myalgic Encephalomyelitis and chronic fatigue syndrome .
The symptoms vary in severity, from headaches and pain in muscles and joints, to fatigue to a disabling inability to tolerate light, sound and movement. As a result, sufferers can be bedridden for months or even years. According to ME Australia, people with severe symptoms can have a quality of life similar to patients with cancer or late-stage AIDS.
A commercially available standard diagnostic test for ME/CFS has yet to be developed. And because there is limited knowledge about its causes and a wide range of symptoms, it can be difficult for people with ME/CFS to gain a definitive diagnosis. Treatment options are also limited.
Professor Ron Davis, a biochemist and geneticist at Stanford University, has recently published a paper describing a new tool that could help diagnose ME/CFS. Davis also said the test provides scientific evidence the condition is not psychological in nature.
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Getting Older And Me/cfs
There is very little information on getting older and ME/CFS, however people can develop ME/CFS at any age. Additionally, all of the strategies such as pacing to reduce PEM and managing symptoms still apply. As people age, other problems with their health may also arise, so discussing any new symptoms with their doctor important.
How Does Me/cfs Affect People
ME/CFS affects different people in different ways, some more severely than others. There are four levels of severity of ME/CFS, which give an indication of the level of disability ME/CFS can create:
- mild: 50% reduction in pre-illness activity
- moderate: mostly housebound
- severe: mostly bedridden
- very severe: totally bedridden and need help with basic activities including nutrition and hydration.
The severity of ME/CFS can vary over time. A person living with ME/CFS could be at one level of severity now, then their disease could either improve or deteriorate over time. For some patients, their disease can worsen significantly with no known cause. Other patients have a fluctuating illness where they have better and worse periods, which last for months or years. It is unclear why this happens.
For most people, ME/CFS is a lifelong disease. Full recovery is rare and estimated at less than 10%. For some people with ME/CFS, as time passes and their disease improves, they will find they can do more, but it is a slow and gradual process. However, this is not the case for everyone. Some people find their disease worsens over time, others may remain somewhat stable. With support and pacing, people can often improve their quality of life.
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How Is Cfs Diagnosed
CFS is a very challenging condition to diagnose.
According to the Institute of Medicine, as of 2015, CFS occurs in about 836,000 to 2.5 million Americans. Its estimated, however, that 84 to 91 percent have yet to receive a diagnosis.
There are no medical tests to screen for CFS. Its symptoms are similar to many other conditions. Many people with CFS dont look sick, so doctors may not recognize that they indeed have a health condition.
In order to receive a CFS diagnosis, your doctor will rule out other potential causes and review your medical history with you.
Theyll confirm that you at least have the core symptoms previously mentioned. Theyll also ask about the duration and severity of your unexplained fatigue.
Ruling out other potential causes of your fatigue is a key part of the diagnosis process. Some conditions with symptoms that resemble those of CFS include:
- sleep disorders
The side effects of certain drugs, such as antihistamines and alcohol, can mimic symptoms of CFS as well.
Because of the similarities between symptoms of CFS and many other conditions, its important to not self-diagnose. Talk to your doctor about your symptoms. They can work with you to get relief.
How Will Me/cfs Affect My Quality Of Life
Not everyone will experience the same symptoms so itâs important not to compare people with ME/CFS. People with ME/CFS can have very different experiences of the condition and how long their symptoms last.
The impact of symptoms can be:
As symptoms change over time so does the impact they have on peopleâs lives.
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How Is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Typically Diagnosed
Without an official blood test to help diagnose CFS, it can take years for people to receive a diagnosis. Heres what doctors currently look for when making a diagnosis:
- Substantial impairment: CFS causes significant impairment in someones ability to do activities at home, school, work, or in social settings. This impairment usually comes as a result of severe, persistent fatigue that doesnt get better with rest.
- Post-exertional malaise : After engaging in mental or physical activities, CFS can cause PEM, which is a worsening of chronic fatigue symptoms. PEM tends to appear within 12 to 48 hours after the exertion and can last for days or weeks.
- Trouble sleeping: Chronic fatigue syndrome can cause difficulties sleeping, such as trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, or the inability to feel refreshed after sleeping. Not feeling refreshed even after a full nights sleep is one of the hallmark symptoms of CFS.
- Cognitive difficulties: When someone has CFS, they may struggle with decreased cognitive function. Sometimes referred to as brain fog, cognitive impairment can cause trouble with memory, information processing, concentration, and even language comprehension.
- Orthostatic intolerance: Orthostatic intolerance refers to the development of symptoms, such as dizziness, that happen when moving from a reclining to an upright position. While CFS isnt the only condition to cause this, people with CFS often experience symptoms when sitting or standing up.
Intravenous Magnesium For The Treatment Of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Furthermore, an UpToDate review on Treatment of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome states that Other modalities that have been tried but have not been successful include amantadine, cimetidine, interferon, magnesium, ranitidine, vitamin B12, bovine or porcine liver extract, dialyzable leukocyte extract, essential fatty acids, evening primrose oil, Biobran MGN-3 , exclusion diets, and removal of dental fillings.
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Raman Spectroscopy Analysis Supports Composition Differences In Me/cfs Plasma Evs
Intrigued by the fact that four out of the six physical associated parameters of EVs , corresponding to the size and zeta potential of vesicles were discriminating features selected by our initial PLS-DA model , we decided to further explore the differential nature of ME/CFS EVs by Raman spectroscopy analysis, an approach that has proven to differentiate EVs from various cell sources and has been successfully used to detect ME/CFS specific changes in PBMCs .
Raman analysis of the 15 severe ME/CFS cases and 15 HC EVs isolated from aliquots of the plasma used in our earlier study , clearly show prominent Raman bands at 1,158 and 1,521 cm1 . These bands are characteristic of carotenoids with the CC stretching mode contributing to the 1,158-cm1 band and the C = C stretching mode of the conjugated chain in carotenoids contributing to the 1,510-cm1 band . Further quantification of results for these two bands are shown in Figure 3B, illustrating a significant higher content of carotenoids in ME/CFS patients than in HCs .
Talk With A Doctor About Creating A Treatment Plan That Works For You
Its important to remember that theres no one treatment for CFS. Everyone has different symptoms, so what works for one person may not work for another person.
If youve received a diagnosis of CFS, discuss your symptoms with your doctor and work together to develop a treatment plan thats right for you.
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The ultimate aim of the Morten research group is to bring forward the day when ME/CFS can be cured, through cutting-edge biomedical research. To help achieve this they are crowdfunding for the following five projects:
If you can give any amount to our Crowdfunding Campaign, it will be hugely supported, please click here
Articles On Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Thereâs no simple blood test or X-ray to diagnose chronic fatigue syndrome â also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis . And many of the symptoms of the illness — deep tiredness, unrelieved by rest or sleep, feeling worse after physical or mental exertion, trouble concentrating, feeling worse after standing and remaining on oneâs feet and other symptoms– are also seen in other conditions, too, making the diagnosis of ME/CFS more difficult.
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New Blood Test For Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
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Chronic fatigue syndrome , sometimes known as myalgic encephalomyalitis , is a debilitating and misunderstood disease, more accurately defined by what it isn’t than what it is. With no known cause, few unique symptoms and little else for doctors to go by, reliable and consistent diagnosis is difficult to achieve. Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome and encephalomyelitis disseminata/multiple sclerosis show remarkable levels of similarity in phenomenology and neuroimmune characteristics BMC medicine, 2013.
We clearly see a difference in the way healthy and chronic fatigue syndrome immune cells process stress. Prof. Ron Davis The researchers applied the test to the blood samples of 40 people. Chronic fatigue syndrome , sometimes known as myalgic encephalomyalitis , is a debilitating and misunderstood disease, more accurately defined by what it isn’t than what it is. With no known cause, few unique symptoms and little else for doctors to go by, reliable and consistent diagnosis is difficult to achieve.
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Chronicfatiguesyndrome, or myalgic encephalomyelitis , is a potentially serious, debilitating, long-term illness. As per definition, people with chronicfatiguesyndrome experience fatiguefor longer than six months that prevents them from doing their usual activities.Estimates vary, but approximately 0.5% to 1% of adults meet the criteria for the condition.
How Is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Diagnosed
CFS can be difficult to diagnose. There is no specific test for CFS, and other illnesses can cause similar symptoms. Your health care provider has to rule out other diseases before making a diagnosis of CFS. He or she will do a thorough medical exam, including:
- Asking about your medical history and your familys medical history
- Asking about your current illness, including your symptoms. Your doctor will want to know how often you have symptoms, how bad they are, how long they have lasted, and how they affect your life.
- A thorough physical and mental status exam
- Blood, urine, or other tests
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