Biomedical Insights that Inform the Diagnosis of ME/CFSBrett A. Lidbury, Paul R. Fisher Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is a severe chronic health condition that is often misunderstood or ignored by health establishments. The lack of definitive diagnostic markers to separate ME/CFS patients from the healthy population as well as from other chronic disorders is problematic for both health professionals and researchers. A consortium of Australian researchers gathered to systematically understand ME/CFS, ranging from a deep analysis of clinical and pathology data to metabolomic profiles and the investigation of mitochondrial function. From this broad collaboration, a number of compelling insights have arisen that may form the basis of specific serum, blood, and/or urinary biomarkers of ME/CFS. This Special Edition reports on a conference centred on these biomedical discoveries, with other contributions, with a translation focus for predictive markers for ME/CFS diagnosis. By supporting health professionals with developments in diagnostics for this condition, the patients and their families will hopefully benefit from an improved recognition of the biomedical underpinnings of the condition and will be better able to access the care that is urgently required. This Special Edition contains a mix of speaker submissions and other accepted manuscripts that contributed to our objective of advancing biomedical insights to enable the accurate diagnosis of ME/CFS. |
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abnormalities acid activin activity alteration analysis assessed associated authors Available axis biomarker blood cause cells changes chronic fatigue syndrome Clin clinical cognitive common compared creatine criteria CrossRef cytokines definition diagnostic disease disorder disturbances dysfunction effects encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome energy et al evidence exercise expression factors Figure findings follow-up function genes glucose Health healthy controls identified immune impaired important improvement increased indicated infection inflammation inflammatory International involved levels markers ME/CFS patients measure metabolism mitochondrial muscle myalgic encephalomyelitis Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue natural onset outcome oxidative pain participants pathology pathways patients with chronic physical post-exertional potential prediction present production protein PubMed receptor reduced reported response role sample serum severe showed significant specific standing stress suggested symptoms Table therapy treatment trial tryptophan