Characteristic chemical signature for chronic fatigue syndrome identified

ScienceDaily ^ | August 29, 2016 | Unattributed

[Seizethecarp]

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a mysterious and maddening condition, with no cure or known cause. But researchers, using a variety of techniques to identify and assess targeted metabolites in blood plasma, have identified a characteristic chemical signature for the debilitating ailment and an unexpected underlying biology: It is similar to the state of dauer, and other hypometabolic syndromes like caloric restriction, diapause and hibernation.

Dauer is the German word for persistence or long-lived. It is a type of stasis in the development in some invertebrates that is prompted by harsh environmental conditions. The findings are published online in the August 29 issue of PNAS.

"Despite the heterogeneity of CFS, the diversity of factors that lead to this condition, our findings show that the cellular metabolic response is the same in patients," said Naviaux. "And interestingly, it's chemically similar to the dauer state you see in some organisms, which kicks in when environmental stresses trigger a slow-down in metabolism to permit survival under conditions that might otherwise cause cell death. In CFS, this slow-down comes at the cost of long-term pain and disability."

Naviaux said the findings show that CFS possesses an objectively identifiable chemical signature in both men and women and that targeted metabolomics, which provide direct small molecule information, can provide actionable treatment information. Only 25 percent of the metabolite disturbances found in each person were needed for the diagnosis of CFS. Roughly 75 percent of abnormalities were unique to each individual, which Naviaux said is useful in guiding personalized treatment.

[nickedknack]

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[Seizethecarp]

Some links related to this successful study:

Open Medicine Foundation:

http://www.openmedicinefoundation.org

Videos about the family that started the Open Medicine Foundation:

Ron Davis (approx 5 mins):
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p035n9g6

Ron Davis’s wife/mother of their son (10 min video):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qafCNm_0tDs

[Seizethecarp]

Here is the link to the PNAS study:

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences:

http://www.pnas.org/content/113/37/E5472

“Significance”

“Chronic fatigue syndrome is a multisystem disease that causes long-term pain and disability. It is difficult to diagnose because of its protean symptoms and the lack of a diagnostic laboratory test. We report that targeted, broad-spectrum metabolomics of plasma not only revealed a characteristic chemical signature but also revealed an unexpected underlying biology. Metabolomics showed that chronic fatigue syndrome is a highly concerted hypometabolic response to environmental stress that traces to mitochondria and was similar to the classically studied developmental state of dauer. This discovery opens a fresh path for the rational development of new therapeutics and identifies metabolomics as a powerful tool to identify the chemical differences that contribute to health and disease.”

[Seizethecarp]

“Naviaux said the findings show that CFS possesses an objectively identifiable chemical signature in both men and women and that targeted metabolomics, which provide direct small molecule information, can provide actionable treatment information. Only 25 percent of the metabolite disturbances found in each person were needed for the diagnosis of CFS.”

Key findings!

1. Objective proof of disease!
2. ONLY 25% of metabolite needed for diagnosis of CFS!

[The Westerner]

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[The Westerner]

Thank you for posting this important news:

“...”Despite the heterogeneity of CFS, the diversity of factors that lead to this condition, our findings show that the cellular metabolic response is the same in patients,” said Naviaux. “And interestingly, it’s chemically similar to the dauer state you see in some organisms, which kicks in when environmental stresses trigger a slow-down in metabolism to permit survival under conditions that might otherwise cause cell death. In CFS, this slow-down comes at the cost of long-term pain and disability.””

Just a beginning, but now there’s a clear direction for research and perhaps treatment for this debillitating condition...and perhaps others.

[Seizethecarp]

You’re welcome. I hope this will cut down on some of the jokes and mockery directed at people with this real illness, mostly because it has a pathetic name!