Clinical activity of folinic acid in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.
A high incidence of severe B-cell immunodeficiency and chronic reactivated Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is reported herein. Of the 58 patients evaluated, 100% had evidence of prior EBV exposure and 72% had evidence for reactivated EBV infection. Notably, 94% of CFS patients had B-cell immunodeficiency with a marked depletion of their CD19+IgM+ mature B-lymphocyte population. A remarkable 81% of CFS patients experienced subjective improvement of their symptoms after treatment with folinic acid (CAS 58-05-9, leucovorin). The findings provide unprecedented evidence that CFS frequently is a folinic acid responsive clinical entity accompanied by B-cell immunodeficiency and inappropriate antibody responses to EBV.
Lundell
Kathleen
K
Parker Hughes Institute and Parker Hughes Clinics, St. Paul, MN 55113, USA.
Qazi
Sanjive
S
Eddy
Linda
L
Uckun
Fatih M
FM
D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D015415:Biomarkers; D002213:Capsid / Q000276:immunology; D020031:Epstein-Barr Virus Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology; D015673:Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007153:Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology; D002955:Leucovorin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D010641:Phenotype; D012008:Recurrence
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D015415:Biomarkers; D002955:Leucovorin