title: Humoral and cellular immune responses after influenza vaccination in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a clinical condition characterized by severe and disabling fatigue that is medically unexplained and lasts longer than 6 months. Although it is possible to effectively treat CFS, the nature of the underlying physiology remains unclear. Various studies have sought evidence for an underlying disturbance in immunity. The aim of this study was to compare the humoral and cellular immune responses upon influenza vaccination in CFS patients and healthy controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Identical antibody titers were observed in CFS patients and healthy controls. Patients and controls demonstrated similar seroprotection rates against all three virus-strains of the influenza vaccine, both pre- and post-vaccination. Functional T cell reactivity was observed in both CFS patients and healthy controls. CFS patients showed a non-significant, numerically lower cellular proliferation at baseline compared to controls. Vaccination induced a significant increase in cellular proliferation in CFS patients, but not in healthy controls. Cytokine production and the number of regulatory T cells were comparable in patients and controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The humoral and cellular immune responses upon influenza vaccination were comparable in CFS patients and healthy controls. Putative aberrations in immune responses in CFS patients were not evident for immunity towards influenza. Standard seasonal influenza vaccination is thus justified and, when indicated, should be recommended for patients suffering from CFS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Geert Grooteplein Zuid 8, 6525, GA, Nijmegen, the Netherlands. h.prinsen@onco.umcn.nl
authors.forename: Hetty
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Prinsen
authors.forename: I Jolanda M
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: de Vries
authors.forename: Ruurd
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Torensma
authors.forename: Jeanette M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Pots
authors.forename: Sasja F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Mulder
authors.forename: Carla M L
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: van Herpen
authors.forename: Lammy D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Elving
authors.forename: Gijs
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bleijenberg
authors.forename: Foekje F
authors.initials: FF
authors.lastname: Stelma
authors.forename: Hanneke W M
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: van Laarhoven
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000917:Antibody Formation / Q000276:immunology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015673:Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006385:Hemagglutination Inhibition Tests; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular / Q000276:immunology*; D056724:Immunity, Humoral / Q000276:immunology*; D007252:Influenza Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014611:Vaccination
chemical_list: D007252:Influenza Vaccines