title: Serum Immune Proteins in Moderate and Severe Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis Patients.
abstract: Immunological dysregulation is present in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME), with recent studies also highlighting the importance of examining symptom severity. This research addressed this relationship between CFS/ME severity subgroups, assessing serum immunoglobulins and serum cytokines in severe and moderate CFS/ME patients. Participants included healthy controls (n= 22), moderately (n = 22) and severely (n=19) affected CFS/ME patients. The 1994 Fukuda Criteria defined CFS/ME and severity scales confirmed mobile and housebound CFS/ME patients as moderate and severe respectively. IL-1β was significantly reduced in severe compared with moderate CFS/ME patients. IL-6 was significantly decreased in moderate CFS/ME patients compared with healthy controls and severe CFS/ME patients. RANTES was significantly increased in moderate CFS/ME patients compared to severe CFS/ME patients. Serum IL-7 and IL-8 were significantly higher in the severe CFS/ME group compared with healthy controls and moderate CFS/ME patients. IFN-γ was significantly increased in severe CFS/ME patients compared with moderately affected patients. This was the first study to show cytokine variation in moderate and severe CFS/ME patients, with significant differences shown between CFS/ME symptom severity groups. This research suggests that distinguishing severity subgroups in CFS/ME research settings may allow for a more stringent analysis of the heterogeneous and otherwise inconsistent illness.
authors.affiliation: National Centre for Neuroimmunology and Emerging Diseases, 9.22, G40 Griffith Health Institute, School of Medical Science, Griffith University, Parklands Drive, 4222, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia.
authors.forename: Sharni Lee
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Hardcastle
authors.affiliation: National Centre for Neuroimmunology and Emerging Diseases, 9.22, G40 Griffith Health Institute, School of Medical Science, Griffith University, Parklands Drive, 4222, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia.
authors.forename: Ekua Weba
authors.initials: EW
authors.lastname: Brenu
authors.affiliation: National Centre for Neuroimmunology and Emerging Diseases, 9.22, G40 Griffith Health Institute, School of Medical Science, Griffith University, Parklands Drive, 4222, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia.
authors.forename: Samantha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Johnston
authors.affiliation: National Centre for Neuroimmunology and Emerging Diseases, 9.22, G40 Griffith Health Institute, School of Medical Science, Griffith University, Parklands Drive, 4222, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia.
authors.forename: Thao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.affiliation: National Centre for Neuroimmunology and Emerging Diseases, 9.22, G40 Griffith Health Institute, School of Medical Science, Griffith University, Parklands Drive, 4222, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia.
authors.forename: Teilah
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Huth
authors.affiliation: National Centre for Neuroimmunology and Emerging Diseases, 9.22, G40 Griffith Health Institute, School of Medical Science, Griffith University, Parklands Drive, 4222, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia.
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ramos
authors.affiliation: National Centre for Neuroimmunology and Emerging Diseases, 9.22, G40 Griffith Health Institute, School of Medical Science, Griffith University, Parklands Drive, 4222, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia.
authors.forename: Donald
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Staines
authors.affiliation: National Centre for Neuroimmunology and Emerging Diseases, 9.22, G40 Griffith Health Institute, School of Medical Science, Griffith University, Parklands Drive, 4222, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia.
authors.forename: Sonya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Marshall-Gradisnik
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018925:Chemokines / Q000097:blood; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D015673:Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D018925:Chemokines; D016207:Cytokines; D007136:Immunoglobulins
keywords: Chronic Fatigue Syndrome; Cytokine; Immunoglobulin; Inflammation; Serum Protein