Cambras, Trinitat, Zerón-Rugerio, Maria Fernanda, Díez-Noguera, Antoni et al. · International journal of molecular sciences · 2023 · DOI
This study looked at how the bodies of people with ME/CFS respond to position changes and whether problems with their blood vessel function might be involved. Researchers compared 67 women with ME/CFS to 48 healthy women, measuring their blood pressure, heart rate, body temperature patterns, and blood markers related to blood vessel health. They found that people with ME/CFS had higher blood pressure and heart rate, disrupted daily temperature rhythms, and elevated levels of substances in the blood that suggest blood vessel problems.
This research identifies potential biological mechanisms underlying dysautonomia in ME/CFS—specifically endothelial dysfunction and vascular tone dysregulation—which could explain symptoms like orthostatic intolerance and abnormal temperature regulation. Understanding these mechanisms may lead to targeted therapeutic approaches and validates autonomic abnormalities as a core ME/CFS feature worthy of clinical investigation.
This study does not prove that endothelin-1 causes ME/CFS or dysautonomia, only that elevated levels are associated with the condition. The cross-sectional design cannot establish temporal relationships or causality. Results apply primarily to women and cannot be generalized to male or pediatric ME/CFS populations without further research.
About the PEM badge: “PEM required” means post-exertional malaise was an explicit required diagnostic criterion for participant inclusion in this study — not that PEM was studied, observed, or discussed. Studies using criteria that do not require PEM (e.g. Fukuda, Oxford) are tagged “PEM not required”. How the atlas works →
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