Carlo-Stella, N, Badulli, C, De Silvestri, A et al. · Clinical and experimental rheumatology · 2006
This study looked at genetic variations in immune system genes among Italian ME/CFS patients to see if certain genetic patterns might make some people more prone to developing the condition. Researchers found that patients with ME/CFS were more likely to carry specific genetic variants in two genes (TNF and IFNgamma) that are involved in controlling inflammation. These findings suggest that genetic differences might influence how a person's immune system responds and could play a role in ME/CFS development.
Understanding whether ME/CFS involves genetic predisposition to specific immune responses could eventually help identify which patients are at risk and guide personalized treatment approaches. This was among the first studies to systematically examine cytokine gene variants in ME/CFS, opening a new avenue for investigating the biological basis of the condition.
This study does not prove that these genetic variants cause ME/CFS, only that they are associated with the disease in this sample. The correlation observed does not establish causation, and results require replication in larger, independent populations before clinical significance can be determined. The study also does not address how environmental factors might interact with these genetic variants.
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 →
The first block is for the primary paper and is the citation you should use in research work. The atlas-snapshot line only applies if you are specifically referring to this atlas’s reading of the paper on the date shown.
Primary citation
Carlo-Stella, N, Badulli, C, De Silvestri, A, Bazzichi, L, Martinetti, M, Lorusso, L, et al. (2006). A first study of cytokine genomic polymorphisms in CFS: Positive association of TNF-857 and IFNgamma 874 rare alleles.. Clinical and experimental rheumatology. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16762155/
BibTeX
@article{mecfsatlas-carlo-stella-2006-first-study,
author = {Carlo-Stella, N and Badulli, C and De Silvestri, A and Bazzichi, L and Martinetti, M and Lorusso, L and Bombardieri, S and Salvaneschi, L and Cuccia, M},
title = {A first study of cytokine genomic polymorphisms in CFS: Positive association of TNF-857 and IFNgamma 874 rare alleles.},
journal = {Clinical and experimental rheumatology},
year = {2006},
note = {PubMed: 16762155},
url = {https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/carlo-stella-2006-first-study},
}Atlas snapshot reference
ME/CFS Atlas. Generator v1 / Scanner v1.4 / policy v0.1. Accessed 2026-05-30. https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/carlo-stella-2006-first-study
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