Carmel, Liran, Efroni, Sol, White, Peter D et al. · Pharmacogenomics · 2006 · DOI
Researchers examined genes in blood samples from 111 women with unexplained chronic fatigue to see if different types of fatigue had different gene patterns. They used computer analysis to identify specific genes that were active or inactive in different fatigue groups. They found that certain genes were consistently different between fatigued and healthy people, while other genes only differed in specific fatigue subgroups.
This study provides evidence that ME/CFS is not a single homogeneous condition but comprises distinct biological subtypes with different gene expression patterns, which could explain why patients respond differently to treatments. Identifying objective biomarkers through gene expression may eventually help clinicians diagnose ME/CFS more accurately and stratify patients for appropriate interventions.
This study does not establish causation—differences in gene expression may be consequences of fatigue rather than causes. The study was not designed to validate whether these gene profiles predict clinical outcomes or treatment response. Results cannot be generalized to male patients or to different populations, and findings require replication in independent cohorts before clinical application.
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
Carmel, Liran, Efroni, Sol, White, Peter D, Aslakson, Eric, Vollmer-Conna, Ute, & Rajeevan, Mangalathu S (2006). Gene expression profile of empirically delineated classes of unexplained chronic fatigue.. Pharmacogenomics. https://doi.org/10.2217/14622416.7.3.375
BibTeX
@article{mecfsatlas-carmel-2006-gene-expression,
author = {Carmel, Liran and Efroni, Sol and White, Peter D and Aslakson, Eric and Vollmer-Conna, Ute and Rajeevan, Mangalathu S},
title = {Gene expression profile of empirically delineated classes of unexplained chronic fatigue.},
journal = {Pharmacogenomics},
year = {2006},
doi = {10.2217/14622416.7.3.375},
note = {PubMed: 16610948},
url = {https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/carmel-2006-gene-expression},
}Atlas snapshot reference
ME/CFS Atlas. Generator v1 / Scanner v1.4 / policy v0.1. Accessed 2026-05-30. https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/carmel-2006-gene-expression
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