De Meirleir, K, Bisbal, C, Campine, I et al. · The American journal of medicine · 2000 · DOI
Researchers found a specific protein (37 kDa) in the blood cells of 88% of ME/CFS patients, compared to only 28% of control subjects. This protein was present in much higher amounts in ME/CFS patients, suggesting it could potentially be used as a blood test to help identify the condition.
A reliable biochemical marker could improve ME/CFS diagnosis, which currently relies on clinical criteria alone. This finding supports evidence of measurable immune system abnormalities in ME/CFS and suggests biological mechanisms may underlie the condition.
This study does not prove the 37 kDa protein causes ME/CFS—it only shows an association. The study cannot establish whether this protein is a consequence of the disease or a contributing factor, and findings require replication in larger, independently verified populations before clinical diagnostic use.
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
De Meirleir, K, Bisbal, C, Campine, I, De Becker, P, Salehzada, T, Demettre, E, et al. (2000). A 37 kDa 2-5A binding protein as a potential biochemical marker for chronic fatigue syndrome.. The American journal of medicine. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0002-9343(99)00300-9
BibTeX
@article{mecfsatlas-de-meirleir-2000-kda-binding,
author = {De Meirleir, K and Bisbal, C and Campine, I and De Becker, P and Salehzada, T and Demettre, E and Lebleu, B},
title = {A 37 kDa 2-5A binding protein as a potential biochemical marker for chronic fatigue syndrome.},
journal = {The American journal of medicine},
year = {2000},
doi = {10.1016/s0002-9343(99)00300-9},
note = {PubMed: 11126321},
url = {https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/de-meirleir-2000-kda-binding},
}Atlas snapshot reference
ME/CFS Atlas. Generator v1 / Scanner v1.4 / policy v0.1. Accessed 2026-05-29. https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/de-meirleir-2000-kda-binding
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