Glazachev, O S, Dudnik, Е N, Zagaynaya, E E · Zhurnal nevrologii i psikhiatrii imeni S.S. Korsakova · 2017 · DOI
This study tested whether laennec, a human placenta extract given as intravenous infusions, could help patients with ME/CFS. Twenty-four patients received 10 infusions over 5 weeks, while 14 control patients received no treatment. The treated group showed significant improvements in fatigue levels, mood, quality of life, and physical exercise capacity, with no serious side effects reported.
This study addresses a critical gap in ME/CFS treatment by testing an intervention that showed effects on both symptom severity and objective physical performance measures—the latter being particularly important since ME/CFS involves measurable post-exertional malaise. If confirmed in larger trials, placenta extract could represent a novel therapeutic option for this condition with no available standard pharmaceutical treatment.
This study does not establish that laennec is definitively effective for ME/CFS, as the small control group (n=14) and lack of placebo-blinding are significant limitations. The study cannot determine which specific components of placenta extract drive any benefit, nor can it rule out placebo effects. Results from a single Russian center may not generalize to other populations or healthcare settings.
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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