Hokama, Yoshitsugi, Empey-Campora, Cara, Hara, Cynthia et al. · Journal of clinical laboratory analysis · 2008 · DOI
This study looked for specific molecules in the blood of ME/CFS patients that might be related to mitochondria (the energy-producing parts of cells). Researchers found that over 91% of ME/CFS patients had elevated levels of these molecules, similar to what was seen in people with other conditions linked to toxins. The study suggests these molecules might be a biological marker—like a sign—of ME/CFS, comparable to well-known inflammation markers in other diseases.
This research provides preliminary evidence that ME/CFS may involve detectable immune responses to mitochondrial lipids, which could eventually help develop a blood-based biomarker for diagnosis. Understanding shared molecular features with toxin-related illnesses may illuminate common pathogenic pathways. These findings could support recognition of ME/CFS as a biomedically measurable condition.
This study does not establish that these phospholipids cause ME/CFS or prove they are disease-specific—similar markers appear in other conditions. Cross-sectional design means causality cannot be determined, and the clinical significance of these antibodies remains unclear. The study does not validate these markers as diagnostic tests or show they correlate with symptom severity or disease progression.
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
Hokama, Yoshitsugi, Empey-Campora, Cara, Hara, Cynthia, Higa, Nicole, Siu, Nathaniel, Lau, Rachael, et al. (2008). Acute phase phospholipids related to the cardiolipin of mitochondria in the sera of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), chronic Ciguatera fish poisoning (CCFP), and other diseases attributed to chemicals, Gulf War, and marine toxins.. Journal of clinical laboratory analysis. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcla.20217
BibTeX
@article{mecfsatlas-hokama-2008-acute-phase,
author = {Hokama, Yoshitsugi and Empey-Campora, Cara and Hara, Cynthia and Higa, Nicole and Siu, Nathaniel and Lau, Rachael and Kuribayashi, Tina and Yabusaki, Kenichi},
title = {Acute phase phospholipids related to the cardiolipin of mitochondria in the sera of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), chronic Ciguatera fish poisoning (CCFP), and other diseases attributed to chemicals, Gulf War, and marine toxins.},
journal = {Journal of clinical laboratory analysis},
year = {2008},
doi = {10.1002/jcla.20217},
note = {PubMed: 18348309},
url = {https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/hokama-2008-acute-phase},
}Atlas snapshot reference
ME/CFS Atlas. Generator v1 / Scanner v1.4 / policy v0.1. Accessed 2026-05-30. https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/hokama-2008-acute-phase
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