Jonsjö, Martin A, Olsson, Gunnar L, Wicksell, Rikard K et al. · Psychoneuroendocrinology · 2020 · DOI
This study looked at whether low-level inflammation in the blood is connected to ME/CFS symptoms like exhaustion after activity, brain fog, muscle pain, and flu-like illness. Researchers tested 53 ME/CFS patients for various inflammatory markers and found that several of these markers were associated with cognitive problems and pain, though they were surprisingly less connected to post-exertional fatigue. Interestingly, the connection between inflammation and symptoms was different for men and women in some cases.
This study helps identify which inflammatory pathways may underlie specific ME/CFS symptoms, particularly cognitive impairment and pain—offering potential biomarkers for future research and clinical assessment. The finding that sex influences these inflammatory associations suggests that ME/CFS may manifest differently in men and women, which could have implications for personalized treatment approaches.
This study cannot establish that inflammation causes ME/CFS symptoms; it only shows statistical associations. The cross-sectional design means we cannot determine whether inflammation precedes symptoms, follows them, or both. The small sample size limits the strength of conclusions and may not represent all ME/CFS patients.
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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