Myhill, Sarah, Booth, Norman E, McLaren-Howard, John · International journal of clinical and experimental medicine · 2009
This study tested whether people with ME/CFS have problems with how their cells produce energy. Researchers developed a blood test called the 'ATP profile' that measures five different factors related to mitochondrial function—the parts of cells responsible for energy production. They compared 71 patients with ME/CFS to 53 healthy controls and found a strong connection between mitochondrial dysfunction and illness severity, suggesting energy problems may underlie ME/CFS symptoms.
If mitochondrial dysfunction is indeed a core mechanism in ME/CFS rather than a secondary effect, this could shift treatment approaches from symptom management toward addressing underlying cellular energy production problems. The ATP profile test offers potential for objective biological diagnosis and personalized treatment recommendations based on which specific mitochondrial functions are impaired in each patient.
This study does not prove that mitochondrial dysfunction *causes* ME/CFS—it only demonstrates association; the dysfunction could be secondary to other disease processes. The study does not establish whether the ATP profile test accurately predicts treatment response, nor does it validate whether the proposed supplements and interventions actually improve patient outcomes. The cross-sectional design cannot establish temporal relationships or causality.
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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