Peterson, D, Brenu, E W, Gottschalk, G et al. · Mediators of inflammation · 2015 · DOI
Researchers tested cerebrospinal fluid (the fluid around the brain and spinal cord) from ME/CFS patients and healthy controls to see if immune chemicals called cytokines were different. Out of 27 different immune chemicals tested, they found that only one—called IL-10—was lower in ME/CFS patients. This suggests that immune system problems in the brain and nervous system may play a role in ME/CFS symptoms.
This study is one of very few to directly examine immune markers in the cerebrospinal fluid of ME/CFS patients, providing rare evidence that neuroinflammation may be relevant to the condition. Understanding what happens in the brain and spinal fluid is crucial because many ME/CFS patients report cognitive problems and neurological symptoms, suggesting the nervous system itself may be affected.
This pilot study does not prove that low IL-10 causes ME/CFS or explain what role this reduction plays in the disease. The small sample size (18 patients, 5 controls) limits confidence in the findings, and this single significant result among 27 tests raises the possibility of chance findings. Correlation between IL-10 levels and disease severity or symptoms was not examined.
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 →
Contribute
Private, reviewed by a human. Not a public comment thread.