Simpson, L O, Shand, B I, Olds, R J · Pathology · 1986 · DOI
This study examined whether blood flows differently in people with ME/CFS compared to healthy people. Researchers tested blood samples and found that in the early stages of ME/CFS, blood may not flow as easily through tiny blood vessels, which could reduce oxygen delivery to tissues. However, in long-term ME/CFS, these blood flow problems were not observed.
Blood flow problems are a plausible mechanism for ME/CFS symptoms, particularly post-exertional malaise and microvascular dysfunction. This study provides early evidence that rheological changes may distinguish acute from chronic ME/CFS phases, potentially guiding future diagnostic or treatment approaches targeting circulation.
This pilot study does not prove that blood rheology abnormalities cause ME/CFS symptoms or that they are present in all patients. The cross-sectional design cannot establish whether rheological changes precede symptom onset, and the small sample size means findings may not generalize to the broader ME/CFS population. Additionally, correlation between filtration changes and clinical outcomes was not established.
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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