Smirnova, Iva V, Pall, Martin L · Molecular and cellular biochemistry · 2003 · DOI
This study measured a specific type of damage to proteins in the blood of ME/CFS patients compared to healthy people. Researchers found that ME/CFS patients had significantly higher levels of this protein damage, suggesting their cells may be experiencing more oxidative stress—a type of cellular damage similar to rust forming on metal. This finding supports the idea that oxidative stress may be involved in ME/CFS.
This research provides biochemical evidence that oxidative stress—cellular damage from reactive molecules—may be a real biological feature of ME/CFS rather than merely a symptom. Understanding that oxidative damage occurs in ME/CFS could lead to targeted treatments aimed at reducing this damage and potentially improving symptoms.
This study does not prove that oxidative stress causes ME/CFS; elevated protein carbonyls could be a consequence of the disease rather than a cause. The study also does not establish whether reducing oxidative stress would improve symptoms or outcomes in ME/CFS patients, nor does it identify the source of the oxidative stress.
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
Smirnova, Iva V & Pall, Martin L (2003). Elevated levels of protein carbonyls in sera of chronic fatigue syndrome patients.. Molecular and cellular biochemistry. https://doi.org/10.1023/a:1024176016962
BibTeX
@article{mecfsatlas-smirnova-2003-elevated-levels,
author = {Smirnova, Iva V and Pall, Martin L},
title = {Elevated levels of protein carbonyls in sera of chronic fatigue syndrome patients.},
journal = {Molecular and cellular biochemistry},
year = {2003},
doi = {10.1023/a:1024176016962},
note = {PubMed: 12870659},
url = {https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/smirnova-2003-elevated-levels},
}Atlas snapshot reference
ME/CFS Atlas. Generator v1 / Scanner v1.4 / policy v0.1. Accessed 2026-05-26. https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/smirnova-2003-elevated-levels
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