Walker, Max · Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.) · 2025 · DOI
This study looked at whether certain molecules in the blood and immune cells could show signs of oxidative stress (cellular damage from harmful molecules called free radicals) in ME/CFS patients. The researchers tested two different markers before and after exercise: one test successfully measured protein damage, while another test designed to measure DNA damage was not sensitive enough to detect changes in this patient group.
Identifying reliable biomarkers for oxidative stress could help clinicians objectively measure disease severity and monitor treatment response in ME/CFS patients. This study provides practical guidance on which measurement methods work and which need improvement, advancing the toolkit for understanding the biochemical basis of ME/CFS and tracking disease progression.
This study does not prove that oxidative stress causes ME/CFS or that reducing oxidative stress will improve symptoms. It also does not establish that the protein carbonyl marker works equally well across all ME/CFS patient populations or stages of disease, as only moderate-functioning patients were tested.
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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Primary citation
Walker, Max (2025). Measuring Biomarkers of Oxidative Stress in ME/CFS Patients.. Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-4498-0_13
BibTeX
@article{mecfsatlas-walker-2025-measuring-biomarkers,
author = {Walker, Max},
title = {Measuring Biomarkers of Oxidative Stress in ME/CFS Patients.},
journal = {Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.)},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.1007/978-1-0716-4498-0_13},
note = {PubMed: 40372686},
url = {https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/walker-2025-measuring-biomarkers},
}Atlas snapshot reference
ME/CFS Atlas. Generator v1 / Scanner v1.4 / policy v0.1. Accessed 2026-05-29. https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/walker-2025-measuring-biomarkers
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