E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional
Enhanced glucocorticoid sensitivity in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.
Gaab, Jens, Rohleder, Nicolas, Heitz, Vera et al.·Acta neuropsychiatrica·2003
This study looked at how the bodies of ME/CFS patients respond to stress hormones called glucocorticoids (particularly cortisol). Researchers gave 21 ME/CFS patients and 20 healthy people a stressful social task, then measured their cortisol levels and how sensitive their immune cells were to glucocorticoids. They found that ME/CFS patients' immune cells were more sensitive to these stress hormones than healthy people's cells, even though their cortisol levels rose similarly to controls.
Immune System