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CHRONIC FATIGUE SYNDROME |
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Exclusively Online* Media CoverageThis list represents original content posted to news and information web sites. “Cheap & Easy Remedies for Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue Syndrome” are offered by Adrienne Dellwo, Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome blogger on About.com. (12/29/11) Dr. Ian Lipkin, director of the Center for Infection and Immunity at Columbia University and lead researcher for the NIH’s XMRV study, posted a note to the CFS community on the Center’s blog. “A Message from CII Director W. Ian Lipkin Regarding the XMRV/MLV CFS/ME Study” notes that the study will continue and points out that “…any finding related to a retrovirus, whether infectious or noninfectious, genetic material, protein, or antibody, may provide insights into disease or allow development of diagnostic tests even if a causative relationship is not established.” He also acknowledges criticism about the study continuing in the face of the retraction of the XMRV and MLV papers in “Science” and “PNAS” and responds: “For those who continue to express concerns that this study is an inappropriate use of resources in a challenging fiscal environment, please be assured that more than 85% of the funding associated with this initiative is invested in patient recruitment and characterization and sample collection, archiving, and distribution. Thus, irrespective of study outcome there will be unprecedented opportunity to explore hypotheses other than that disease is due to XMRV or MLV infection.” (12/28/11) Adrienne Dellwo, Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome blogger on About.com provides goal-setting guidance for New Year’s resolutions. (“Setting Goals for the New Year With Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue Syndrome”) (12/28/11) A post on About.com’s Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome page links readers to resources to help tackle “Sleep Problems in Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.” (12/26/11) Adrienne Dellwo, Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome blogger on About.com describes research into “Heart Abnormalities in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.” She reports on two studies that confirm several cardiac irregularities in CFS patients, including low nocturnal heart rate variability, small left ventricle (in one subgroup), postural tachycardia, short QT interval, abnormal cardiac wall motion with exercise (in certain subgroups) and low blood volume and reduced cardiac function.(12/23/11) HealthCanal.com also reports that researchers at the University of Liverpool (UK) “are the first to implement a newly developed technique that is more sensitive to identifying mitochondrial function within the muscle’s fibres. [They] anticipate that these new methods will demonstrate whether skeletal muscle mitochondria in patients with CFS are dysfunctional, which would result in muscle fatigue and further complications leading to chronic inflammation and pain.” (“Study to reveal causes of chronic fatigue syndrome”) (12/21/11)
Web site HealthCanal.com notes a grant made by the UK’s Medical Research Council to researchers at Newcastle University to “fund new projects to investigate the mechanisms and underlying biological processes involved in the illness, which could eventually lead to better diagnosis and the development of more effective treatments” in an article titled, “New research into causes of debilitating condition.” (12/21/11) The FoxBusiness web site opens a story about “How To Plan Your Finances for a Chronic Illness” with the example of a CFS patient who purchased long-term disability insurance. The story offers several tips for preparing for life with a chronic illness. (12/21/11)
A post on About.com’s Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome page describes Raynaud’s syndrome, a condition where extremities are subjected to dysregulations in temperature due to decreased blood flow. The condition is often co-morbid with CFS and fibromyalgia. (“Raynaud's Syndrome in Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue Syndrome”) (12/16/11) Web site newswise announces that well-known CFS researcher and clinician Dr. Nancy Klimas has left the University of Miami to move her research practice to Nova Southeastern University in Davie, Fla. There, she will “establish the NSU College of Osteopathic Medicine’s Institute for Neuro-Immune Medicine, which will conduct cutting-edge research and treat patients suffering from CFS/ME and Gulf War Illness (GWI).” Her clinical practice will remain at her new Chronic Fatigue Center in Kendall, Fla. (“One of the World’s Leading Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Researchers Joins NSU”)
(12/12/11)
A post on About.com’s Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome page notes “Conflicting Approaches to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Mayo Clinic ‘Goes British’.” Blogger Adrienne Dellwo explains the conflicting views of the cause of CFS (viral versus biopsychosocial) and states her opinion: “…because we've got different definitions and different views of ME/CFS, I believe we're incorrectly labeling different conditions as the same thing.” (12/12/11) The Rocky Mountain CFIDS Association hosted the Association’s Scientific Director, Dr. Suzanne Vernon, at its fall meeting, held December 6, 2011. The organization posted videos of her presentation about the state of CFS research on YouTube. (12/8/11) Web site HealthCanal.com describes the launch of a new study by researchers at the University of Leicester in the UK that will “look in-depth at visual issues in ME/CFS patients. The researchers hope that collecting medical evidence of such symptoms could aid in the diagnosis and treatment of ME/CFS.” (12/8/11) About.com’s Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome pages reports on a study that recorded “Structural Brain Changes in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.” British “researchers used a type of neuroimaging called voxel-based morphometry, which allows them to map the brain and look for anatomical abnormalities. They say the results showed reductions in grey matter” and in white matter in various parts of the brain. They theorize that these reductions may be responsible for memory impairment, vision processing and differences in intended and actual movements. (12/5/11) Science Daily notes a study conducted by researchers from the University of Zurich that found that “The head plays a key role in tiring endurance performances. They have discovered a mechanism in the brain that triggers a reduction in muscle performance during tiring activities and ensures that one's own physiological limits are not exceeded. For the first time, the study demonstrates empirically that muscle fatigue and changes in the interaction between neuronal structures are linked.” These are the results of the final of a three-part series of experiments and published in the “European Journal of Neuroscience” that could have significant implications in the diagnosis and treatment of CFS. (“How Muscle Fatigue Originates in the Head”) (12/5/11)
Adrienne Dellwo, About.com’s Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome pages blogger, posts information about “Sex With Fibromyalgia or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.” It lists some obstacles to enjoying intimacy, including self image, brain chemistry and fear, and offers suggestions and resources to help those with FM and CFS overcome them. (11/28/11) About.com’s Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome pages include a post titled, “Panic Disorder in Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue Syndrome” and links to resources to help patients cope with crowds and more. (11/25/11) Columbia University professor of virology Dr. Vincent Racaniello’s popular virology blog hosts a comprehensive view of CFS, with a particular look at the role of the CDC in naming, researching, diagnosing and treating the illness, written by David Tuller of the “New York Times.” (“Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and the CDC: A Long, Tangled Tale”)
(11/23/11)
In the spirit of the start of the holiday season, About.com’s Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome pages posts holiday shopping survival tips. (“Survive Holiday Shopping With Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue Syndrome”) (11/18/11) The affect of CFS on jazz pianist Keith Jarrett is mentioned in a review of his new album, “Rio” on the all about jazz website. (“Keith Jarrett: Rio (2011)”) (11/15/11) The Voice of Russia, a Russian radio station, asks “Feel tired anyone?” The website story offers a basic education in CFS but quotes a physician who recommends treatments including “…a three month sanatorium course with compulsory body massages, long walks, intensive psychotherapy, gradual increase of physical exercise and softly stimulating immune remedies.” (11/14/11) A story on the Better Health website reports on a study published in the “Journal of Epidemiology” that assessed the health status of 5,469 deployed Gulf War veterans compared to 3,353 non-deployed veterans. “At 10 year follow up, the deployed veterans were more likely to report persistent poor health. The measures were functional impairment, limitation of activities, repeated clinic visits, recurrent hospitalization, perception of health as fair or poor, chronic fatigue syndrome illness and post-traumatic stress disorder.” (“Study Shows That Deployed Veterans Have Worse Health Than Their Non-Deployed Counterparts”) (11/13/11) WTXF-TV, the Philadelphia FOX affiliate, posts details about “Chronic Fatigue Syndrome & Fibromylagia” from the CDC and the American College of Rheumatology on its website. (11/13/11) Local website Hudson Patch includes CFS patient and author Laura Hillenbrand’s book, “Unbroken,” on a list of “Veterans Day Book Recommendations.” (11/11/11) Online newsletter CounterPunch profiles CFS patient and jazz pianist Keith Jarrett, including mention of his illness. (“Flying Solo With Keith Jarrett”) (11/11/11) Health Central blogger Karen Lee Richards writes about new DNA technology developed by pharmaceutical companies Hemispherx and Chronix to produce a diagnostic blood test for CFS. The information was presented at the September 2011 IACFS/ME meeting and in a conference call hosted by Hemispherx. (“Diagnostic Blood Test for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome May Be On the Horizon”) (11/09/11) WFMY-TV Channel 2 in Greensboro, N.C., offers an incomplete look at CFS on its website. While the illness’s symptoms are generally correct, the story is full of speculation about the causes of the illness and suggests various forms of exercise as treatments, among other inaccuracies. (“Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Warning Signs”) (North Carolina) (11/6/11) “Sleep Differences Separate Fibromyalgia From Chronic Fatigue Syndrome,” notes a post on About.com’s FM and CFS pages in a report on a study published in the journal “Sleep.” Among the findings are evidence that “ME/CFS-only participants were more likely than healthy people to wake up from REM sleep” and confirmation of earlier research pointing to abnormal sleep patterns in FMS and ME/CFS. (11/9/11)
About.com’s FM and CFS blogger Adrienne Dellwo offers tips to build a better relationship with healthcare providers in a post titled, “‘Nightmare Patients’ With Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.” (11/7/11) Web site 7th Space Interactive describes a study published in “International Journal for Equity in Health” in which British researchers report on the “need for equity in health and social care expressed by adults living with CFS/ME.” In the study of “35 adults with CFS/ME in England, purposively selected to provide variation in clinical presentations, social backgrounds and illness experiences, ... [p]articipants emphasised needs for personalised, timely and sustained support to alleviate CFS/ME impacts and regain life control, in three thematic areas : (1) Illness symptoms, functional limitations and illness management; (2) practical support and social care; (3) financial support. Access of people with CFS/ME to support from health and social services was seen to be constrained by barriers stemming from social, cultural, organisational and professional norms and practices, further heightened for disadvantaged groups including some ethnic minorities.” The scientists concluded that changes in attitudes and the inclusion of patients in healthy policy decision-making are needed to address these issues. (“Social Support Needs For Equity In Health And Social Care: A Thematic Analysis Of Experiences Of People With Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/ Myalgic Encephalomyelitis”) (11/02/11)
msnbc reports that “[p]robiotics, or ‘good bacteria,’ may lower levels of inflammation in the body, which could benefit patients who have inflammatory diseases such as ulcerative colitis, a new study says. Inflammation normally helps your body fight off infection, but chronically high levels of it may cause swelling and pain and damage tissues. Psoriasis, ulcerative colitis and chronic fatigue syndrome are all disease in which inflammation is thought to play a role. In the new study, patients with one of these conditions who took the probiotic bacteria B. infantis for eight weeks had lower levels of inflammation compared with those who took a placebo. And healthy people who took probiotics also saw a reduction in inflammation compared with those who took a placebo.” The results will be presented at the annual meeting of the American College of Gastroenterology this week. (“Probiotics do ease gut problems, several studies show”) (10/31/11)
Adrienne Dellwo, blogger on About.com’s Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome page highlights the use of neurostimulants to treat CFS. (“ADD/ADHD Drugs for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome”) (10/29/11) Shine, a website from Yahoo!Canada posts “When chronic fatigue has you sleeping on the job – literally,” a thorough guide to CFS that includes the story of Jeanne Samonas, CFS patient and chair of the International Awareness Day for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, among others. (10/25/11) About.com’s CFS and FM blogger Adrienne Dellwo posts a helpful guide to “Dealing With Stress.” Noting that “Stress is the enemy when you have fibromyalgia (FMS) or chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS),” she includes links to resources on topics including stress basics, health affects, coping and relationships. (10/18/11) Simply stated, the blog of “Real Simple” magazine, hosts an online book club for which “Laura Hillenbrand Answers Your Questions About Unbroken.” Contributor Maura Fritz notes that CFS patient and author “…won raves for her captivating account of the unlikely champion of the racetrack. But she won admiration, too, for the fact that she’d written the book while suffering from a chronic fatigue syndrome that often left her unable to leave her bed, let alone her home.” (10/18/11) Website Everyday Health profiles CFS clinician and researcher Dr. Lucinda Bateman of Salt Lake City, Utah; she describes the work of the Fatigue Consultation Clinic, which she founded in 1999; who influenced her decision to enter medicine; and her “three top musts for fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome management.” (10/14/11) About.com posts “Flu Shots With Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue Syndrome,” a guide to helping CFS patients make the best decision about taking a flu shot, on its Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome page. (10/8/11) 7th Space Interactive, a science website, reports on a study published in the online journal “BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine” in which researchers undertook a systematic review from 17 sources of randomized controlled trials (RCT) of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) treatments in patients with CFS/ME. Studies of “any type of CAM therapy used for treating CFS were included, with the exception of acupuncture and complex herbal medicines.” The researchers concluded, “The results of our systematic review provide limited evidence for the effectiveness of CAM therapy in relieving symptoms of CFS. However, we are not able to draw firm conclusions concerning CAM therapy for CFS due to the limited number of RCTs for each therapy, the small sample size of each study and the high risk of bias in these trials.” (“Complementary and Alternative Medicine for Patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: a Systematic Review”) (10/7/11) In “NIH Undiagnosed Diseases Program documents two-year pilot as clinic of last resort,” website Health Canal reports on the first two years of work of the Undiagnosed Diseases Program (UDP) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). A report published online in the journal “Genetics in Medicine” “… focuse[d] on 160 patients of the total 326 cases accepted into the program. More than half of the accepted patients had undiagnosed neurological problems. Other prominent disorder categories include gastrointestinal disease; fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome; immune-mediated and rheumatic illnesses; psychiatric conditions; pain; dermatologic disorders; and cardiovascular disease. So far, most of the solved cases — 37 of 39 cases for which the UDP team arrived at a diagnosis — involved diseases previously encountered in the world of medicine, according to UDP authors.” (10/6/11)
Local news website SanJuanCapistranoPatch includes news of an important settlement under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act for a student with CFS; “a high schooler diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome and his parent sued the Capistrano Unified School District over disagreements about when he should return to campus. … The minor claims the defendants acted with deliberate indifference when they, against his treating physician’s advice, unilaterally decided to cease home instruction and demand he attend a public school campus five days per week,” according to the suit, which the district paid $130,000 to settle. (10/5/11) Website SciVerse reports on “Evidence for inflammation and activation of cell-mediated immunity in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS): Increased interleukin-1, tumor necrosis factor-a, PMN-elastase, lysozyme and neopterin,” a study set to publish in the “Journal of Affective Disorders.” Researchers noted, “There is evidence that inflammatory pathways and cell-mediated immunity (CMI) play an important role in the pathophysiology of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS). …Given the broad spectrum inflammatory state in ME/CFS, the aim of this study was to examine whether inflammatory and CMI biomarkers are increased in individuals with ME/CFS. In this study we therefore measured plasma interleukin-(IL)1, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)a, and PMN-elastase, and serum neopterin and lysozyme in 107 patients with ME/CFS, 37 patients with chronic fatigue (CF), and 20 normal controls. … Serum IL-1, TNFa, neopterin and lysozyme are significantly higher in patients with ME/CFS than in controls and CF patients. Plasma PMN-elastase is significantly higher in patients with ME/CFS than in controls and CF patients and higher in the latter than in controls.” (10/03/11) About.com’s Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome page includes a short post about “GABA & Glutamate: Their Roles in Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.” These neurotransmitters “…appear to be disordered in at least some cases of fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome, but their roles in each condition seem to be quite different.” The post provides links to additional information on the About site. (9/29/11) About.com’s Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome page posts “GABA & Glutamate: Their Roles in Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue Syndrome,” a brief explanation of the neurotransmitters GABA and glutamate, which “appear to be disordered in at least some cases of fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome, but their roles in each condition seem to be quite different.” (9/29/11) Adrienne Dellwo, About.com’s FM & CFS blogger, offers up early her tips for a successful holiday season in “Christmas in September With Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.” (9/19/11) About.com looks at the relationship between “Thyroid Disease in Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome” and includes links to resources on the site’s thyroid pages. (9/19/11) Website netdoctor publishes the results of “New research reveals economic cost of ME and CFS,” a study done by researchers at the University of Bristol in the UK who examined data on 2,170 patients and determined that “ME and CFS cause lost earnings of more than £102 million a year in the UK, as a result of the illnesses' impact on employment and productivity.” (9/15/11)
The Health blog of the Wall Street Journal announces the launch of the Chronic Fatigue Initiative, a venture-capital like effort that will pump more than $10 million into CFS research through 2014. “The initiative wants to fund projects that hunt for the causes of the illness, the creation of a central bio-bank for blood and other biological specimens and the development of a cohort of 200 patients and 200 healthy controls for studies,” notes the post. (“Applying Venture Philanthropy to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome”) (9/15/11)
ProHealth reports on “CDC study may link expression of two genes to CFS: Relate to learning/memory and sleep-wake cycle,” published in the journal Neuropsychobiology. Investigators noted that, “There is no consistent evidence of specific gene(s) or molecular pathways that contribute to the pathogenesis, therapeutic intervention or diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS).” Among their findings, made using “a novel convergent functional genomics approach,” “[t]wo genes, glutamate receptor, ionotropic, kinase 2 (GRIK2) and neuronal PAS domain protein 2 (NPAS2), were identified by both [single-nucleotide polymorphism] and gene expression analyses.” (9/14/11) WebMD publishes “Stomach bug linked to IBS and chronic fatigue,” about the results of a Norwegian study published in the journal “Gut” that suggests a link between giardiasis, a parasitic infection, and CFS and irritable bowel syndrome. Following a 2004 giardiasis outbreak in Norway, a team of researchers at University of Bergen followed 817 people who had laboratory-confirmed Giardia infection during this period, and 1,128 matched controls who were not affected. They report that three years after the outbreak, 46.1 percent of the people who were exposed to Giardia reported irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), compared to 14 percent in the control group. The same percentage – 46.1 percent – of the exposed group reported chronic fatigue, compared with 12 percent of controls. (9/12/11)
About.com’s Adrienne Dellwo reports on the site’s FM and CFS pages about a “Possible Fibromyalgia Drug Moves Forward.” According to the story, “The U.S. Patent Office has issued a new patent to Chelsea Therapeutics for its drug droxidopa as a fibromyalgia treatment, according to the company. … Droxidopa is a synthetic version of a substance your body uses to make the neurotransmitter/hormone norepinephrine. … Studies have shown that this drug can improve fatigue, weakness, concentration, and orthostatic hypotension (blood pressure drop upon standing, which causes dizziness) in several conditions. The drug is not yet approved in the U.S. for any use. However, it is currently in phase 2 trials for chronic fatigue syndrome and phase 3 trials for orthostatic hypotension in Parkinson’s disease.” (9/12/11) The website of The Baptist Standard includes a review of CFS patient and author Laura Hillenbrand’s latest book, “Unbroken.” Reviewer James Denison calls it “one of the best nonfiction works I’ve ever read” and notes in mentioning her illness, “The woman who wrote his story models the perseverance she admires in Zamperini. … It is difficult to imagine the sacrifice she made to give the world two historical works of such brilliance and beauty.” (9/8/11) About.com’s Adrienne Dellwo describes “The Brain-Gut Connection in Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue Syndrome” in a September 7 post on the site’s Fibromyalgia & CFS pages. She cites “[n]ew research demonstrat[ing] that bacteria in the digestive tract can have a direct influence on neurotransmitter function in the brain … Researchers say the bacteria Lactobacillus rhamnosus, when fed to mice, altered receptors for the neurotransmitter GABA, which calms the brain. GABA dysregulation is implicated in depression, anxiety and irritable bowel syndrome, as noted in the study, and also in fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome.” The study, “Ingestion of Lactobacillus strain regulates emotional behavior and central GABA receptor expression in a mouse via the vagus nerve” was published in the “Proceedings of the National Academy of Science.” (9/7/11) “How Much Research is Being Done on Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?” asks About.com’s Fibromyalgia & CFS blogger Adrienne Dellwo. In this commentary post, she notes, “Before I started this job, about 4 years ago, I had no idea how much research was going on. It's actually quite a bit. Not as much as it should be, granted, but you might be surprised to learn that new research is coming out every week, and studies are getting underway all the time. A quick search of PubMed, a medical-research archive, shows that since Aug. 1 at least 26 new articles mentioned fibromyalgia while at least 15 mentioned chronic fatigue syndrome.” (9/5/11) The Morton Report’s book editor Jim Curtis interviews CFS patient and author Toni Bernhard about her book, “How To Be Sick.” She outlines its basic Buddhist healing premises and discusses how she writes with an illness that often renders her unable to do so. (8/4/11) “Impaired Heart Function in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome” is the title of a post on About.com’s Fibromyalgia and CFS pages. It reviews a study published in the “Journal of Internal Medicine” that found that “The hearts and blood flow of people with chronic fatigue syndrome are significantly different from healthy people’s. Researchers looked at several measures of heart function and blood movement and concluded that chronic fatigue syndrome was associated with ‘markedly reduced cardiac mass and blood pool volumes’ as well as other abnormalities.” (8/3/11) User-generated content website associated content posts an article titled, “A Study of Gulf War Veterans, Alcohol Use, and Selected Health Conditions,” a look at the mental and physical problems of servicemen and –women who served in the 1991 Gulf War examined in a report published by the Institute of Medicine in 2010 and covered in the May 2011 issue of journal “Preventing Chronic Disease.” Using data gathered by questionnaires or phone surveys over a two year-period, researchers concluded that “problem drinking was associated with PTSD (posttraumatic stress disorder), MDD (major depressive disorder), unexplained MSI (multisymptom illness) and CFS-like illness.” (8/2/11) About.com’s Adrienne Dellwo continues her “Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Basics” series with installment number six, a post about the controversy surrounding the name of the illness. (7/29/11) Website 7th Space Interactive reports on “Prevalence of myalgic encephalomyelitis/ chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) in three regions of England: a repeated cross-sectional study in primary care,” a study published in journal “BMC Medicine.” It examines the prevalence of CFS in England using three case definitions and calls for the consistent application of the Fukuda plus Canadian definitions to improve the comparability of research. (7/28/11)
The next entry in the About.com’s CFS and FM pages’ series, “Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Basics,” is titled “Pacing for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome” and includes links to articles and tips to help patients learn the art of pacing. (7/26/11) The National Association of Special Education Teachers includes information about CFS and a link to the Association’s web site on its web site’s “Resources” pages. (7/25/11) Part 4 of The “Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Basics” series on About.com’s CFS and FM pages focuses on treatment options, noting at the start that, “No treatment works for everyone with chronic fatigue syndrome. Each person needs a customized treatment regimen, and the best regimens usually combine several treatments.” Links lead to information about medication, supplements, lifestyle changes, alternative treatments, diet and exercise. (“Treating Chronic Fatigue Syndrome”) (7/24/11) The “Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Basics” series continues on About.com’s CFS and FM pages with an entry titled, “Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Basics: Symptoms,” that includes a link to a “Monster List of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Symptoms.” (7/22/11) About.com’s “Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Basics Series” continues with a post titled, “Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Basics: Post-Exertional Malaise.” Blogger Adrienne Dellwo describes PEM as “… a major upswing in symptom severity after exertion” and notes that, “Multiple research teams have been working to figure out exactly what’s behind this system. So far, they’ve found differences in the blood and in genetic expression after exercise compared to healthy people.” (7/19/11) About.com’s Adrienne Dellwo kicks off a “Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Basics Series” with a post titled, “What is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?” in which she notes that, “Research shows a wealth of physiological abnormalities in people with this condition.” (7/17/11) A post on the PowerLine blog reviews “Unbroken,” the account of Olympian and World War II hero Louis Zamperini written by CFS patient and author Laura Hillenbrand. Writer Scott Johnson notes how Hillenbrand’s illness shaped her understanding and portrayal of Zamperini. (7/17/11) The psychologist author of the blog Couch trip discusses CFS patient and author Laura Hillenbrand in a review of “Unbroken,” her most recent book. (7/14/11) A post on the Harvard Health Blog directs readers to a new Harvard Special Health Report, “Boosting Your Energy,” that “…offers information about the causes of fatigue and how it is linked to illness.” Edited by CFS expert Dr. Anthony Komaroff, the report includes a section on CFS. (7/6/11)
New celebrity and social commentary website The Morton Report, published by biographer Andrew Morton, mentions author Laura Hillenbrand’s CFS in a commentary on “Where Are the Women Who Can Write Bestselling Nonfiction?” (7/2/11) Website 7th Space Interactive reports on a study published in journal “BMC Neurology” conducted by Harvard researchers “to determine if spectral coherence, a computational derivative of spectral analysis of the electroencephalogram (EEG), could distinguish patients with CFS from healthy control subjects and not erroneously classify depressed patients as having CFS.” They tested 632 subjects: 390 healthy normal controls, 70 patients with carefully defined CFS, 24 with major depression, and 148 with general fatigue. Aside from fatigue, all patients were medically healthy by history and examination. They concluded, “EEG spectral coherence analysis identified unmedicated patients with CFS and healthy control subjects without misclassifying depressed patients as CFS, providing evidence that CFS patients demonstrate brain physiology that is not observed in healthy normals or patients with major depression. Studies of new CFS patients and comparison groups are required to determine the possible clinical utility of this test. The results concur with other studies finding neurological abnormalities in CFS, and implicate temporal lobe involvement in CFS pathophysiology.” (“EEG spectral coherence data distinguish chronic fatigue syndrome patients from healthy controls and depressed patients - A case control study”) (7/1/11)
he University of Cincinnati Academic Health Center posts an educational press release on its website titled, “Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Challenges Patients, Medical Professionals.” The release offers basic information about CFS and invites readers to learn more about the UC Women’s Health Research Program and ongoing clinical trials, including those on CFS and fibromyalgia. (6/30/11)
Web site Career Overview posts “10 Essential Facts About Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.” (6/27/11) Website 7th Space Interactive reports on the results of a Canadian study published in the journal “BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine” that “examine[d] the geographic and socio-demographic characteristics of alternative care consultation in Ontario.” Using the Canadian Community Health Survey for people aged 18 or over who had a consultation with an alternative health care provider, researchers four types of consultations and found that “in 2005, more than 1.2 million adults aged 18 or over consulted an alternative health care provider” (13% of the total population of Ontario). It also found that “people with a chronic condition, lower health status and self-perceived unmet health care needs were more likely to see an alternative health provider. Women with chronic conditions such as fibromyalgia, high blood pressure, chronic fatigue syndrome and chemical sensitivities were more likely to see an alternative provider if they felt their health care needs were not being met.” The researchers concluded that “The analysis revealed that geography is not a factor in determining alternative health care consultations in Ontario. By contrast, there is a strong association between these consultations and socio-demographic characteristics particularly age, sex, education, health and self-perceived unmet health care needs. The results underscore the importance of women's health needs as related to alternative care use.” (“Alternative Health Care Consultations in Ontario, Canada: A Geographic and Socio-Demographic Analysis”) (6/23/11) Website SciVerse reports on a study published in the journal “Mitochondrion” conducted by a research team in the Netherlands that “studied the extent of mitochondrial involvement in chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and investigated whether measurement of mitochondrial respiratory chain complex (RCC) activities discriminates between CFS and mitochondrial disorders.” They wrote, “Mitochondrial content was decreased in CFS compared to healthy controls, whereas RCC activities corrected for mitochondrial content were not. Conversely, mitochondrial content did not discriminate between CFS and two groups of mitochondrial disorders, whereas ATP production rate and complex I, III and IV activity did, all with higher activities in CFS. We conclude that the ATP production rate and RCC activities can reliably discriminate between mitochondrial disorders and CFS.” (“Mitochondrial enzymes discriminate between mitochondrial disorders and chronic fatigue syndrome”) (6/22/11) The Mayo Clinic updates its CFS pages. (6/18/11) Website 7th Space Interactive reports on the results of a study published in the “Journal of Translational Medicine,” “Immunological abnormalities as potential biomarkers in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/ Myalgic Encephalomyelitis.” Researchers investigated immune system markers in 95 CFS patients and 50 healthy controls: “All participants were assessed on natural killer (NK) and CD8+T cell cytotoxic activities, Th1 and Th2 cytokine profile of CD4+T cells, expression of vasoactive intestinal peptide receptor 2 (VPACR2), levels of NK phenotypes (CD56bright and CD56dim) and regulatory T cells expressing FoxP3 transcription factor. Compared to healthy individuals, CFS/ME patients displayed significant increases in IL-10, IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha, CD4+CD25+ T cells, FoxP3 and VPACR2 expression. Cytotoxic activity of NK and CD8+T cells and NK phenotypes, in particular the CD56bright NK cells were significantly decreased in CFS/ME patients. Additionally granzyme A and granzyme K expression were reduced while expression levels of perforin were significantly increased in the CFS/ME population relative to the control population. These data suggest significant dysregulation of the immune system in CFS/ME patients. Our study found immunological abnormalities which may serve as biomarkers in CFS/ME patients with potential for an application as a diagnostic tool.” (5/28/11)
“The functional status and well being of people with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome and their carers” is the subject of a story on Website 7th Space Interactive about the results of a study published in online journal “BMC Public Health” which compared the functional status of CFS patients and their caregivers to that of other chronic illness sufferers and their caregivers. Researchers studied 170 people aged between 18 and 64 years with well characterized ME/CFS, and 44 carers, comparing them to “reference standards for the general population and for population groups with 10 chronic diseases.” Physical and mental indicators were significantly lower in both CFS patients and their caregivers than for the general population and diseased-specific norms for other diseases. They concluded that, “ME/CFS is disabling and has a greater impact on functional status and well being than other chronic diseases such as cancer. The emotional burden of ME/CFS is felt by lay carers as well as by people with ME/CFS.” (5/27/11) Website 7th Space Interactive publishes an article titled, “Evidence for a Heritable Predisposition to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome,” that reports on a study published in the online journal “BMC Neurology.” The researchers explain, “We present analyses of familial clustering of CFS in a computerized genealogical resource linking multiple generations of genealogy data with medical diagnosis data of a large Utah health care system. We compare pair-wise relatedness among cases to expected relatedness in the Utah population, and we estimate risk for CFS for first, second, and third degree relatives of CFS cases. We observed significant excess relatedness of CFS cases compared to that expected in this population. Significant excess relatedness was observed for both close and distant relationships. We also observed significant excess CFS relative risk among first, second, and third degree relatives. These analyses provide strong support for a heritable contribution to predisposition to CFS.” (5/27/11) HealthCommunities.com updates its “Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) Overview.” (5/23/11) http://www.healthcommunities.com/chronic-fatigue-syndrome/chronic-fatigue-syndrome-overview.shtml Science Daily reports on a study conducted by University of Toronto researchers to be published in the May issue of the “Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma” that concludes that “Childhood physical abuse is associated with significantly elevated rates of functional somatic syndromes such as chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia and multiple chemical sensitivities among women … ‘Women who reported they had been physically abused as children have twice the odds of chronic fatigue syndrome and multiple chemical sensitivities, and 65 per cent higher odds of fibromyalgia,’” according to the lead investigator. (5/16/11)
“Ethnic minorities are ‘silent sufferers’ of chronic fatigue syndrome,” reports Science Daily in a story about new research published in “BMC Medicine” that “shows that ethnicity, depression, lack of exercise or social support, and social difficulties are major risk factors for CFS.” The results of the UK study found that, “… while both depression and anxiety were associated with a much higher risk of CFS, moderate exercise halved the risk. …Social status and adversity were also major risk factors along with cultural and ethnic background. The incidence of CFS was highest amongst people who had the most difficulties with housing, finances, or had family problems, but this was balanced by levels of support within the community. Perceived cultural discrimination and insults in the workplace, or in society, along with racial and religious discrimination, were also much higher for CFS sufferers.” (3/20/11)
Health blog The Pulse posts “Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Closer Look,” a short look at basic information about the illness, links to online resources including the Association’s website and the CBS “The Early Show” segment that ran in February 2011. (3/28/11) New Voices For Research, the blog of Research!America, posts “Patient Voice: Chronic Fatigue Syndrome,” an interview with a CFS patient about the realities of living and coping with the illness, in acknowledgement of March as CFS Awareness Month. (3/23/11) Open-access journal BMC Medicine reports on the results of a British study of CFS in minority populations, “Chronic fatigue syndrome in an ethnically diverse population: the influence of psychosocial adversity & physical inactivity.” From a sample of more than 4,200 people, researchers found that “All ethnic minority groups had a higher prevalence of CFS when compared with the white group,” and assert that, “Anxiety, depression, physical inactivity, social strain, and negative aspects of social support together accounted for prevalence differences of CFS in the overall sample.” (3/21/11)
Blog Pain.com wraps up a three-part series of posts on CFS with a look at diagnosing and treating the illness. (“Chronic Fatigue Syndrome”) (3/20/11)
The author of the blog Mary Reads reviews “Unbroken,” CFS patient and author Laura Hillenbrand’s new book. She notes Hillenbrand’s CFS and references her seminal “New Yorker” essay, “A Sudden Illness.” (“Unbroken: If Louie (And Laura) Could Do It, So Can You”) (3/1/11) LeaderFocus Weblog devotes a post to a review of CFS patient and author Laura Hillenbrand’s new book, “Unbroken.” The writer points out how Hillenbrand lives her life vicariously through the book’s subject, Louis Zamperini, because of her illness. (2/28/11) The PowerLine blog updates a previous post, “Louis Zamperini endures (updated)” with links to a radio interview with Zamperini, the subject of CFS patient and author Laura Hillenbrand’s book “Unbroken,” and a link to the war hero’s website. (2/26/11) U.S. News & World Report publishes “Health Tip: Managing Chronic Fatigue Syndrome” from Health Day on its Health web pages. Seven tips for coping include consulting with your health care provider before trying new drugs or alternative therapies. (2/24/11) http://health.usnews.com/health-news/family-health/articles/2011/02/24/health-tip-managing-chronic-fatigue-syndrome
Online journal PLoS One reports on the results of a study conducted by a team of researchers, lead by scientists from the University of Medicine & Dentistry New Jersey, into distinct proteins found in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with CFS, Neurologic Post Treatment Lyme disease (nPTLS) and healthy controls. “Distinct Cerebrospinal Fluid Proteomes Differentiate Post-Treatment Lyme Disease from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome” describes how the investigators combined two powerful technologies called mass spectroscopy and liquid chromatography to analyze the fluid. They were able to generate a comprehensive list of 30,000 peptides in the samples pooled from subjects in each disease group. Of these 30,000 peptides, 738 proteins were found only in CFS subjects. The nPTLS samples had 692 unique proteins and the normal controls had 724 unique proteins. Differences in the amounts of various proteins were detected between groups and CFS and nPTLS had more proteins in common than with the healthy controls. In the final discussion section, the authors state, “CSF proteome analysis may provide important and meaningful insights into the biological processes modulated as a function of disease and facilitate the identification of protein candidates for further investigation…Distinguishing CFS and nPTLS will have etiologic implications which could lead to novel diagnostics and therapeutic interventions.” They suggest that by uncovering these candidates in cerebrospinal fluid, a targeted search in blood for these proteins is now possible. (2/23/11) http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0017287
EmpowHer offers readers the opportunity to “Test Your ME/CFS IQ With Our Quiz On This Invisible Disease.” Ten questions focus on symptoms of the illness. (2/23/11) The author of The Body Language Lady blog names CFS patient and author Laura Hillenbrand to her “List of Top 50 Women to Admire.” (2/14/11) MedicineNet.com posts “Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Pictures Slideshow: Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment,” an abbreviated but relatively thorough look at the illness. (2/4/11)
The blog Postscript offers a review of CFS patient and author Laura Hillenbrand’s new book, “Unbroken,” in which the author notes her illness and how difficult it makes writing for her. (2/01/11) A post on the MichMoms blog of “The Detroit News” titled “A passion re-ignited” reviews “Unbroken,” the new book by CFS patient and author Laura Hillenbrand. The blogger enjoyed the book so much that she researched Hillenbrand and mentions her illness. (1/03/11) |
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