In an effort to better understand, diagnose and treat chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS or ME/CFS), researchers are looking in a variety of directions in several exciting new studies.
Dr. Klimas's Team
ME/CFS treatment-and-research pioneer Nancy Klimas, MD, with E.M. Papper Laboratories of Clinical Immunology in Miami, has put together a team of scientists that, as of early 2008, have four projects in the works:
-
The "Good Day/Bad Day" study
Because ME/CFS can have you on a roller coaster when it comes to how you feel, researchers are taking blood samples on good days and bad days, then comparing them both to each other and to samples from healthy people. Their goal is to find biomarkers (physical traits that measure the effects of a disease) that can predict ups and downs. - NPY & CD26 study
Researchers are studying the roles NPY (neuropeptide Y) and CD26 (dipeptidyl-peptidase) play in the development of CFS. NPY and CD26 are biomarkers involved in regulating several systems in your body, including cardio-respiratory (heart and lungs), immune, endocrine (hormones) and nervous systems. - Gulf War Illness research
Researchers are comparing how genes behave in both Gulf War illness and ME/CFS before, during and after exercise. They're hoping to figure out what causes people with both conditions to get worse after exercising -- a symptom called post-exertional malaise. - Training for Doctors
It doesn't much matter what experts know about ME/CFS if your doctor doesn't recognize or know how to treat it. Therefore, Klimas's team is trying to develop training modules for doctors in South Florida that would serve as a model for national training programs.
The Future of ME/CFS Research
Dr. Klimas believes the future of ME/CFS research lies in genomics. Genomics research already has identified 7 subtypes of ME/CFS, and Klimas believes it will further identify how people with different subtypes will respond to treatments. Right now, everyone with ME/CFS is lumped into one category and treatments fail to be successful in clinical trials. Separating them into subgroups would help in pinpointing treatments for each group and in getting them approved. She also says it will provide diagnostic and biological markers that will allow treatment research to go forward much more quickly.
Source:
2008 ProHealth, Inc. All rights reserved. "Dr. Nancy Klimas, MD - An Internationally-Respected ME/CFS Researcher Driving Change"
