Harvey, Jeanna M, Broderick, Gordon, Bowie, Alanna et al. · BMC pediatrics · 2016 · DOI
Researchers followed 301 teenagers who had infectious mononucleosis to see who would develop chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). They found that measuring common blood tests over 2 years—including stress hormones, sex hormones, and immune cell counts—might help doctors identify which patients are at risk and confirm the diagnosis. Only 4% of the teens developed CFS, but specific blood markers showed different patterns in those who did compared to those who recovered normally.
This study demonstrates that biomarkers for ME/CFS might be detectable using standard blood tests already available in most clinics, potentially enabling earlier diagnosis without requiring specialized laboratories. Understanding the temporal pattern of immune and hormonal abnormalities in post-infectious ME/CFS could help clinicians identify at-risk patients immediately after infection when interventions might be most effective.
This study does not prove that these blood markers cause ME/CFS or that they are specific to post-infectious ME/CFS versus other forms of ME/CFS. The small number of CFS cases (n=13) limits statistical power, and findings require validation in independent cohorts before use in clinical practice. The study cannot establish whether these biomarker changes are unique to adolescents or apply to adults with post-infectious ME/CFS.
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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