The Rheumatologist
COVID-19 NewsACR Convergence
  • Connect with us:
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • Feed
  • Home
  • Conditions
    • Rheumatoid Arthritis
    • SLE (Lupus)
    • Crystal Arthritis
      • Gout Resource Center
    • Spondyloarthritis
    • Osteoarthritis
    • Soft Tissue Pain
    • Scleroderma
    • Vasculitis
    • Systemic Inflammatory Syndromes
    • Guidelines
  • Resource Centers
    • Axial Spondyloarthritis Resource Center
    • Gout Resource Center
    • Psoriatic Arthritis Resource Center
    • Rheumatoid Arthritis Resource Center
    • Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Resource Center
  • Drug Updates
    • Biologics & Biosimilars
    • DMARDs & Immunosuppressives
    • Topical Drugs
    • Analgesics
    • Safety
    • Pharma Co. News
  • Professional Topics
    • Ethics
    • Legal
    • Legislation & Advocacy
    • Career Development
      • Certification
      • Education & Training
    • Awards
    • Profiles
    • President’s Perspective
    • Rheuminations
    • Interprofessional Perspective
  • Practice Management
    • Billing/Coding
    • Quality Assurance/Improvement
    • Workforce
    • Facility
    • Patient Perspective
    • Electronic Health Records
    • Apps
    • Information Technology
    • From the College
    • Multimedia
      • Audio
      • Video
  • Resources
    • Issue Archives
    • ACR Convergence
      • Gout Resource Center
      • Axial Spondyloarthritis Resource Center
      • Psoriatic Arthritis
      • Abstracts
      • Meeting Reports
      • ACR Convergence Home
    • American College of Rheumatology
    • ACR ExamRheum
    • Research Reviews
    • ACR Journals
      • Arthritis & Rheumatology
      • Arthritis Care & Research
      • ACR Open Rheumatology
    • Rheumatology Image Library
    • Treatment Guidelines
    • Rheumatology Research Foundation
    • Events
  • About Us
    • Mission/Vision
    • Meet the Authors
    • Meet the Editors
    • Contribute to The Rheumatologist
    • Subscription
    • Contact
  • Advertise
  • Search
You are here: Home / Articles / Study Finds Chronic Fatigue Clues in Overactive Immune Response

Study Finds Chronic Fatigue Clues in Overactive Immune Response

December 17, 2018 • By Kate Kelland

  • Tweet
  • Email
Print-Friendly Version / Save PDF

LONDON (Reuters)—Scientists exploring what may trigger chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) have found clues in the way some people’s immune systems respond to interferon alpha.1

You Might Also Like
  • Scientists May Be Closer to A Blood Test for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
  • Physical Assessment of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: It Just May Work
  • Exercise Therapy May Take the ‘Tired’ Out of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Explore This Issue
February 2019
Also By This Author
  • WHO Warns of Widespread Misunderstanding of Superbug Threat

The researchers used the drug to create a model of the disease in people without CFS but with hepatitis C. Many patients who receive interferon alpha experience extreme fatigue during treatment, and some continue to feel chronic fatigue for many months after the drug course is completed.

ad goes here:advert-1
ADVERTISEMENT
SCROLL TO CONTINUE

The researchers measured fatigue and immune system markers in 55 patients with hepatitis C before, during and after treatment with interferon alpha.

Eighteen of the 55 went on to develop a CFS-like illness—and all 18 had a hyperactive immune system before treatment, and a highly overactive response during treatment, they reported Dec. 17 in Psychoneuroendocrinology.

ad goes here:advert-2
ADVERTISEMENT
SCROLL TO CONTINUE

“[This suggests] people who have an exaggerated immune response to a trigger may be more at risk of developing CFS,” Alice Russell of King’s College London’s Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN), told reporters at a briefing about the findings.

“For the first time, we have shown that people who are prone to develop a CFS-like illness have an overactive immune system, both before and during a challenge to the immune system,” said Ms. Russell, who led the work.

The condition, as well as research into it, is highly contentious, in part because its possible causes and range of debilitating symptoms are poorly understood.

ad goes here:advert-3
ADVERTISEMENT
SCROLL TO CONTINUE

IoPPN Professor Carmine Pariante stressed that while the study’s main finding is a useful addition to scant scientific knowledge about CFS—also known as myalgic encephalopathy (ME)—it offers few clues on how to treat, cure or prevent it.

“It’s a light in the fog,” he told reporters.

“But a better understanding of the biology underlying the development of CFS is needed to help patients.”


Reference

  1. Russell A, Hepgul N, Nikkheslat N, et al. Persistent fatigue induced by interferon-alpha: A novel, inflammation-based, proxy model of chronic fatigue syndrome. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2018 Dec 17.

Filed Under: Conditions, Research Reviews Tagged With: CFS, chronic fatigue syndrome, myalgic encephalomyelitisIssue: February 2019

You Might Also Like:
  • Scientists May Be Closer to A Blood Test for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
  • Physical Assessment of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: It Just May Work
  • Exercise Therapy May Take the ‘Tired’ Out of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
  • A Defect in Mitochondrial Function May Underlie Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Rheumatology Research Foundation

The Foundation is the largest private funding source for rheumatology research and training in the U.S.

Learn more »

Simple Tasks

Learn more about the ACR’s public awareness campaign and how you can get involved. Help increase visibility of rheumatic diseases and decrease the number of people left untreated.

Visit the Simple Tasks site »

American College of Rheumatology

Visit the official website for the American College of Rheumatology.

Visit the ACR »

The Rheumatologist newsmagazine reports on issues and trends in the management and treatment of rheumatic diseases. The Rheumatologist reaches 11,500 rheumatologists, internists, orthopedic surgeons, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurses, and other healthcare professionals who practice, research, or teach in the field of rheumatology.

About Us / Contact Us / Advertise / Privacy Policy / Terms of Use / Cookie Preferences

  • Connect with us:
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • Feed

Copyright © 2006–2023 American College of Rheumatology. All rights reserved.

ISSN 1931-3268 (print)
ISSN 1931-3209 (online)