Hello all, thought I'd share this article I found on the BBC today. .
Geneticists have identified a biological basis for seven different subtypes of chronic fatigue syndrome.
The researchers from St George's Hospital, University of London, hope the work could lead to a blood test to distinguish between the forms.
Campaigners hope it will help counter the opinion, which remains in some quarters of the medical profession, that it is a psychological condition.
The research findings are to be presented to a conference in Cambridge.
It's a hard illness to get a handle on, so a clinical test would be the single best way forward for everyone
Neil Abbot, ME Research UK
Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), also known as ME, is a condition with a diverse range of symptoms but particularly characterised by profound muscle fatigue after physical exertion.
In its most extreme form, CFS/ME leaves sufferers bed-ridden. There is currently no diagnostic test or cure.
It affects around one in 200 people.
'Biologically meaningful'
The St George's study looked at 55 patients from the US and UK with the condition, and carried out a genetic analysis of them and 75 healthy blood donors.
It identified the seven distinct subtypes of CFS/ME identified by a specific genetic pattern.
These were linked to specific symptoms.
Type one had the worst anxiety and depression levels, along with poor sleep and high pain levels.
Type two was characterised by significant post-exercise fatigue and joint and muscle pains, while type three was the mildest form of the disease.
The research identified type four as linked to moderate levels of body pain and sleep problems, with type five having stomach complaints and the most marked muscle weakness.
Type six was specifically connected to fatigue, and type seven had the most severe symptoms including pain, swollen glands and headaches.
Type four and type six were the most common forms of the condition.
Dr Jonathan Kerr, who led the St George's research, said: "We must now determine what these sub-types represent, as they appear to be biologically meaningful, and discover their natural history and possibilities for treatment."
Neil Abbot, of ME Research UK, which is organising the conference along with the Irish ME Trust, said: "The discovery of a 'thumb-print' for the illness would be the single greatest advance that could be made because, at the moment, diagnosis is on the basis of a set of vague symptoms association with other illnesses.
"It's a hard illness to get a handle on, so a clinical test would be the single best way forward for everyone."
Story from BBC NEWS:
news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-...7378440.stm
Published: 2008/05/05 23:02:16 GMT
© BBC MMVIII
Geneticists have identified a biological basis for seven different subtypes of chronic fatigue syndrome.
The researchers from St George's Hospital, University of London, hope the work could lead to a blood test to distinguish between the forms.
Campaigners hope it will help counter the opinion, which remains in some quarters of the medical profession, that it is a psychological condition.
The research findings are to be presented to a conference in Cambridge.
It's a hard illness to get a handle on, so a clinical test would be the single best way forward for everyone
Neil Abbot, ME Research UK
Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), also known as ME, is a condition with a diverse range of symptoms but particularly characterised by profound muscle fatigue after physical exertion.
In its most extreme form, CFS/ME leaves sufferers bed-ridden. There is currently no diagnostic test or cure.
It affects around one in 200 people.
'Biologically meaningful'
The St George's study looked at 55 patients from the US and UK with the condition, and carried out a genetic analysis of them and 75 healthy blood donors.
It identified the seven distinct subtypes of CFS/ME identified by a specific genetic pattern.
These were linked to specific symptoms.
Type one had the worst anxiety and depression levels, along with poor sleep and high pain levels.
Type two was characterised by significant post-exercise fatigue and joint and muscle pains, while type three was the mildest form of the disease.
The research identified type four as linked to moderate levels of body pain and sleep problems, with type five having stomach complaints and the most marked muscle weakness.
Type six was specifically connected to fatigue, and type seven had the most severe symptoms including pain, swollen glands and headaches.
Type four and type six were the most common forms of the condition.
Dr Jonathan Kerr, who led the St George's research, said: "We must now determine what these sub-types represent, as they appear to be biologically meaningful, and discover their natural history and possibilities for treatment."
Neil Abbot, of ME Research UK, which is organising the conference along with the Irish ME Trust, said: "The discovery of a 'thumb-print' for the illness would be the single greatest advance that could be made because, at the moment, diagnosis is on the basis of a set of vague symptoms association with other illnesses.
"It's a hard illness to get a handle on, so a clinical test would be the single best way forward for everyone."
Story from BBC NEWS:
news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-...7378440.stm
Published: 2008/05/05 23:02:16 GMT
© BBC MMVIII
posted by:
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really freakin' interesting.....thanks :)
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Now what???
There were studies done in 2005, as well... Scientists 'unlock ME genetics' - news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/4580051.stm
I'm not trying to be insensitive but when are they going to come out with something helpful with all of this?
They can sit around trying to figure out how to cross-breed cows with humans... I can't believe they don't have something more advanced to help people with all of these issues that seem to be related like Fibro/CFS/Gulf War Syndrome/Lyme Disease, etc.
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Tuesday, 1 April 2008 - news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7323298.stm
"Scientists at Newcastle University have created part-human, part-animal hybrid embryos for the first time in the UK, the BBC can reveal."
How cute... it was released on April Fools Day. It's not a joke, though.
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I was doing some research for a friend of mine who has recently been diagnosed with Epstein Barr. She had been diagnoised years ago with CFS.. there is a blood test for EBV. and I also found its all related to mono and herpes.. Oh great.. www.answers.com/topic/epstein-barr-virus
www.answers.com/topic/chro...ue-syndrome
www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/ebv.htm
these are a few of the articles i found.. so now what are we to do.. just stay in our homes and be hermits.. no freaking way.. until i cant drag my sore painful self out the door im gonna keep on living. if one things wont get me another will.. i didnt stop drinking and smoking and eating wonderful things to go like this..
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Oh yeah, I'm a type 1! Does that mean I won? This "different types" theory does somewhat explain why each of us has such different symptoms within this greater list of symptoms. As bad as my pain gets, I can at least be thankful for a lack of IBS symptoms as long as I stay away from diet coke and dairy.
It's so crazy how all of this stuff overlaps, I'm just wondering if this "gene sequence" is the same one that predisposes us to the fibromyalgia and PTSD. At least we can say to all our shitty doctors we may have encountered "Nya nya, told you so, it's not in our heads!"
And another bit of fibro humor.... I came up with a great response to give those prying rude people who ask what my service dog does because on the surface, I often at worst just look tired.
"So, I have this problem... there are all these wells, and I just can't seem to stop falling into them."
I've also been thinking of gettiing some dark glasses and a white cane to "accidentally" whack the bums who bother me around town with. Or maybe I should get my dog the dark glasses. I'm already putting together a little s&m doggie outfit for her, you know, to match my outfits for clubs and parties. I have a great bondage collar in her size, and I'm going to make a little tank top for her that says "service bitch".
I mean, why have a service dog if you can't find the humor in it?
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"I've also been thinking of gettiing some dark glasses and a white cane"
Oooh, I've thought aboot doing that fer a *long* time meself [grin]... -
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Are you going to get the "Service Bitch" tee shirt, too, Andrew??? ;-)
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Also- it seems that the direction that all this is going in is to sell drugs... I read an article elsewhere that was projecting that people with these illnesses (due to the genetic research) should take an anti-viral drug called aclyvoir. Of course, this drug is made in the UK & is very expensive in the US.
I really don't know how effective it is. Some people with Lyme are being given this drug to take just to see what happens. Seems Lyme falls into the same boat as Fibro in regards to viral infections like Epstein Barr, CMV, various Herpes viruses, etc. From what I could tell, all of these things are working together to make people ill. It's probably a good idea to have a complete screening of all of these things like viruses, mycoplasmas, Epstein Barr, fungal infections, now I'm also hearing about a chlymida infection that infects the lungs (Chlamedia Pneumonia), etc.
Sometimes they tell you to take these long courses of antibiotics to get rid of the viruses but they can just make matters worse. Many people develop candida issues that can be very serious, as well as, drug resistant bacteria. It all so complicated... and expensive.
Also, the tests are not always accurate.
I try to stick with the natural herbal remedies & supplements as much as possible. There are alot of herbal anti-virals & good products to take out there if you do some research. I'm not against drugs but it's better to try to help your own body to heal it's self rather than bombing it with drugs which come with harsh side effects. Just my opinion... -
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I totally agree with you on the not taking so many "processed" drugs. I also believe that with all the use of anti bacterial everythings people are just making themselves less resistant to all of the germs and things in our lives .. But the one thing that has to be expressed strongly is if you are already on medication from your dr or even some over the counter drugs you must be very careful when taking herbs and supplements as they can counter react with each other.. sometimes its just all to overwhelming..no wonder the public doesnt know what to do
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You're absolutely right about checking for possible interactions with prescriptions, over-the-counter and herbals and anything else! It's very important to make sure your doctor and pharmacist are all aware of everything you are taking. Too many people just don't think of them as "drugs" and don't bother to mention them to the doctors.
I'm not crazy about some of the meds, but there are times of desperation when nothing else works. I've just joined a drug study with an antidepressant and waiting to see if that helps. This is only after years of suffering and having no relief from any other means. And, yes, I do believe there is a strong correlation between depression and chronic pain. We don't have all the answers yet, and as was drilled to me in school, correlation does not equal causation. But there seems to be some kind of link going on there.
It's also interesting that I keep seeing mention here about Lyme and Epstein-Barr. I was just speaking with my aunt yesterday, a PhD in nursing, and she talked about the connection of depression and auto-immune disorders. We have another family member with lupus and I have seen similar connections in my experience working in healthcare. But in my limited knowledge, I cannot imagine how antivirals would help with FM. Epstein-Barr and Lyme, yes, sure, they are viruses, but FM is still a big question mark.
I just hope that someday, soon, somebody will figure out the answers. I still feel like FM is just a made-up term for "we don't know what the heck is wrong with you." There are certain characteristics that we seem to share, but no clear and definitive diagnostic tests. It's so terribly frustrating.
As for antibiotics, they are only effective against bacteria, not viruses. There is a big difference between an antiviral and an antibiotic. And, antifungals are a whole 'nother story.
But, the whole thing with resistance is that you really do have to take the antibiotics for the entire time they are prescribed, and not take them for a problem that is not bacterial. The resistance comes about when bacteria is exposed, but not destroyed by the meds. The metabolic issues that allow it to survive can be then passed along to all the other bacteria that it comes into contact with. The theory is that if you take all of the meds to the end, nothing will be left to share the genetic info for resistance.
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ok so now heres the next question.. if some of these things are viral. are they contagious.???and then it fm has a tendecy to run in siblings. i have cousins that have fm too. and one with lyme.. and if it runs in siblings how does it do that.. ahhhhhhhgrrrrrrr.. im so confused.
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Science geekery
05/10The genetic virus thing:
Viruses are just DNA (or RNA) with a protein coat. Some start reproducing right away (virulent), but some hitch a ride on your DNA (latent). These guys just hang out and get copied every time the host cell divides. If they catch a ride in your reproductive cells they get passed down to the offspring. Some of these latent viruses don't make any trouble unless a particular environmental factor triggers them (stress, exposure to a certain chemical, puberty, etc, etc). Some can go for generations without being triggered. Methods of transmission depend on the virus.
While the effects of some viruses totally suck ass, their mechanisms are so simple and elegant I can't help admiring them. A virus can't reproduce on it's own - it uses the host cell's own decoding and duplicating organelles (ribosomes) to do all the work for them. This property makes them an excellent delivery system for gene therapy.
They're also pretty cool to look at - some of them look like little spaceships. Here's a picture of polio:
microbiologybytes.com/virology/3035pics/Polio.jpg
Awesome symmetry! Here's one of my favorite sites, although I couldn't find many pictures of viruses:
micro.magnet.fsu.edu/micro/gallery.html
There is a strange and beautiful world under the microscope.
Sorry for the rambling, science just gives me a really big happy. When it blends with art I kinda go nuts.
(((((fibro peeps)))) -
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Re: Science geekery
Yesterday, 5:12 AMits good that science makes you happy... i wondered about how that worked, very interesting -
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Re: Science geekery
Yesterday, 6:23 AMScience is cool! I also thought the subject of viruses was pretty fascinating in microbiology. They aren't even really cells. As Molly explained, they are just bits of genetic material that invade the victim's cell. They hijack the replication process and then move along to someone new.
But, we don't yet know for sure if FM or CFS or some of these conditions are viral, therefore we cannot know if and how they are spread.
Malaria, for example, is carried by the mosquito and spread to people when they get a bite. Some are blood-borne, such as HIV and Hepatitis C. Many viruses are gastrointestinal and get passed along when someone preparing or serving food hasn't washed their hands properly. Throughout nursing school and working at a hospital, we were always taught that 98% of viral infections can be prevented by proper hand hygeine. The hospitals around here even have a sign posted, "It's okay to ask if I've washed my hands."
Here's an interesting historical note about the discovery and development of aseptic/sterile technique. In Vienna, way back in the day, there was a midwife clinic and also a hospital with doctors supposedly trained in the latest advances. They found that women who delivered babies at the hospital were more likely to develop infection, while the women who went to the midwifery center were mostly okay. The conclusion was that the midwives actually washed their hands before reaching inside and assisting with a birth, while the men at the hospital were going from patient to patient, sometimes studying cadavers and never washed their hands in between! Ugh! Can you imagine!
Even now, I've learned that we try to avoid internal exams as much as possible due to the risk of infection, even though we have sterile gloves and a much better setting than back then. Frankly, I was terrified the first time I had to insert a foley (urinary) catheter into a woman. I don't mind what we call "clean" procedures, where you are not intruding, you simply have to wash your hands and observe basic hygeine. Sterile technique is a whole 'nother story. For instance, you are supposed to set up a tray with all of your materials. If you even turn away, everything should be thrown away because you haven't been watching to make sure it stays sterile. You never know when some wretched sneezing observer could walk by. I can only imagine how many infections are spread by staff who are not so scrupulous. Just think of the latest story with all the patients who developed Hepatitis C after improper handling of needles. And that's for life. That's not something that can be cured.
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Re: Science geekery
Yesterday, 6:41 AMOh, and I wanted to add. In most cases, antiviral medicines only work if started during the first few days after exposure. If you have the flu, for example, by the time you realize the symptoms and get to a doctor, the antiviral for it won't help. In medicine they do what they call palliative care, which basically means try to keep you as comfortable as possible while you're puking your guts out. (Sorry, there goes my wacky sense of humor again!)
But overall, we can fight bacteria, even fungus, but those viruses are pretty tricky. It's tough to even reach them without destroying the host cells, meaning your own body.
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