It is estimated that up to 80,000 people in Austria suffer from chronic fatigue syndrome, also known as ME/CFS or myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome. The number of ME/CFS patients is expected to increase dramatically due to the long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, research in this field has not identified mechanisms of disease onset or causal treatment approaches. Scientists at MedUni Vienna have identified potential biomarkers that could improve the diagnosis and treatment of debilitating and long-lasting fatigue. The study was recently published in the Journal of clinical medicine.
The study by Eva Untersmayr-Elsenhuber and her team at the Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology at MedUni Vienna builds on previous research on immune disorders and intestinal barrier function in patients with ME/CFS. It is well known that patients with ME/CFS often differ greatly in the clinical manifestations of their illness. However, despite intensive research, there is still no measurable parameter (biomarker) that clearly indicates the disease.
As the MedUni Vienna research team shows, ME/CFS patients can be divided into subgroups based on the function of their immune system. The study was able to identify several biomarkers in patients that indicate immune system disorders or reduced intestinal barrier function. As a result, differences relevant to clinical care in ME/CFS patients were identified that would not have been detected without prior immunological stratification of the ME/CFS patient group. “In our study, we see that the immunological evaluation of ME/CFS patients is of crucial importance. Patients suffering from immunodeficiencies are characterized by altered innate immune function. In ME/CFS patients with an intact immune system, the intestinal barrier function was reduced,” explains the study's principal investigator, Eva Untersmayr-Elsenhuber. According to the researchers, this not only provides a more detailed insight into the different mechanisms of the disease, but also indicates that, depending on the patient's immunological competence, some treatment approaches may be more suitable than others.
The next step will be to review the results of the study on a larger scale. To advance research in this field, the first ME/CFS biobank in Austria is currently being created at MedUni Vienna with the support of the WE&ME Foundation. “ME/CFS Biobank Austria” collects human samples, which will be available for future research projects. Untersmayr-Elsenhuber: “So that ME/CFS research can be carried out quickly and transnationally in the future, we have been collaborating from the beginning with research groups in the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Germany.”
25 percent of those affected are bedridden.
ME/CFS is a serious multisystem illness that often leads to a high degree of disability. 60 percent of patients cannot work full time and 25 percent are bedridden. The exact causes of the disease are still unclear. As diagnosis is difficult due to the lack of biomarkers, the number of people affected cannot be precisely quantified. According to current studies, between 26,000 and 80,000 people in Austria suffer from chronic fatigue. Due to Covid-19, this figure could double in the coming years. The links between SARS-CoV-2 infection and ME/CFS are also the subject of intense research.