The study by Chancellor's Fellow Sjoerd Beentjes, along with colleagues from the School of Informatics and Institute of Genetics and Cancer, is the largest ever biological study of myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). The paper, published in EMBO Molecular Medicine, identifies consistent blood differences associated with chronic inflammation, insulin resistance and liver disease:Replicated blood-based biomarkers for myalgic encephalomyelitis not explicable by inactivity | EMBO (open access)Significantly, the results were mostly unaffected by patients’ activity levels. Sjoerd says, "Blood differences are sometimes attributed to reduced activity levels, rather than ME/CFS directly. By applying very recent advances in the statistical and causal inference literature, our study provides strong evidence that ME/CFS affects blood traits through paths other than activity".The key feature of ME/CFS is a delayed dramatic worsening of symptoms following minor physical effort. Other symptoms include pain, brain fog and extreme energy limitation that does not improve with rest. The causes of ME/CFS are unknown and there is currently no test or cure, but the volume and consistency of the blood differences found by Sjoerd and his co-authors supports the goal of developing a diagnostic blood test in the future.Learn moreScale of how ME/CFS affects blood revealed | University of Edinburgh Press OfficeNews coverage:A simple blood test could offer first reliable diagnosis for ME | The IndependentChronic fatigue is not in your head, it's in your blood - experts | BBCSimple blood test could provide first reliable diagnosis for ME | The Times (paywalled) Tags Staff success Statistics Publication date 23 Jun, 2025
