Research reveals people with chronic fatigue syndrome have significant differences in their blood

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 more

Scale of how ME/CFS affects blood revealed | University of Edinburgh Press Office

News coverage:

A simple blood test could offer first reliable diagnosis for ME | The Independent

Chronic fatigue is not in your head, it's in your blood - experts | BBC

Simple blood test could provide first reliable diagnosis for ME | The Times (paywalled)