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Predictors for Developing Severe ME/CFS Following Mononucleosis
14 Pages Posted: 7 Apr 2021
More...Abstract
Background : Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is a debilitating illness affecting over a million people in the US. About 9-12% of individuals develop this syndrome six months following Infectious Mononucleosis (IM); those who meet > 1 set of criteria for ME/CFS are termed severe ME/CFS. We sought to determine why some individuals develop ME/CFS following IM while most recover.
Methods: Our study was a prospective cohort study conducted at Northwestern University. We recruited a cohort of college students before, during, and after being infected with IM. Those who developed IM were followed-up with at six months to determine whether they recovered or met criteria for ME/CFS. We explored baseline levels and severity at follow-up of IM variables for those who recovered from IM and those who developed severe ME/CFS 6 months following IM.
Findings: Pre-illness variables that differentiated these groups included baseline gastrointestinal symptoms and certain cytokines. At onset of IM, gastrointestinal symptoms differentiated the two groups.
Interpretation: The differences that emerged predicted the onset of severe ME/CFS following IM. Our research has thus uncovered risk factors predisposing to non-recovery following IM so that preventative and treatment strategies for ME/CFS may now be devised and studied.
Funding: This work was supported by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases [grant number AI 105781].
Declaration of Interest: The authors declare no competing interests.
Ethical Approval: Institutional Review Board approval was obtained.
Keywords: Networks, Cytokines, Infectious Mononucleosis, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Myalgic Encephalomyelitis
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