Work

Saliva fatigue biomarker index as a marker for severe myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome in a community based sample

Year: 2021

Type: article

Abstract: OBJECTIVE: The prevalence of pediatric Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) has been estimated from an ethnically and sociodemographically diverse community-based random sample of 10,119 youth aged 5-17. A team of physicians made a final diagnosis of ME/CFS if the participants met criteria for up to three selected case definitions following medical and psychiatric evaluations. We assessed whether a salivary biomarker of fatigue could identify youth with ME/CFS. STUDY DESIGN: We examined the ratio of the concentrations of 2 peptide fragments in saliva, referred to as the Fatigue Biomarker Index (FBI), in participants from our study diagnosed with ME/CFS (n=59) and matched controls (n=39). RESULTS: Significant overall differences were found in the FBI between those participants with severe ME/CFS and those with ME/CFS and the controls. CONCLUSIONS: If confirmed in other populations, the FBI could serve as an objective test to aid in the diagnosis of severe ME/CFS.

Source: Fatigue Biomedicine Health & Behavior

DOI: 10.1080/21641846.2021.1994222

Authors: Leonard A. Jason, John Kalns, Alicia Richarte, Ben Z. Katz, Chelsea Torres

Institutions: DePaul University, Northwestern University, Lurie Children's Hospital

Language: English

Topic: Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Research

Subfield: Psychiatry and Mental health

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: green

Funders: National Institutes of Health, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development