Preliminary observations suggest that certain unusual findings may be seen on neurologic, immunologic and virologic examination of patients with """"""""chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS)"""""""". CFS is a cyclic chronic illness characterized by profound, disabling fatigue, fever, myalgias, arthralgias, pharyngitis, adenopathy, paresthesias, cognitive impairment and other symptoms. Transient neurologic events also are seen: e.g., primary seizures, ataxia, blindness, and paresis. Especially in these latter patients, the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS) is considered. The first objective of the study is to distinguish 25 patients with CFS from 25 patients with MS, and from 25 healthy subjects, all matched for age and sex, through detailed clinical, neurologic, immunologic and virologic evaluation. Neurologic evaluation would include a neurologic examination, evoked potentials, lumbar puncture, neuropsychologic testing of mood and cognition, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain and skeletal muscle. Immunologic studies would include the use of monoclonal antibodies, flow cytometry and conventional functional assays to examine the phenotype and function of spinal fluid lymphocytes, peripheral blood natural killer or NK cells; isolation and enumeration of B-cells including determination of the phenotypic stage of differentiation in ontogeny and examination of the responses of resting and activated B-cell subsets to various signals of activation; measurement of T-cell subsets, including recently-described CD4 subsets which are inducers of help and inducers of suppression, as well as measurement of T-cell function by a variety of techniques; and studies of various cytokines, including IL-1 beta, IL-2, tumor necrosis factor, IF-gamma and IF-alpha 2. Virologic studies would include serologic studies of all human herpesviruses, including the recently-discovered lymphotropic and neurotropic human herpesvirus 6. A second objective of the study is to relate the cyclic clinical course of illness in patients with CFS to the various neurologic, immunologic and virologic parameters described above. By conducting serial longitudinal studies, we hope to identify neuroimmunological features which worsen and improve in conjunction with clinical exacerbation and remission. By conducting simultaneous batteries of neurologic, immunologic and virologic studies at the same point in time we hope to identify possible interrelationship between the various neuroimmunological and virological parameters.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01AI027314-03
Application #
2063799
Study Section
Neurology A Study Section (NEUA)
Project Start
1990-03-01
Project End
1995-02-28
Budget Start
1992-03-01
Budget End
1995-02-28
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
1992
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Brigham and Women's Hospital
Department
Type
DUNS #
071723621
City
Boston
State
MA
Country
United States
Zip Code
02115
Robertson, M J; Schacterle, R S; Mackin, G A et al. (2005) Lymphocyte subset differences in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome, multiple sclerosis and major depression. Clin Exp Immunol 141:326-32
Robertson, M J; Cameron, C; Atkins, M B et al. (1999) Immunological effects of interleukin 12 administered by bolus intravenous injection to patients with cancer. Clin Cancer Res 5:9-16
Bennett, A L; Chao, C C; Hu, S et al. (1997) Elevation of bioactive transforming growth factor-beta in serum from patients with chronic fatigue syndrome. J Clin Immunol 17:160-6
Bennett, A L; Mayes, D M; Fagioli, L R et al. (1997) Somatomedin C (insulin-like growth factor I) levels in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome. J Psychiatr Res 31:91-6
Freeman, R; Komaroff, A L (1997) Does the chronic fatigue syndrome involve the autonomic nervous system? Am J Med 102:357-64
Komaroff, A L; Fagioli, L R; Geiger, A M et al. (1996) An examination of the working case definition of chronic fatigue syndrome. Am J Med 100:56-64
Buchwald, D; Ashley, R L; Pearlman, T et al. (1996) Viral serologies in patients with chronic fatigue and chronic fatigue syndrome. J Med Virol 50:25-30
Komaroff, A L; Fagioli, L R; Doolittle, T H et al. (1996) Health status in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome and in general population and disease comparison groups. Am J Med 101:281-90
Bennett, A L; Fagioli, L R; Schur, P H et al. (1996) Immunoglobulin subclass levels in chronic fatigue syndrome. J Clin Immunol 16:315-20
Marcel, B; Komaroff, A L; Fagioli, L R et al. (1996) Cognitive deficits in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome. Biol Psychiatry 40:535-41

Showing the most recent 10 out of 27 publications