BREAKING: Scientists Announce First Blood Test for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
A new blood test shows promise in accurately diagnosing Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), also known as Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME/CFS), offering a potential breakthrough for a condition often difficult to identify. Researchers utilized technology from Oxford BioDynamics to analyze DNA folding patterns in blood samples from 47 patients experiencing severe CFS symptoms and 61 healthy individuals.
human cells contain approximately two meters of DNA, intricately folded to regulate gene activity. these folds, influenced by life events through a process called “epigenetics,” aren’t predetermined by the genetic code.The study revealed a unique epigenetic marker pattern in individuals with CFS.
The test demonstrated a 92% accuracy in identifying people with CFS and 98% accuracy in identifying healthy individuals, resulting in an overall accuracy of 96%.
“This is a significant step forward,” stated Prof Pshezhetskiy, a researcher involved in the study. “for the first time, we have a simple blood test that can reliably identify ME/CFS - potentially transforming how we diagnose and manage this complex disease.”
Researchers also suggest the test could be adapted for diagnosing long COVID, which shares similar symptom clusters with ME/CFS. the findings have been published in the Journal of Translational Medicine.
Though, Prof Chris Ponting from the University of Edinburgh, who was not involved in the research, cautioned that the claims are premature, citing differences in age, sex, and other factors between the study groups. He emphasized the need for validation in larger, self-reliant studies before clinical submission. He also estimated the test could be expensive, potentially costing around £1,000.
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