Chronic fatigue gene signs found?

[Mr. P]

This is good news for many people.

Scientists believe they have pinpointed biological markers of chronic fatigue syndrome which could help develop a test and treatment for the condition.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4702515.stm

 

[MsMandalyn]

That would be a miracle and great news for many!

 

[waltky]

Granny says Uncle Ferd got a chronic illness - he chronically allergic to work...

WHO target to cut early chronic illness deaths
25 May`12 - The World Health Organization announced on Friday it was set to approve a new target to reduce premature deaths from chronic illnesses such as heart disease by a quarter by 2025.

Cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer and chronic respiratory conditions are known in medical terms as noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and represent the world's biggest killers -- accounting for 63 percent of all deaths. About a quarter of victims die prematurely, between the ages of 30 and 70. Late Thursday, WHO member states meeting in Geneva made a "landmark" decision to fix the 25 percent reduction target which is expected to be formally adopted on Saturday, the UN health agency said. It was agreed along with a raft of measures to address the prevention and control of NCDs, which have rocketed in developing countries in recent years.

About 80 percent of premature deaths from NCDs now occur in low and middle-income countries. "The focus of attention of the world community on the largest killer is now on course," said Douglas Bettcher from the WHO's chronic diseases unit. "The architecture to support developing countries in addressing NCDs and their risk factors is now in place." NCDs also constitute a massive financial burden. A recent Harvard study found that left unattended they could result in lost productivity in low and middle income countries worth $7 trillion up to 2025. "This is something that would, in an era of globalisation and ongoing financial crisis, have major effects for the entire world," said Bettcher.

In the resolution adopted by WHO member states but yet to be formally approved, countries also backed further work aimed at producing targets on NCD risk factors, namely tobacco use, alcohol abuse, unhealthy diet and physical inactivity. They called for a formal meeting to be held before the end of October to conclude work on a "global monitoring framework" to prevent and control NCDs.

The World Heart Federation said the adoption of the target would be a "significant milestone" but much work remained to be done. "Although we applaud the progress made at the World Health Assembly this week, the global target in isolation is not enough to tackle one of the most complex health challenges facing the world today," said chief executive Johanna Ralston. "Further targets are needed to shape a framework for action against NCD risk factors, and we urge world leaders to agree on these targets promptly."

WHO target to cut early chronic illness deaths - Yahoo! News

See also:

Chronic fatigue gene signs found
Thursday, 21 July, 2005 - Scientists believe they have pinpointed biological markers of chronic fatigue syndrome which could help develop a test and treatment for the condition.

CFS, or ME, makes people feel extremely tired, and can cause weakness, headaches, and disrupted sleep. Scientists, now based at St George's Hospital, London, found differences in the way genes are expressed in white blood cells of people with CFS/ME. But others say the New Scientist findings may not explain all cases. It is also due to be published in the Journal of Clinical Pathology. The scientists say their findings fit with the understanding that a virus, such as Epstein-Barr, may trigger CFS/ME, because that illness might alter how genes are expressed. CFS/ME often first appears as a flu-like illness, but does not then go away.

'Hijacked'

The researchers compared levels of gene expression in the white blood cells of 25 healthy people and 25 who had CFS using DNA chip technology. They found differences in the behaviour of 35 of the 9,522 genes they analysed. Further genetic testing showed 15 of the genes were up to four times more active in people with CFS, while one gene was less active. Several genes the team pinpointed play important roles in mitochondria, the "powerhouse" of cells.

One of the products of these genes is EIF4G1, which is involved in the protein production in mitochondria. EIF4G1 is hijacked by some viruses, so cells may compensate by increasing gene expression. The genetic differences lead to changes in how blood proteins behave which could allow the development of a blood test for CFS, the team say. Other genes are involved in regulating the immune system or playing important roles in nerve cells. The team will now carry out further research on 1,000 CFS patients and healthy people.

Not 'made-up'

Dr Jonathan Kerr who led the research team, which is currently in the process of moving to St George's, said: "The involvement of such genes does seem to fit with the fact that these patients lack energy and suffer from fatigue." He added the work could also potentially lead to a treatment for the condition. "We have shown that a significant part of the pathogenesis resides in the white blood cells and in their activity "It will open the door to development of pharmacological interventions."

Dr Russell Lane, a neurologist at Charing Cross Hospital, in London, said: "This exciting new work shows that some aspects of this complex illness may be understandable in molecular terms, and that CFS is not a 'made-up' illness." Chris Clark, chief executive of Action on ME, told the BBC News website: "The prospect of having a diagnostic test is very encouraging because many people with ME can currently take well over a year to find out what is wrong with them." Dr Neil Abbot of Merge, a charity which funds research into CFS/ME, said: "CFS/ME can have very different effects on patients. "We're not looking at just one condition with a definitive patient group. "So it might be hard to get a gene signature which works for everyone with CFS/ME." But he added: "This research probably won't be the answer for everyone, but it is still very interesting."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/4702515.stm

 

[waltky]

Prob'ly a blood or hormone disorder...

NIH to Study Mysterious Chronic Fatigue Disorder
October 30, 2015: The U.S. National Institutes of Health has announced a study of chronic fatigue syndrome, or CFS, a mysterious condition that can leave sufferers exhausted and bed-ridden.

NIH officials say they want to find a cause and treatment for CFS. For now, doctors remain baffled because there is no test to confirm a diagnosis of the disorder. Exhaustion, a hallmark of CFS, can be a symptom of many conditions. And people with CFS often have other health problems. However, the head of NIH, Francis Collins, says with all of the genetic tools now available, researchers should be able to identify the cause, which could help lead to an effective treatment.

Women are diagnosed with chronic fatigue four times more often than men. Bed rest doesn’t help alleviate the symptoms, which can include weakness, headache, sore joints, swollen lymph nodes and impaired cognitive function.

In 2009, researchers announced that CFS appears to have a genetic basis. At that time, experts predicted it would take a while to identify the biological pathways involved. An estimated one million Americans suffer from chronic fatigue syndrome, costing thousands of dollars a year in lost work and productivity.

NIH to Study Mysterious Chronic Fatigue Disorder

 

[Delta4Embassy]

More inclined to think people with supposed ailements like cfs are overstressed. Relax more, play more, work less. Don't see a lot of things in European countries we think are so real in the US.

 

[jon_berzerk]

there is such a thing

we used to call it being lazy