Invest in ME Research conference report & videos

Posted on 07/11/2023 by wames

Watch IiME Conference talks now available

 

The 15th Invest in ME Research International ME Conference 2023 – IIMEC15 – took place on 2nd June 2023  near Cambridge, UK.

The theme was “An Update on Research into ME – Post-Pandemic – including aspects of long covid research“.  Researchers and clinicians and patients from four continents came together.

IiME has now published a report and videos of the presentation, which are freely available on their website and YouTube:

Opening of IIMEC15 and Status Update Norwich Research Park – Prof Simon Carding

Status of ME/CFS Research at NIH – Dr Vicky Whittemore

ME/CFS and Long COVID: Insights from Invasive Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing – Dr David Systrom

Herpesvirus reactivation as a trigger for mitochondrial dysfunction in ME/CFS – Dr Bhupesh Prusty

Metabolic profiling and associations to clinical data in ME – Prof Karl Johan Tronstad

Rethinking the Role of Virus in ME/CFS and Long Covid – Prof Nancy Klimas

Long Covid to ME/CFS Transition – Prof Alain Moreau

Immune Abnormalities and Viruses in ME – Prof Maureen Hanson

Visits to severely affected Patients – Prof Jonas Berquist

Treatments in a Clinic for Severely Affected ME/CFS Patients – Dr Dag Storla

TREATMENTS – Toward uniform treatment regimen for ME/CFS – Dr Jesper Mehlsen

Functional Outcome Measures – Prof Kristian Sommerfelt

The Itaconate Shunt Hypothesis for ME/CFS – Prof Robert Phair

Establishing new mechanistic and diagnostic paradigms for ME/CFS – Prof Ron Davis

Conference Week Round-up – Prof Simon Carding

Watch the videos on YouTube

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Research: Brain fog in ME/CFS & long COVID

Posted on 07/06/2023 by wames

Cognitive impairment (Brain fog) in ME & LC

 

US researchers led by Drs Suzanne Vernon and Lucinda Bateman investigated cognitive problems in people with ME acquired both recently and over 10 years previously.

We believe that the closer to onset we study ME/CFS, the more likely we are to identify possible pathways that are causing the symptom(s) that can be targeted with treatment.

Patients with ME for more than 10 years had the lowest cognitive efficiency scores but higher heart rate and narrow pulse pressure was causing slower reactions times and lower cognitive efficiency in Long COVID and ME/CFS patients ill for less than 4 years.

“The take home message is that being sick with Long COVID together with orthostatic intolerance is driving brain fog.

Cognitive impairment in ME/CFS patients sick for <4 years was partially associated with the likely adaptive response of elevated heart rate.

It appears that the longer the duration of illness with ME/CFS, the more likely cognition is impaired in response to physiological stressors. Whether the cognitive deficits in executive function are stable, waxing-and-waning, or progressive is not known.

Regardless, cognitive impairment affects daily life causing problems in remembering, concentrating and decision making. These findings underscore the need for early diagnosis and treatment of ME/CFS and Long COVID to improve daily cognitive functioning.”

Cognitive impairment in post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 and short duration myalgic encephalomyelitis patients is mediated by orthostatic hemodynamic changes, by Heather Day,  Brayden Yellman,  Sarah Hammer,  Candace Rond,  Jennifer Bell,  Saeed Abbaszadeh,  Greg Stoddard,  Derya Unutmaz,  Lucinda Bateman and  Suzanne D Vernon in Front. Neurosci., 26 June 2023
Sec. Autonomic Neuroscience Vol 17 – 2023 [doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2023.1203514] This article is part of the Research Topic Fatigue: Physiology and Pathology

Introduction:

Cognitive impairment is experienced by people with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) and post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC). Patients report difficulty remembering, concentrating, and making decisions. Our objective was to determine whether orthostatic hemodynamic changes were causally linked to cognitive impairment in these diseases.

Methods: 

This prospective, observational cohort study enrolled PASC, ME/CFS, and healthy controls. All participants underwent clinical evaluation and assessment that included brief cognitive testing before and after an orthostatic challenge. Cognitive testing measured cognitive efficiency which is defined as the speed and accuracy of subject’s total correct responses per minute.

General linear mixed models were used to analyze hemodynamics and cognitive efficiency during the orthostatic challenge. Additionally, mediation analysis was used to determine if hemodynamic instability induced during the orthostatic challenge mediated the relationship between disease status and cognitive impairment.

Results: 

Of the 276 participants enrolled, 256 were included in this study (34 PASC, 71 < 4 year duration ME/CFS, 69 > 10 year ME/CFS duration, and 82 healthy controls). Compared to healthy controls, the disease cohorts had significantly lower cognitive efficiency scores immediately following the orthostatic challenge. Cognitive efficiency remained low for the >10 year ME/CFS 2 and 7 days after orthostatic challenge. Narrow pulse pressure less than 25% of systolic pressure occurred at 4 and 5 min into the orthostatic challenge for the PASC and ME/CFS cohorts, respectively.

Abnormally narrow pulse pressure was associated with slowed information processing in PASC patients compared to healthy controls (−1.5, p = 0.04). Furthermore, increased heart rate during the orthostatic challenge was associated with a decreased procedural reaction time in PASC and < 4 year ME/CFS patients who were 40 to 65 years of age.

Discussion: 

For PASC patients, both their disease state and hemodynamic changes during orthostatic challenge were associated with slower reaction time and decreased response accuracy during cognitive testing. Reduced cognitive efficiency in <4 year ME/CFS patients was associated with higher heart rate in response to orthostatic stress.

Hemodynamic changes did not correlate with cognitive impairment for >10 year ME/CFS patients, but cognitive impairment remained. These findings underscore the need for early diagnosis to mitigate direct hemodynamic and other physiological effects on symptoms of cognitive impairment.

see also:

Press release: Brain Fog in ME/CFS and Long COVID, by Suzanne Vernon

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Guide to involving people with ME & energy limiting conditions

Posted on 07/05/2023 by wames

Involving people with ME and other energy limiting conditions: a guide

 

A new publication from the The World ME Alliance aims to promote inclusivity and empower individuals with energy limiting conditions.

Involving people with lived experience of disability is vital to ensuring that projects and initiatives are successful and relevant.

The new guide serves as a comprehensive resource for individuals, organizations, and communities to better understand and support those with ME and other energy limiting conditions. The guide’s primary objectives include:

  1. Enabling access for people with energy limiting conditions to utilise their skills and expertise
  2. Creating supportive environments that accommodate their specific needs
  3. Promoting the power of inclusivity

It covers the need for good communication, venue accessibility, online accessibility, catering, carers, quiet spaces, timing, expenses.

The guide is available in English and French, with plans for additional translations in the near future. Read more

Download in English

 

The World ME Alliance is a global coalition of organisations advocating for those affected by Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME). WAMES is a founding member.

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Biomarker research: a unique circular RNA expression pattern in ME/CFS

Posted on 06/26/2023 by wames

 

Australian researchers examined circRNAs  in people with ME/CFS before and after 2 exercise tests.

CircRNA plays a regulating role in gene expression, and an essential role in the process of biological development…, as well as a critical role in the diagnosis of diseases. Liu

Gene researcher“14 circRNAs were highly expressed in ME/CFS patients but absent in controls throughout the exercise study, indicating a unique molecular signature specific to ME/CFS patients and providing potential diagnostic biomarkers for the disease.”

 

A unique circular RNA expression pattern in the peripheral blood of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome patients, by Yuning Cheng, Si-Mei Xu, Konii Takenaka, Grace Lindner, Ashton Curry-Hyde, Michael Janitz in Gene Vol 877, 15 August 2023, 147568  [doi.org/10.1016/j.gene.2023.147568]

Research abstract:

Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is a debilitating disease with obscure aetiology. The underdiagnosis rate of ME/CFS is high due to the lack of diagnostic criteria based on objective markers.

In recent years, circRNAs have emerged as potential genetic biomarkers for neurological diseases, including Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease, making them likely to have the same prospect of being biomarkers in ME/CFS. However, despite the extensive amount of research that has been performed on the transcriptomes of ME/CFS patients, all of them are solely focused on linear RNAs, and the profiling of circRNAs in ME/CFS has been completely omitted.

In this study, we investigated the expression profiles of circRNAs, comparing ME/CFS patients and controls before and after two sessions of cardiopulmonary exercise longitudinally.

In patients with ME/CFS, the number of detected circRNAs was higher compared to healthy controls, indicating potential differences in circRNA expression associated with the disease. Additionally, healthy controls showed an increase in the number of circRNAs following exercise testing, while no similar pattern was evident in ME/CFS patients, further highlighting physiological differences between the two groups.

A lack of correlation was observed between differentially expressed circRNAs and their corresponding coding genes in terms of expression and function, suggesting the potential of circRNAs as independent biomarkers in ME/CFS. Specifically, 14 circRNAs were highly expressed in ME/CFS patients but absent in controls throughout the exercise study, indicating a unique molecular signature specific to ME/CFS patients and providing potential diagnostic biomarkers for the disease.

Significant enrichment of protein and gene regulative pathways were detected in relation to five of these 14 circRNAs based on their predicted miRNA target genes. Overall, this is the first study to describe the circRNA expression profile in peripheral blood of ME/CFS patients, providing valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying the disease.

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WAMES AGM 2023 – signs of hope for the future!

Posted on 06/23/2023 by wames

WAMES AGM 2023: hope for the future

 

Our annual business meeting on 17th June 2023 celebrated the first signs of hope that services for people with ME/CFS in Wales might be on the horizon. Many times over the years we have wondered if years of raising awareness about ME and calling for appropriate services might ever produce a positive result for our ignored community.

Service development

The unfortunate rise in the post viral illness of long COVID and the long awaited revised NICE guideline means that there is now a more receptive climate in the NHS and an authoritative roadmap for the future.

WAMES has been busy sharing with Welsh Government and Health Boards the needs and experiences of people living with ME, as funding has been allocated and plans are being made to include ME/CFS in health services.

Information sharing

Advocating for services is why WAMES was set up in 2001, but we quickly realised that families affected by ME in Wales also needed information, not just about our illness, but also about general services and ways to influence those services and our society, so we set up a website and newsletter. Our information sharing these days focuses on our news blog, helpline, twitter and Facebook, and we have recently added an e-newsletter and Instagram page.

Our website has been looking increasingly tired and dated so we launched a fundraising campaign which has got off to a good start.

The team

All this has taken place with a dwindling volunteer team. Just imagine what we could do with more help!

  • Chair & Campaigns coordinator: Jan Russell
  • Acting secretary: Tony Thompson
  • Acting treasurer: Liz Chandler
  • Youth & Care Officer, Media Contact & Helpline Coordinator: Sylvia Penny
  • Volunteering Coordinator: Sharon Williams
  • Communications Team volunteers: Jacob; Mia; Michelle; Caitlin

WAMES is different to many ME charities. We don’t exist to support each other and we don’t work for members and provide them with lots of services. Instead, we all work together to improve the quality of life for ALL people affected by ME in Wales. We do this with a small number of people and a limited budget.

All our volunteers have health issues and other commitments but we can all make a valuable contribution when working as a Team and sharing the workload.

Join us at this particularly exciting time for ME in Wales!

We need:

Treasurer; Secretary; WordPress volunteer (to help run the new website); Fundraising volunteers; Remote Office manager; Admin volunteers; Communications volunteers.

Get in touch:  sharon@wames.org.uk   jan@wames.org.uk

Help us…. Make a difference for ME in Wales!

 

 

gets? | WAMES (Working for ME in Wales)

 

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More than one condition at a time – ME/CFS and comorbidities

Posted on 06/21/2023 by wames

What links conditions comorbid with ME/CFS?

 

Comorbidity… describes the existence of more than one disease or condition within your body at the same time. Comorbidities are usually long-term, or chronic. They may or may not interact with each other.  WebMD

 

German researchers have been looking at the many conditions that are experienced by people in addition to ME/CFS to see if there is a common thread running through them. They concluded that the problem might be in the blood vessels. Vascular dysfunction appears to be a strong common denominator. The main comorbid conditions investigated were:

  • mast cell activation (MCA)
  • dysmenorrhea (severe menstrual cramps) and endometriosis
  • postural tachycardia (POTS) and orthostatic intolerance
  • small fiber neuropathy (SFN)
  • decreased cerebral blood flow
  • brain fog

 

 

ME/CFS and comorbidities: linked by vascular pathomechanisms and vasoactive mediators? by  Klaus J Wirth and Matthias Löhn in
Medicina 2023, 59(5), 978; [doi.org/10.3390/medicina59050978] 18 May 2023 (This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in ME/CFS Research and Clinical Care)

Hypothesis abstract:

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) is often associated with various other syndromes or conditions including mast cell activation (MCA), dysmenorrhea and endometriosis, postural tachycardia (POTS) and small fiber neuropathy (SFN). The causes of these syndromes and the reason for their frequent association are not yet fully understood.

We previously published a comprehensive hypothesis of the ME/CFS pathophysiology that explains the majority of symptoms, findings and chronicity of the disease. We wondered whether some of the identified key pathomechanisms in ME/CFS are also operative in MCA, endometriosis and dysmenorrhea, POTS, decreased cerebral blood flow and SFN, and possibly may provide clues on their causes and frequent co-occurrence.

Our analysis indeed provides strong arguments in favor of this assumption, and we conclude that the main pathomechanisms responsible for this association are excessive generation and spillover into the systemic circulation of inflammatory and vasoactive tissue mediators, dysfunctional β2AdR, and the mutual triggering of symptomatology and disease initiation.

Overall, vascular dysfunction appears to be a strong common denominator in these linkages.

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Give donations ‘In lieu of gifts’

Posted on 06/21/2023 by wames

Give donations ‘In lieu of gifts’ 

 

Why not celebrate your next special occasion by asking your friends and family to lend support to people with ME/CFS?

By asking your friends and family to donate to us instead of giving gifts at a birthday, Christmas, anniversary or wedding, you can enjoy your special day knowing you are making a real difference to the lives of people with ME/CFS.

When adding the suggestion to your gift ‘wish list’ remind the donor to tell the treasurer which occasion they wish to celebrate when they send cheques or transfer money.

Account name:    Welsh Association of ME & CFS
Account Number:  76392081
Sort Code:       09-01-55

Treasurer: Cornerstones, Clinton Road Lane, Penarth, Vale of Glamorgan CF64 3JD

OR set up a fundraising page on a fundraising platform to allow people to donate by debit or credit card.

 “I found it really easy to set up a birthday fundraiser on Facebook.”  Sharon, WAMES Volunteer

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Decode ME – more participants needed – spread the word!

Posted on 06/16/2023 by wames

Decode ME – the world’s largest  DNA study of ME/CFS

 

Led by Dr Chris Ponting the study aims to uncover whether the disease is partly genetic and, if so, help pinpoint what causes it.

They need tens of thousands of people to take part from home by taking the questionnaire and providing a saliva sample to study their DNA. You can do both from home.

They need 25,000 DNA samples and even more people to take the questionnaire.

They are also looking for 5,000 DNA samples from people who developed ME/CFS after a Covid-19 infection.

Take part

Over 20,000 people have completed the questionnaire.

Over 10,000 have been asked to provide a DNA sample.

Many more are needed!

 

People who are not online can also take part:

  • Ask for a printed version of the information and questionnaire.
  • Ask for help to record your answers over the phone.

Contact info@DecodeME.org.uk or phone 0808 196 8664

More information

 

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Research: Fighting Post-COVID and ME/CFS – development of curative therapies

Posted on 06/15/2023 by wames

Developing curative therapies for Post-COVID and ME/CFS

 

Prof Carmen Scheibenbogen and German colleagues believe there is a need to explore treatments for ME/CFS and long COVID even though research hasn’t yet uncovered the full cause/s of the conditions and reliable diagnostic tests.

They have produced a list of drugs they believe are worth evaluating but only on strict subgroups of patients, defined by the WHO for PCS and the Canadian criteria for ME/CFS, using a consistent process.

“Our concept of a multipronged clinical trial platform approach addresses the complexity and heterogeneity of PCS and ME/CFS, enabling to test numerous drugs in clinical trials in a harmonized manner accompanied by comprehensive mechanistic studies. Such an approach will pave the way for more rapid development of drugs for PCS and ME/CFS to find therapeutic solutions for specific subgroups and finally all patients.

Further, it will allow the development and identification of precise diagnostic, prognostic and companion biomarkers ultimately leading to targeted and individualized therapies combatting the different disease mechanisms. Finally, the identification of biomarkers predicting response to treatment provides strong evidence for causative pathomechanisms.”

 

Fighting Post-COVID and ME/CFS – development of curative therapies, by Carmen Scheibenbogen, Judith T Bellmann-Strobl, Cornelia Heindrich, Kirsten Wittke, Elisa Stein, Christiana Franke, Harald Prüss, Hannah Preßler, Marie-Luise Machule, Heinrich Audebert, Carsten Finke5, Hanna G Zimmerman,  Birgit Sawitzki, Christian Meisel, Markus Tölle, Anne Krüger, Anna C Aschenbrenner, Joachim L Schultz, Marc D. Beyer, Markus Ralser, Michael Mülleder, Leif E Sander, Frank Konietschke, Friedemann Paul, Silvia Stojanov, Lisa Bruckert, Dennis M Hedderich, Franziska Knolle, Gabriela Riemekasten, Maria J Vehreschild, Oliver A Cornely, Uta Behrends and Susen Burock, in Frontiers in Medicine, Sec. Infectious Diseases: Pathogenesis and Therapy: Vol 10, 15 Jun 2023 [doi.org/10.3389/fmed.2023.1194754]

Research abstract:

The sequela of COVID-19 include a broad spectrum of symptoms that fall under the umbrella term post-COVID-19 condition or syndrome (PCS). Immune dysregulation, autoimmunity, endothelial dysfunction, viral persistence, and viral reactivation have been identified as potential mechanisms. However, there is heterogeneity in expression of biomarkers, and it is unknown yet whether these distinguish different clinical subgroups of PCS.

There is an overlap of symptoms and pathomechanisms of PCS with postinfectious myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS).

No curative therapies are available for neither ME/CFS nor PCS. The mechanisms identified so far provide targets for therapeutic interventions. To accelerate the development of therapies, we propose evaluating drugs targeting different mechanisms in clinical trial networks using harmonized diagnostic and outcome criteria and subgrouping patients based on a thorough clinical profiling including a comprehensive diagnostic and biomarker phenotyping.

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ME/CFS service development in Wales: an update

Posted on 06/13/2023 by wames

ME/CFS in Wales

 

Since the new NICE guideline for the diagnosis and management of ME/CFS was published in October 2021 WAMES has been asking the 7 Health Boards in Wales if they plan to implement the guideline and how they plan to improve care.

Some Health Boards have responded more positively than others, though all claimed to be encouraging staff to use the new NICE guideline. The focus on COVID and lack of funding were often cited as reasons for lack of action in developing management services.

WAMES also approached the Welsh Government asking them to play a part in encouraging service development, and finally in March 2023 the Health Minister, Eluned Morgan, announced some funding to extend long COVID services to ‘people with myalgic encephalomyelitis/ chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), fibromyalgia and other post-viral associated conditions’.

The money is welcome, though many would say ‘too little too late’! WAMES has been following what Health Boards are planning to do with that money.

Aneurin Bevan UHB

ABUHB have not announced any plans to develop services and have not responded to WAMES’ enquiries.

Betsi Cadwaladr UHB

BCUHB began talks with WAMES about developing services for ME/CFS long before money became available. Those plans are now being incorporated into plans for a chronic conditions service. There is still an interest amongst some staff members in meeting the needs of people with ME/CFS in line with NICE, including the new lead of the CFS/ME service in Llanfairfechan, and WAMES will continue to engage with the service commissioners to ensure ME/CFS doesn’t get overlooked again.

Cardiff and Vale UHB

Plans are well underway to develop a Long Term Conditions service in the Cardiff and Vale area.  A Co-production group of people interested in many long term conditions has been working on self-management tools such as the development of the Keeping me well website. This is a work in progress and its advice for people with ME/CFS still needs to be improved!

WAMES has been contributing information for the service design process, and planners have been investigating other ME/CFS services for insights and exploring the possibility of medical input to this rehabilitation service.

A soft launch is expected in 2023. As they aim to cater for many conditions with a limited budget and staff, we may find that it will take time to roll out all aspects of an ME friendly service. Hopefully the invitation to WAMES and people with ME to offer constructive criticism will continue.

Cwm Taf Morgannwg UHB

WAMES has met with service designers to explain the needs of people with ME/CFS and promote the NICE guideline. Plans for the Long Term Conditions service are underway and will aim to include services for ME/CFS in line with NICE, although it is uncertain whether medical professionals will be involved. [A GP’s involvement has now been confirmed 14/6/23]

Hywel Dda UHB

Plans to extend the Long COVID service to other conditions are in the early stages but 2 staff members are actively investigating the best way to integrate ME/CFS services into that. They are also talking with WAMES and taking into account the results of engagement with patients in 2014-8.

Powys THB

WAMES has received no information about any plans for an ME-friendly service in Powys and has received no request to engage with patients and carers.

Swansea Bay UHB

SBUB had offered some support previously to some people with ME/CFS through their Rheumatology Occupational Therapy service. They have not revealed any plans to develop further services and have so far not responded to WAMES’ enquiries about it.

You can help!

WAMES will continue to engage with the Health Boards as much as we can. The more information we have about the way the NHS is treating people with ME, the better we can advocate for you.

  • Tell us about your recent NHS experiences
  • Ask your GP what is recorded about you in your NHS record. Particularly how your illness is coded (Read, SNOMED etc.)
  • Ask for a confirmation of an ME/CFS diagnosis if you do not have one. Are they familiar with the NICE guideline?
  • Take part in the MEA’s #CountMEin survey of NHS experiences.
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