The European ME/CFS Biomarker Landscape project: an initiative of the European network EUROMENE, by Carmen Scheibenbogen, Helma Freitag, Julià Blanco, Enrica Capelli, Eliana Lacerda, Jerome Authier, Mira Meeus, Jesus Castro Marrero, Zaiga Nora-Krukle, Elisa Oltra, Elin Bolle Strand, Evelina Shikova, Slobodan Sekulic and Modra Murovska in Journal of Translational Medicine 2017, 15:162 [Published: 26 July 2017]

Review Abstract:

Myalgic encephalomyelitis or chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is a common and severe disease with a considerable social and economic impact. So far, the etiology is not known, and neither a diagnostic marker nor licensed treatments are available yet.

The EUROMENE network of European researchers and clinicians aims to promote cooperation and advance research on ME/CFS.

To improve diagnosis and facilitate the analysis of clinical trials surrogate markers are urgently needed. As a first step for developing such biomarkers for clinical use a database of active biomarker research in Europe was established called the ME/CFS EUROMENE Biomarker Landscape project and the results are presented in this review.

Further we suggest strategies to improve biomarker development and encourage researchers to take these into consideration for designing and reporting biomarker studies.