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dba: The Vermont CFIDS Association, Inc.   a 501(c)3 private foundation.    P.O.Box 3162, Burlington, VT 05408 U.S.A.   1-800-296-1445

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Research

The Need for Research, 1:26 video

What is most exciting is a research program currently underway at the University of Vermont. A small pilot project has provided provocative results that suggest the presence of an immune response in some ME/CFS patients. Similar to Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), recent preliminary studies in plasma samples from 25 ME/CFS patients revealed the presence of autoantibodies that recognize citrullinated proteins (proteins that have been modified from the native form by citrullination) in some of the patients. Although the levels of anti-citrullinated protein antibodies (ACPA) found in some ME/CFS patients were lower than those found in severe RA, they were clearly above background and were present only in some ME/CFS patients. ACPA are only present in a subset of RA patients. The isotype of the ACPA were also identified. Thus, while preliminary, the results from these studies are the first evidence for the potential existence of autoantibodies in ME/CFS, indicative of the presence of an inflammatory response which could in part mediate some of the symptoms observed in this disease. Future studies are planned to further investigate this new finding.

This pilot project was funded by the New Jersey ME/CFS Association. Our Vermont-based organization, ImmuneDysfunction.org, is soliciting funds to expand the study. Contact us for additional details:admin@immunedysfunction.org
Estimated cost: $27,000

 

 

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dba: The Vermont CFIDS Association, Inc.   a 501(c)3 private foundation.    P.O.Box 3162, Burlington, VT 05408 U.S.A.   
1-802_881-3821