Accurate Blood Test for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME)
- Researchers at the University of East Anglia (UEA) and Oxford Biodynamics (OBD) have announced the progress of a blood test capable of diagnosing Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS).
- The research team,led by Professor Dmitry Pshezhetskiy of the UEA Norwich Medical School,analyzed blood samples from 249 individuals - 149 with ME/CFS and 100 healthy controls.
- ME/CFS is a complex, chronic illness characterized by profound fatigue that isn't improved by rest and is often accompanied by cognitive dysfunction ("brain fog"), sleep disturbances, and other...
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World’s First blood Test for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Developed
Table of Contents
Published: May 16, 2024
What Happened?
Researchers at the University of East Anglia (UEA) and Oxford Biodynamics (OBD) have announced the progress of a blood test capable of diagnosing Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS). Published on May 15, 2024, in the journal Frontiers in Medicine, the test analyzes patterns of immune cells in the blood to identify individuals with ME/CFS with a reported accuracy rate of over 80% [DOI: 10.1186/s12967-025-07203-w]. Currently, ME/CFS diagnosis relies solely on a patient’s reported symptoms, leading to lengthy delays and frequent misdiagnosis.
The research team,led by Professor Dmitry Pshezhetskiy of the UEA Norwich Medical School,analyzed blood samples from 249 individuals – 149 with ME/CFS and 100 healthy controls. They focused on identifying unique patterns in the levels and activity of immune cells, specifically looking at changes in the shape of the nucleus of white blood cells [University of East Anglia]. These patterns, detectable through a technique called nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, allowed them to differentiate between individuals with and without ME/CFS.
Why This Matters: The Challenges of ME/CFS Diagnosis
ME/CFS is a complex, chronic illness characterized by profound fatigue that isn’t improved by rest and is often accompanied by cognitive dysfunction (“brain fog”), sleep disturbances, and other symptoms. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that between 1.8 and 2.5 million Americans are living with ME/CFS [CDC: About ME/CFS]. Though,diagnosis is notoriously tough.
Currently, doctors rely on the Institute of Medicine (IOM) criteria, now known as the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) criteria, established in 2015 [National Academy of Medicine: Beyond Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome].These criteria involve a detailed assessment of symptoms and the exclusion of other potential causes of fatigue. This process can take years, leaving patients without a diagnosis and struggling to access appropriate care. A 2018 study published in PLOS One found that it takes an average of 5.4 years for individuals with ME/CFS to receive a diagnosis [PLOS One: Diagnostic Delay in ME/CFS].
The lack of objective diagnostic criteria has also