Compared to the classical subgroup, atypical chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) follows a different disease course wherein it could be from triggers preceding symptoms to development of additional serious illnesses. One of the authors of the study is Mady Hornig, MD, director of translational research at CII and associate professor of Epidemiology at Mailman.
According to Science Daily, Hornig and her colleagues used immunoassays to measure levels of 51 immune biomarkers in cerebrospinal fluid samples from 32 cases of classical and 27 cases of atypical chronic fatigue syndrome. All participants were equally diagnosed using same standard criteria and found out that those with atypical CFS had prior histories of viral encephalitis, an illness following foreign travel or blood transfusion.
Atypical subgroups of chronic fatigue syndrome were further diagnosed with the development of seizure disorders, multiple sclerosis-like demyelinating disorders, Gulf War Illness, or a range of cancer. The analysis of the researchers revealed the lower levels of immune cells in patients with atypical CFS compared to the classical subgroups.
The current discovery is very important as patients who meet the usual clinical criteria during diagnosis and will later develop atypical features of chronic fatigue syndrome will be assessed correctly and treated appropriately. As reported by Mayo Clinic, CFS is a complicated disorder characterized by extreme fatigue. The fatigue may affect physical and mental activity.
Chronic fatigue syndrome is also referred as myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) or systemic exertion intolerance disease (SEID). The cause of CFS, ME and SEID is unknown although some theories arise ranging from viral infections to psychological stress. Experts believe that these classes of diseases are triggered by the combination of factors.
Furthermore, there is no any single test to confirm the diagnoses of chronic fatigue syndrome as the variety of medical tests are needed. The treatment of CFS focuses on the relief of symptoms such as; fatigue, loss of memory or concentration, sore throat, enlarged lymph nodes in neck and armpits and much more.
