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A map of metabolic phenotypes in patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome

Authors :
Fredrik Hoel
August Hoel
Ina K.N. Pettersen
Ingrid G. Rekeland
Kristin Risa
Kine Alme
Kari Sørland
Alexander Fosså
Katarina Lien
Ingrid Herder
Hanne L. Thürmer
Merete E. Gotaas
Christoph Schäfer
Rolf K. Berge
Kristian Sommerfelt
Hans-Peter Marti
Olav Dahl
Olav Mella
Øystein Fluge
Karl J. Tronstad
Source :
JCI Insight, Vol 6, Iss 16 (2021)
Publication Year :
2021
Publisher :
American Society for Clinical investigation, 2021.

Abstract

Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is a debilitating disease usually presenting after infection. Emerging evidence supports that energy metabolism is affected in ME/CFS, but a unifying metabolic phenotype has not been firmly established. We performed global metabolomics, lipidomics, and hormone measurements, and we used exploratory data analyses to compare serum from 83 patients with ME/CFS and 35 healthy controls. Some changes were common in the patient group, and these were compatible with effects of elevated energy strain and altered utilization of fatty acids and amino acids as catabolic fuels. In addition, a set of heterogeneous effects reflected specific changes in 3 subsets of patients, and 2 of these expressed characteristic contexts of deregulated energy metabolism. The biological relevance of these metabolic phenotypes (metabotypes) was supported by clinical data and independent blood analyses. In summary, we report a map of common and context-dependent metabolic changes in ME/CFS, and some of them presented possible associations with clinical patient profiles. We suggest that elevated energy strain may result from exertion-triggered tissue hypoxia and lead to systemic metabolic adaptation and compensation. Through various mechanisms, such metabolic dysfunction represents a likely mediator of key symptoms in ME/CFS and possibly a target for supportive intervention.

Subjects

Subjects :
Immunology
Metabolism
Medicine

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
23793708
Volume :
6
Issue :
16
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
JCI Insight
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.901b1669aa974902b55a2279b6b28774
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1172/jci.insight.149217