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How mycobacterium tuberculosis infection could lead to the increasing risks of CFS and the potential immunological effects (...), 2022, Yang et al

Discussion in 'ME/CFS research' started by Wyva, Feb 22, 2022.

  1. Wyva

    Wyva Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    1,368
    Location:
    Budapest, Hungary
    Full title: How mycobacterium tuberculosis infection could lead to the increasing risks of chronic fatigue syndrome and the potential immunological effects: a population-based retrospective cohort study

    Abstract

    Background
    Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) has been shown to be associated with infections. Tuberculosis (TB) is a highly prevalent infectious disease. Patients with chronic fatigue syndrome and post-tuberculosis experience similar symptoms. Furthermore, chronic fatigue syndrome and tuberculosis share similar plasma immunosignatures. This study aimed to clarify the risk of chronic fatigue syndrome following the diagnosis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection (MTI), by analyzing the National Health Insurance Research Database of Taiwan.

    Methods
    7666 patients aged 20 years or older with newly diagnosed Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection during 2000–2011 and 30,663 participants without Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection were identified. Both groups were followed up until the diagnoses of chronic fatigue syndrome were made at the end of 2011.

    Results
    The relationship between Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection and the subsequent risk of chronic fatigue syndrome was estimated through Cox proportional hazards regression analysis, with the incidence density rates being 3.04 and 3.69 per 1000 person‐years among the non‐Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection and Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection populations, respectively (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] = 1.23, with 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.03–1.47). In the stratified analysis, the Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection group were consistently associated with a higher risk of chronic fatigue syndrome in the male sex (HR = 1.27, 95% CI 1.02–1.58) and age group of ≥ 65 years old (HR = 2.50, 95% CI 1.86–3.38).

    Conclusions
    The data from this population‐based retrospective cohort study revealed that Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection is associated with an elevated risk of subsequent chronic fatigue syndrome.

    Open access: https://translational-medicine.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12967-022-03301-1
     
  2. Andy

    Andy Committee Member

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    Location:
    Hampshire, UK
  3. CRG

    CRG Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    Location:
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    Higher risk in 65+ year old males ! I think there has to be some doubt as whether the authors are identifying CFS - or chronic fatigue that is part of some post infection syndrome. Even if using ICD10-CM as the disease definition, following infection specific cases may have difficulty separating a disease specific condition from what appears to be the far more ubiquitous ME/CFS.
     
    FMMM1, Mithriel, Michelle and 5 others like this.
  4. Hutan

    Hutan Moderator Staff Member

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    Location:
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    Yeah, tuberculosis destroys lung tissue and one reference I saw said that 50% of patients had permanent pulmonary dysfunction. So, not breathing well due to lung damage, maybe coupled with years of smoking and old age - it's going to look pretty much like a vaguely defined chronic fatigue syndrome in a lot of cases.

    That said, I think it's quite possible that some people who get tuberculosis do get ME/CFS as a result. If they don't it would be good to know why they don't.

    This is the bit about 'similar plasma signatures' - a description that oversells the limited observation I think:
     
    Michelle, Peter Trewhitt, Mij and 3 others like this.
  5. Hutan

    Hutan Moderator Staff Member

    Messages:
    26,520
    Location:
    Aotearoa New Zealand
    Having got to the Discussion now, I see that there is more about possible similarities between CFS and people with TB on terms of 'plasma signatures' there. e.g.
    I want to come back and read more, but just thought I should acknowledge the detail in the Discussion. There may be some consistent findings of higher TNF-a in ME/CFS?
     
    Last edited: Feb 22, 2022
    Peter Trewhitt likes this.
  6. Jonathan Edwards

    Jonathan Edwards Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    13,269
    Location:
    London, UK
    Immunoinflammatory pathway activation is one of the most researched topics related to CFS [14, 16]. Immune activation markers in CFS include increased levels of proinflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β [27, 28].

    Three out of four citations are to Maes including the dreaded Morris & Maes review.
    This is just plain wrong. A bot could do better having scanned the literature.
     
    FMMM1, CRG, Peter Trewhitt and 4 others like this.

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