Interactions between systemic inflammation and the stress response and their role in exacerbating symptoms in CFS, 2025, DOOMS

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Interactions between systemic inflammation and the stress response and their role in exacerbating symptoms in chronic fatigue syndrome

Authors: DOOMS, Ynse
VAN DEN HOUTE, Maaike
Coppieters, Iris
Vergaelen, Elfi
Claes , Stephan
BOGAERTS, Katleen
Van Oudenhove, Lukas

Issue Date: 2025

Publisher: LIPPINCOTT WILLIAMS & WILKINS

Source: Biopsychosocial Science and Medicine, 87 (4) , p. A88 -A89

Abstract:
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) is characterized by physical and cognitive fatigue, along with elevated fatigability.

Although CFS is considered a multifactorial disorder, research on the interrelationships between different physiological dysfunctions and how they correlate with symptom severity is limited.

The aim of this study was to examine the relationships between systemic inflammation, self-reported stress in response to a psychosocial stressor, and self-reported fatigue following a mental and physical challenge.

Methods

96 patients with CFS and 53 healthy participants (HP) completed the Maastricht Acute Stress Test (MAST-stress induction), the Paced Auditory Serial Attention Task (PASAT-mental fatigue induction), and an arm-leg cycling task (physical fatigue induction).

Subjective stress and mental and physical fatigue were rated before, during, and after the respective tasks.

Additionally, serum samples were collected after testing to measure hs-CRP levels as an indicator of systemic inflammation.

Results

Compared to HP, patients experienced higher mental and physical fatigue (main effect of group) and fatigability (group*time interaction effect) during and after the fatigue induction tasks (all p’s<0.001) and elevated levels of stress during the MAST (main effect of group; p<0.0001).

Additionally, patients’ fatigue recovered more slowly up to 24 hours after finishing the cycling task (p=0.0004) and the PASAT (p=0.0192).

Patients with increased levels of hs-CRP experienced higher levels of stress, mental, and cognitive fatigue during the MAST, PASAT, and cycling test respectively (main effect of hs-CRP on ratings; all p’s < 0.001).

Similarly, patients with higher stress levels (quantified as AUCg of stress ratings during the MAST) experienced higher physical (p=0.0011) and cognitive (p=0.0004) fatigue during and after the fatigue tasks.

Conclusion

In line with the core symptomatology of CFS, patients recover more slowly from physical and mental exertion compared to HP.

Additionally, our results indicate that systemic inflammation and the stress response interact in CFS patients.

Both factors are associated with the severity of symptoms, underscoring their role in exacerbating CFS symptoms.

This provides evidence for both interphysiological and psychophysiological links in CFS.

 

[rvallee]

In line with the core symptomatology of CFS, patients recover more slowly from physical and mental exertion compared to HP.

Yes, the problem has always been exertion. It's what defines the illness, and we already knew that. There is no need to bring 'stress' into this as it perfectly maps with exertion in every single way in the same way was "homeopathic treatment" can be substituted perfectly with "a glass of water".

Keeping aware of research in this illness is the absolute most maddening experience. Every day is the same, in our lives, and in the 'research' that gets published. Every day could be some random Tuesday in 1954 and it wouldn't make a single bit of difference because no one today is talking about things that couldn't be said verbatim back then. Or 1841. Or 5 AD. The only thing that changes is our lives slowly crumbling away.

 

[Utsikt]

Conclusion

In line with the core symptomatology of CFS, patients recover more slowly from physical and mental exertion compared to HP.

Additionally, our results indicate that systemic inflammation and the stress response interact in CFS patients.

No, they do not. All you have is correlation, there is nothing to indicate causation.

Both factors are associated with the severity of symptoms, underscoring their role in exacerbating CFS symptoms.

Again, there is nothing here about causation, especially not one-way causation.

Their interpretations of the data is as naive as observing that the grass grows when there is sunlight, and concluding that the grass growing causes the sunlight.

The only thing that might be interesting from this paper is the CRP values, and maybe if they tracked symptoms for more than 24 hours.