110004


Circulation problems "may explain CFS"
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Thursday, April 10, 2003


LONDON


By Health Newswire reporters


There is growing evidence that chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) -
previously known as myalgic encephalomyelitis - is related to
circulation problems, say US researchers.


The team from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey
and the War-Related Illnesses and Injuries Study Center in New Jersey
suggests that some CFS cases may be the result of left ventricular
dysfunction in patients who do not show overt signs of cardiac
insufficiency and therefore escape current clinical cardiological
diagnosis.


Presenting their findings at a meeting of the American Physiological
Society in San Diego, the researchers will describe their
investigation of 16 patients diagnosed with CFS and four control
patients.


They used the radioisotopic multiple gated acquisition (MUGA) blood
pool method of ventriculography to investigate evidence of
abnormalities in cardiac function.


The method allows investigators to visualise cardiac blood pools and
use emission counts to estimate volumes of blood in the left
ventricle at the end of relaxation and contraction periods. The ratio
between the volumes for the two periods - known as the ejection
fraction (EF) - is considered as the best non-invasive indicator of
left ventricular function.


After testing the subjects while cycling, those with CFS were found
to have a decline in their EF during a period of maximal exercise,
but this increased in the control group.


In addition, the decreases in EF tended to be greater in patients
with more severe symptoms. Thirteen of the CFS patients tested
positively for a decline in EF, compared to none of the control group.


"This study provides a preliminary indication of reduced cardiac
function in some patients with CFS," say the study authors.


They add, however, that their findings could be explained by
abnormalities other than those in the heart, such as the distribution
of cardiac output, reduced blood volume and neurogenic and
endocrinologic abnormalities.


As a result, the researchers recommend further studies be carried out
to define the causes of the altered cardiac stress responses they
found.


Source: American Physiological Society

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