Preliminary determination of a molecular basis of chronic fatigue syndrome.

Abstract

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS/ME) is a debilitating fatigue illness that has an unknown etiology. We studied 20 chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) patients, who complied with the Oxford and American CDC definitions, and 45 non-CFS subjects. Participants completed questionnaires, were clinically examined, and had first morning urine specimens collected, which were screened by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry for changes in metabolite excretion. Multivariate analysis of the urinary metabolite profiles differed significantly in the CFS patients compared to the non-CFS patients (P < 0.004). The CFS patients had increases in aminohydroxy-N-methylpyrrolidine (P < 0.00003, referred to as chronic fatigue symptom urinary marker 1, or CFSUM1), tyrosine (P < 0.02), beta-alanine (P < 0.02), aconitic acid (P < 0.05), and succinic acid (P < 0.05) and reductions in an unidentified urinary metabolite, CFSUM2 (P < 0.0007), alanine (P < 0.005), and glutamic acid (P < 0.02). CFSUM1, beta-alanine, and CFSUM2 were found by discriminant function analysis to be the first, second, and third most important metabolites, respectively for discriminating between CFS and non-CFS subjects. The abundances of CFSUM1 and beta-alanine were positively correlated with symptom incidence (P < 0.01 and P < 0.001, respectively), symptom severity, core CFS symptoms, and SCL-90-R somatization (P < 0.00001), suggesting a molecular basis for CFS.

• Authors: N R McGregor, R H Dunstan, M Zerbes, H L Butt, T K Roberts, I J Klineberg
• Journal: Biochemical and molecular medicine (Biochem Mol Med) Vol. 57 Issue 2 Pg. 73-80 (Apr 1996) ISSN: 1077-3150 [Print] United States
• PMID: 8733884 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• 3-amino-1-methylpyrrolidin-2-ol
• Amino Acids
• Biomarkers
• Pyrrolidines
• Succinates
• beta-Alanine
• Glutamic Acid
• Tyrosine
• Aconitic Acid
• Succinic Acid
• Alanine

Topics

• Aconitic Acid (urine)
• Adolescent
• Adult
• Alanine (urine)
• Amino Acids (urine)
• Analysis of Variance
• Biomarkers (urine)
• Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic (physiopathology, psychology, urine)
• Female
• Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry
• Glutamic Acid (urine)
• Humans
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Multivariate Analysis
• Physical Examination
• Pyrrolidines (urine)
• Reference Values
• Succinates (urine)
• Succinic Acid
• Surveys and Questionnaires
• Tyrosine (urine)
• beta-Alanine (urine)