Th1 and Th2 Cytokine Blood Test Panel

[atoska]

Hello everyone!!
I was wondering if any of you knew where you could get your th1 th2 response tested in Europe. I live in Italy and have been researching but don't seem to find a place.
Redlabs has a test, but it doesn't have everything I would like to have tested.
I would like to test:
IL-2, IFN-y, TNF-a
IL-4, IL-5, IL-10
IL-17
I have had sooo many test done over these 12 years of cfs.. but never this kind.
I have only had my lymphocytes T8 citotoxic and T8 suppressors measured. (My T8 suppressors were low) and my doctor always told me that I had a low th1 response because of these results.
But know that i study more.. I see that you need to test many other things to be able to know.
Can anybody help me with any kind of information about this??
Also.. does anybody know if I'm missing an important thing that I should be testing to see my th1 th2 response? Do you know what Dr DeMeirlir tests for?
Thank you all in advance!! hopefully you can help meeee!!

 

[SOC]

You might want to read up on Th-17 if you haven't already. We used to think that Th1/Th2 balance was the important issue, but relatively recently Th17 was found to be a factor as well. It may be a major one for people with ME/CFS. For a starting point: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T_helper_17_cell

My CD8+ (T-cytotoxic/suppressor) cells are low, too. I have low IL-17 and very low IL-23 which are both Th-17 cytokines. My report says "Lowered Th-17 levels may leave the host susceptible to opportunistic infections."

If you can find a place to get your cytokines tested, you might also want to think about IL-8 ("one of the major mediators of the inflammatory response...") and maybe IL-23.

 

[atoska]

Thank you SOC!!
I found a place! But they don't test Th-17..
I had also read that it was important.
Do you think it's worth it? Testing all these things? Once you know what is wrong.. is it easier to treat? DId you treat them somehow?
How are you feeling these days? I read that you are back to part time work! that's good!
You say you are susceptible to opportunistic infections.. do you get sick a lot? I'm the kind of cfs that never gets sick... it's weird because I feel sick(sicker than normal when I get a flu), but I never get a fever of a cough..
Thanks again for helping me!
I was feeling good for quite a while and wanted to forget about all this.. but it's all back and I'm back to studying all!

 

[SOC]

atoska,
As I understand it, there's not much that can be done directly to improve a low CD8+ condition. However, treating chronic opportunistic infections that come about as the result of low CD8+ can substantially improve your medical condition and may, over time, allow CD+ cells to increase. At least that's the way I understood my doctor's explanation. It certainly seems to be working for me.

So, if you have a doctor that will test for and treat chronic opportunistic infections and understands the problem with a low CD8+ cell count, then it is probably worth testing -- if only to convince the doctor that you have a legitimate immune dysfunction.

Many people with ME/CFS to not get temperatures that would normally be considered "fever", either because we start out with low body temperatures or because we have autonomic dysfunction that interferes with body temperature regulation. I haven't officially had a fever in decades, although my body temp has been several degrees above my normal body temperature.

So far, my ME/CFS docs have found 5 chronic infections: HHV-6, EBV (HHV-4), C. pneumoniae, Coxsackie, and Parvovirus B19. We treated and rendered inactive 4 of them. There is no easy treatment for Parvovirus B19, so at the moment we are waiting to see if my immune system can tackle it now that it doesn't have all those other infections to cope with. I will probably stay on antivirals for a long time since my body cannot keep herpesviruses suppressed because of the low CD8+ count. Maybe if my CD8+ count rises into the normal range, I might try going off them.

Since you already have a recorded low CD8+ count, could you get a referral to an immunologist? That would probably be your best shot at getting the right tests and possibly appropriate treatments.

 

[atoska]

SOC
Thank you so much for your answer!!
I'm happy to hear that your doctor is helping you and that you are improving! hope your CD8 rises back up so you can fight everything!
How long have you been on treatment? how long have you had cfs? How long since you saw improvement? have you had periods of recovery?
I have been seeing Dr Montoya for the last two years. I'm taking acyclovir and Oxymatrine. Like you, he said I had chronic EBV, high coxsackie and high enteroviruses antibodies. He also said that my antibodies of EBV were not real high (just in the limit where he starts treating them) so he didn't want to give me Valtrex or Valcyte.
It's hard to tell if the treatment has helped me... my cyclic fatigue hasn't really changed.. i have "good" periods at like 80% of my level that can last months, with relapses that last for a couple of months normally. I started taking thyroid medicine and it gave me this last relapse...
But Dr Montoya never tested my immune response. And even if there is nothing to do about it, I will be glad to see something wrong in my blood work. And keep researching and trying.
So you have T8s and T8c both low? I have low my t8s, the other ones seem to be ok. But who knows now... those results are from 4 years ago!!
I understand what you say about the fever. I feel the same way. When I feel like if i had a fever i may have only 37C, but for my normal body temperature it's high. I miss getting a fever!! hehe. who could understand that??
Maybe taking immunovir or some kind of immune modulator could help with this immune disfunction?
I'm thinking about making an appointment with Dr Demeirlir. I got in touch with the clinic and he doesn't have a long waiting list... I want a doctor that can help!! like all of us of course!
well.. thanks again for helping me
baci da roma!!