Thinktank, I think it's terrific that you're being treated for Lyme, and you are monitoring your cytokine profile. Are you part of a study? Are you just gauging your progress based on the cytokines' tendency to trend back toward in-range? More to the point, does your clinician trace your values directly to Lyme?
I have never had my cytokines mapped. I tried unilaterally once, but the labs got screwed up.
Last question, but for me it is important: Did you have your values for NK cells generated, and if so, did your clinician say how they were related to your Lyme? My NK cell numbers came in low, out of range, at 5 (7-175 = in range). Those numbers were part of testing I had done by a good ME/CFS clinician. But I am also part of an unrelated US study (read that Old Guard) looking at Lyme, and I fear if I bring in my NK cell value, the researchers will discount those and scold me for introducing irrelevant numbers. I am aware of the Natelson/Shuster?/Coyle study where they looked at CSF patterns that distinguish between ME and Lyme and controls, but beyond that....
Edited to add: You know, before I agreed to this study, I specifically asked if they would be mining for cytokine/chemokine data, and I was assured they would. I have had drums of blood work taken over a few visits, also CSF drawn - but no cytokine/chemokine data. I have all my reports, and they're not in there. There is loads of data, and that has kept me occupied to an extent, because much of it is controversial. But still. I go back next month, and will be asking what happened, although I'm fairly sure my concerns will be shrugged off.
