Saliva fatigue biomarker index as a marker for severe ME/CFS in a community based sample (Jason et al., 2021)

[Pyrrhus]

Saliva fatigue biomarker index as a marker for severe ME/CFS in a community based sample (Jason et al., 2021)
https://doi.org/10.1080/21641846.2021.1994222

Excerpt:

Objective

The prevalence of pediatric Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) has been estimated from an ethnically and sociodemographically diverse community-based random sample of 10,119 youth aged 5–17. We assessed whether a salivary biomarker of fatigue could identify youth with ME/CFS.

Study design

We examined the ratio of the concentrations of 2 peptide fragments in saliva, referred to as the Fatigue Biomarker Index (FBI), in participants from our study diagnosed with ME/CFS (n = 59) and matched controls (n = 39).

Results

Significant overall differences were found in the FBI between those participants with severe ME/CFS and those with ME/CFS and the controls.

Conclusions

If confirmed in other populations, the FBI could serve as an objective test to aid in the diagnosis of severe ME/CFS.

 

[godlovesatrier]

I wonder how many diseases get new objective tests per 12 months. Is it just me or does it feel like new diagnostic tests for any disease apart from cancer are very rare?

I feel like there are tons of great studies with excellent ideas, but zero implementation.

 

[Wishful]

I wonder what they're measuring, since ME's 'fatigue-like feeling' may not be actual fatigue.

 

[Pyrrhus]

I wonder what they're measuring, since ME's 'fatigue-like feeling' may not be actual fatigue.

I wonder this, too. The abstract is quite vague and the full-text is behind a paywall...