Did you know that as many as 91 percent of people in the United States don’t receive a correct diagnosis for chronic fatigue syndrome? They just carry on with their lives despite the fact that they are suffering from an illness that deprives them of mental capacity, physical strength, and the ability to have a carefree existence. That’s a terrible thing to happen, but in a little while, that won’t be the case anymore. The first findings of a blood cell-based test that can differentiate between unaffected people and those with chronic fatigue syndrome (commonly known as myalgic encephalomyelitis or ME/CFS) were just released by a group of researchers working under the direction of the University of Oxford. The test is capable of making this distinction with 91 percent accuracy.
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Employing a method known as Raman spectroscopy and an AI tool, the blood test is able to discern between the qualities of a certain type of blood cell known as peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in patients who have ME/CFS and those who do not have the condition. And if the blood test could differentiate between individuals with ME/CFS and those with MS, as well as healthy people, then this would represent positive for the use of the blood test in separating ME/CFS from other conditions, such as chronic Lyme disease and fibromyalgia.
ME/CFS is still viewed with skepticism by many [medical professionals] with no effective treatment options or clear pathology; […] The development of a simple test with the potential for early diagnosis [of ME/CFS is] a critical goal, explained Jiabao Xu and colleagues.
The scientists succeeded in examining more than 2,000 cells spread over 98 patient samples by studying the cellular molecular vibrations of individual cells. The spectra that were created as a consequence indicate variations in the quantities of intracellular metabolites that are formed as cells consume fuel. These spectra are similar to the ones that astronomers use to examine the chemical makeup of stars. With the use of the AI algorithm, the evaluation was able to diagnose 91 percent of patients effectively, and it was also able to discriminate between patients with severe, moderate, and mild ME/CFS with 84 percent accuracy.
Let’s keep our fingers crossed things will change soon, especially because research like this one hints at observable physiological modifications in the life-threatening disease that limits people’s energy so much.
