Abstract
The purpose of the present study was to investigate the relationship between immunologic status and physical symptoms in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) patients. Twenty-seven patients diagnosed with CFS were included. Participants completed a questionnaire including selected subscales of the Sickness Impact Profile, the Cognitive Difficulties Scale, and frequency and severity of CFS-related physical symptoms. Cellular immune markers measured included number and percent of T-helper/inducer cells (CD3+CD4+), T-cytotoxic/suppressor cells (CD3+CD8+), activated T-lymphocytes (CD26+CD2+CD3+), activated T cytotoxic/suppressor cells (CD38+HLA-DR+CD8+), and CD4/CD8 ratio. Spearman's correlation coefficients revealed significant associations between a number of immunologic measures and severity of illness suggesting that the degree of cellular immune activation was associated with the severity of CFS-related physical symptoms, cognitive complaints, and perceived impairment secondary to CFS. Specifically, elevations in T-helper/inducer cells, activated T-cells, activated cytotoxic/suppressor T-cells, and CD4/CD8 ratio were associated with greater severity of several symptoms. Furthermore, reductions in T-suppressor/cytotoxic cells also appeared related to greater severity of some CFS-related physical symptoms and illness burden. Multiple regression analyses demonstrated that decreased percentage of CD3+CD8+ cells and increased number of CD38+HLA-DR+CD8+ cells were the strongest predictors of total illness burden and fatigue severity, accounting for almost 30% of the variance in these measures.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 39-52 |
| Number of pages | 14 |
| Journal | Journal of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome |
| Volume | 7 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| State | Published - Nov 15 2000 |
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Keywords
- Chronic fatigue syndrome
- Immune activation
- Symptom severity
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Neuropsychology and Physiological Psychology
Cite this
Immunologic status correlates with severity of physical symptoms and perceived illness burden in chronic fatigue syndrome patients. / Cruess, Stacy E.; Antoni, Michael H; Klimas, Nancy; Maher, Kevin; Fletcher, Maryann; Helder, Lynn; Keller, Robert.
In: Journal of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Vol. 7, No. 1, 15.11.2000, p. 39-52.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Immunologic status correlates with severity of physical symptoms and perceived illness burden in chronic fatigue syndrome patients
AU - Cruess, Stacy E.
AU - Antoni, Michael H
AU - Klimas, Nancy
AU - Maher, Kevin
AU - Fletcher, Maryann
AU - Helder, Lynn
AU - Keller, Robert
PY - 2000/11/15
Y1 - 2000/11/15
N2 - The purpose of the present study was to investigate the relationship between immunologic status and physical symptoms in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) patients. Twenty-seven patients diagnosed with CFS were included. Participants completed a questionnaire including selected subscales of the Sickness Impact Profile, the Cognitive Difficulties Scale, and frequency and severity of CFS-related physical symptoms. Cellular immune markers measured included number and percent of T-helper/inducer cells (CD3+CD4+), T-cytotoxic/suppressor cells (CD3+CD8+), activated T-lymphocytes (CD26+CD2+CD3+), activated T cytotoxic/suppressor cells (CD38+HLA-DR+CD8+), and CD4/CD8 ratio. Spearman's correlation coefficients revealed significant associations between a number of immunologic measures and severity of illness suggesting that the degree of cellular immune activation was associated with the severity of CFS-related physical symptoms, cognitive complaints, and perceived impairment secondary to CFS. Specifically, elevations in T-helper/inducer cells, activated T-cells, activated cytotoxic/suppressor T-cells, and CD4/CD8 ratio were associated with greater severity of several symptoms. Furthermore, reductions in T-suppressor/cytotoxic cells also appeared related to greater severity of some CFS-related physical symptoms and illness burden. Multiple regression analyses demonstrated that decreased percentage of CD3+CD8+ cells and increased number of CD38+HLA-DR+CD8+ cells were the strongest predictors of total illness burden and fatigue severity, accounting for almost 30% of the variance in these measures.
AB - The purpose of the present study was to investigate the relationship between immunologic status and physical symptoms in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) patients. Twenty-seven patients diagnosed with CFS were included. Participants completed a questionnaire including selected subscales of the Sickness Impact Profile, the Cognitive Difficulties Scale, and frequency and severity of CFS-related physical symptoms. Cellular immune markers measured included number and percent of T-helper/inducer cells (CD3+CD4+), T-cytotoxic/suppressor cells (CD3+CD8+), activated T-lymphocytes (CD26+CD2+CD3+), activated T cytotoxic/suppressor cells (CD38+HLA-DR+CD8+), and CD4/CD8 ratio. Spearman's correlation coefficients revealed significant associations between a number of immunologic measures and severity of illness suggesting that the degree of cellular immune activation was associated with the severity of CFS-related physical symptoms, cognitive complaints, and perceived impairment secondary to CFS. Specifically, elevations in T-helper/inducer cells, activated T-cells, activated cytotoxic/suppressor T-cells, and CD4/CD8 ratio were associated with greater severity of several symptoms. Furthermore, reductions in T-suppressor/cytotoxic cells also appeared related to greater severity of some CFS-related physical symptoms and illness burden. Multiple regression analyses demonstrated that decreased percentage of CD3+CD8+ cells and increased number of CD38+HLA-DR+CD8+ cells were the strongest predictors of total illness burden and fatigue severity, accounting for almost 30% of the variance in these measures.
KW - Chronic fatigue syndrome
KW - Immune activation
KW - Symptom severity
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0033760833&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0033760833&partnerID=8YFLogxK
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:0033760833
VL - 7
SP - 39
EP - 52
JO - Journal of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
JF - Journal of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
SN - 1057-3321
IS - 1
ER -