TITLE:
Chronic fatigue syndrome with history of severe infection combined altered blood oxidant status, and reduced potassium efflux and muscle excitability at exercise
AUTHORS:
Yves Jammes, Jean Guillaume Steinberg, Regis Guieu, Stephane Delliaux
KEYWORDS:
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome; Infectious Diseases; Muscle Excitability; Oxidative Stress
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Internal Medicine,
Vol.3 No.3,
September
16,
2013
ABSTRACT: It is documented that
chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) combines enhanced oxidative stress with altered
muscle excitability. We hypothesized that these disorders may be accentuated
when severe infection preceded the CFS symptoms. This case-control study
compared 55 CFS patients to a matched control group of 40 healthy subjects. In
twenty-five CFS patients, severe infection
was reported within the three to sevenmonth period preceding the CFS
symptoms. The others had practiced sport at high level. Plasma concentrations
of potassium, a marker of lipid peroxidation (thiobarbituric acid reactive
substances, TBARS), and an endogenous antioxidant (reduced ascorbic acid, RAA) were measured. Action potential (M-wave) was evoked in the vastus lateralis muscle
to explore the muscle membrane excitability.
All subjects performed a maximal incremental cycling exercise.
Compared to control subjects, all CFS patients presented an elevated resting
TBARS level and, during and after exercise, an altered M-wave configuration.
History of infection was associated with marked significant increase in resting
TBARS level, enhanced M-wave alterations, and also reduced exercise-induced
potassium efflux. The magnitude of exercise-induced M-wave alterations was
proportional to the baseline TBARS level. Severe infection preceding CFS seems
to constitute a stressor inducing altered blood oxidant status and a reduced
muscle excitability at work.