Clinical characterisation, integrative morphological and functional studies of organ perfusion and biomarkers in patients with ME/CFS

Project description

ME/CFS leads to a severe limitation of physical and cognitive performance, enormous suffering and severely affects the quality of life of patients. The causes and mechanisms of the disease are currently largely unknown.

The VADYS-ME research network is investigating the hypothesis that disturbances in the regulation of blood vessels and blood supply impair the metabolism of tissues and organs. This in turn can contribute to symptoms such as muscular weakness, generalised exhaustion and concentration problems. VADYS-ME will therefore specifically investigate factors and pathomechanisms of vascular function and blood circulation in ME/CFS. To this end, extensive clinical data will be combined with functional examinations, complex imaging methods and metabolic and laboratory tests in various tissues and organs. The connection between metabolic changes and mitochondrial function will also be examined in more detail.

At the Charité - University Medicine Berlin, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is used to examine the blood flow to the brain and heart muscle and to combine this with structural and functional measurements of these organs. Vascular regulation in the muscle and retina is also being investigated. Blood samples from the Charité ME/CFS biobank are being comprehensively analysed with the aim of defining biomarkers for a vascular signature of the disease.

The data and clinical parameters generated by the research network will be jointly analysed using bioinformatics to gain a better understanding of the disease-causing mechanisms of ME/CFS after infectious diseases. The results of this research will create a basis for the development of diagnostic markers and therapeutic strategies for ME/CFS.

(Description adapted from project website: see link above)