Molecular immunological characterisation & multimodal-multicenter intersectoral care for ME/CFS in children and adolescents in Baden-Wuerttemberg (MOVE-ME/CFS-BW)

Project description

The project MOVE-ME/CFS-BW builds on and further expands the already established structures of MOVE-COVID BW. The aim of the project is to sustainably improve the care of children and adolescents with post-infectious syndrome. To this end, the existing specialised outpatient clinics at the Social Pediatric Centers (SPZ) of the University Children's Hospitals in Freiburg, Heidelberg, Tuebingen, and Ulm will be continued and expanded. Another specialised outpatient clinic is being established at the SPZ of the Olga Hospital in Stuttgart.

For the first time, an outreach programme for home treatment of severely affected children and adolescents will be developed and established as a pilot project in the Freiburg area. The Ortenau-Klinikum Offenburg will support its establishment and implementation. Cross-sectoral training and knowledge transfer will continue in order to expand information and education about the still little-known disease in the medical and nursing care of children and adolescents as well as in schools and to protect those affected from additionally burdening, multi-layered stigmatisation.

As part of the project, various samples are taken during patient examinations and standardised data is collected to gain a better understanding of symptoms and the progression of the disease. Data will be collected in a Baden-Wuerttemberg-wide patient registry that was already established in the previous project. This should enable further systematic and targeted research into the disease, for example through specialised virological, immunological, and radiological diagnostics. In particular, the project aims to investigate whether autoimmune inflammatory processes play a role in the development of the disease and whether specific biomarkers in the blood can be identified that can be used for diagnosis.

Description adapted from project website: see link above.