[Ed. Note: You can tell when a medical group first recognized CFS by where it's treated. Those who dealt with it early on have it filed under Infectious Disease, since it has viral onset. Then it was moved to Rheumatology, because it has symptoms in common with fibromyalgia, which is treated in that department. Few, if any, medical groups correctly file it under Neurology. Thanks to LKW for these explanatory comments.]
What is a Rheumatologist?
--------------------------
A rheumatologist is an internist or pediatrician who is qualified by
additional training and experience in the diagnosis and treatment of
arthritis and other diseases of the joints, muscles and bones. Many
rheumatologists conduct research to determine the cause and better
treatments for these disabling and sometimes fatal diseases.
What Kind of Training Do Rheumatologists Have?
--------------------------------------------------
After four years of medical school and three years of training in either
internal medicine or pediatrics, rheumatologists devote an additional two to
three years in specialized rheumatology training. Most rheumatologists who
plan to treat patients choose to become board certified. Upon completion of
their training, they must pass a rigorous exam conducted by the American
Board of Internal Medicine to become certified.
What Do Rheumatologists Treat?
---------------------------------
Rheumatologists treat arthritis, certain autoimmune diseases,
musculoskeletal pain disorders and osteoporosis. There are more than 100
types of these diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis,
gout, lupus, back pain, osteoporosis, fibromyalgia and tendonitis. Some of
these are very serious diseases that can be difficult to diagnose and treat.
~
Below is a recent (2007) abstract of Klimas'. Apparently, even tho the USA
CDC's 'CFS' (Fukuda, et al) has always been classified by them--who made it
up b/n 1988 and 1994--under Vector Borner and Zoonotic...she is now
presuming it is actually a Rheumatological illness???
Before we proceed, here's another important Reminder:
--------------------------------------------------------
ME (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis) is and always has been classified by the WHO (World Health Organization) under a different bodily system:
-->G93.3, Neurogenic (which means it starts in the Brain).
And the initial damage--from a sudden onset viral event--then affects the brain, brain stem and CNS (Central Nervous System). This then causes a 'cascade of effects throughout the body' similar to the demylination of MS. Hence, it becomes a 'multi-system illness'.
It is NOT considered to be a Rheumatological disorder. It never has been.
~
Moving on:
All 'CFS' studies to-date have been done on 'mixed patient groups'. This
means the data they produced is also 'mixed'. In other words, not very
relevant.
When will we start seeing, as Dr Neil Abbot recently phrased it:
"significantly comparable groups of patients" studied?
Can we please once and for all get our facts and names and terminology and
classifications straight - so some progress can be realized?
For a supposedly 'lead' and 'researcher' to be so casual about all of this
is...shocking, distressing and mindblowing. And it should cause us ALL to
pause and ask what her true intent is, and where her loyalties lie. She was
one of the 11 authors of the 2003 ME/CFS Canadian Criteria, which first
'blended' together ME & CFS in the first place. The rationale for doing this
remains sketchy.... And she worked on that project while still working with
Reeves, et al, at the USA CDC on 'fatiguing illnesses', which he/she/they
have always postured was 'psychological'....
Oh, and P.S. There are no 'subgroups' under 'CFS' because 'CFS' is a
man-made construct. And it's manufacture has effectively stonewalled
meaningful research into both ME, and ALSO into whatever it is that the
majority of 'CFS' patients have (Lyme, mono, Q fever, thyroid, bi-polar,
organophosphate and radiation poisonings, clinical depression, etc.).
- SEPERATE
- CLASSIFY CORRECTLY
- STUDY INDEPENDENTLY
It is the only way to do it properly and correctly.
LKWoodruff
lkw777@charter.net
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Inflammation, Immune Function, and Neuroendocrine
Interactions [abstract]
Nancy G. Klimas and Anne O'Brien Koneru
Corresponding author:
Nancy G. Klimas
University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, 1201 NW 16th Street, VA
Medical Center, 200 BMRC, 6th Floor, Miami, FL 33125, USA.
Email: nancy.klimas@va.gov
Current Rheumatology Reports 2007, 9:482-487
Current Medicine Group LLC ISSN 1523-3774
Copyright © 2008 by Current Medicine Group LLC
Investigations into the underlying cause of chronic fatigue syndrome have
advanced the field considerably in the past year. Gene microarray data have led to a better understanding of pathogenesis. Recent research has evaluated genetic signatures, described biologic subgroups, and suggested potential targeted treatments. Acute viral infection studies found that initial infection severity was the single best predictor of persistent fatigue.
Genomic studies showed that persistent cases express Epstein Barr
virus-specific genes and demonstrate abnormalities of mitochondrial
function. Studies of immune dysfunction extended observations of natural
killer cytotoxic cell dysfunction of the cytotoxic T cell through
quantitative evaluation of intracellular perforins and granzymes. Other
research has focused on a subgroup of patients with reactivated viral
infection. These advances should result in targeted therapies that impact
immune function, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis regulation, and
persistent viral reactivation.
No comments:
Post a Comment