Lymphocyte phenotype and cytokine production in patients with fatigue.
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Lymphocyte phenotype and cytokine production in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome and in patients treated with chemotherapy for breast cancer - common pathways of immunomodulation leading to fatigue?
IRAS ID
127425
Contact name
Clive RD Carter
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
Research summary
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) is a condition affecting around 250,000 people in the UK. Symptoms are varied but are characterised by chronic unexplained debilitating fatigue lasting longer than six months; the fatigue is typically made worse following light physical or mental exertion. Other symptoms associated with CFS include headaches, sore throats, aching muscles, and difficulty in concentrating. Although the causes remain unknown, there are some indications that the immune system may be at least partly responsible. The immune system of CFS/ME patients has therefore been investigated widely although results have generally been inconclusive with little agreement between different reports and no real links between laboratory data and patient symptoms. Other patients also suffer from fatigue; an example of this is in breast cancer patients following chemotherapy in which 70-90% of patients suffer from fatigue that can, in some cases, be severe and persist long after treatment, severely affecting the quality of life of affected individuals. The cause of this chemotherapy induced fatigue is not known but chemotherapy is known to cause widespread alterations to lymphocytes (white blood cells that fight infections), and this may play a role in the fatigue observed in these patients. We therefore intend to study characteristics of lymphocytes in CFS/ME patients and breast cancer patients post chemotherapy. In particular we plan to observe how lymphocyte surface markers change pre and post treatment for CFS/ME and also in breast cancer patients pre and post chemotherapy. We will also measure the production of cytokines (substances that are released from lymphocytes that effect many aspects of the immune system) in these patients. It is anticipated that this study will generate novel and immunologically important information, ultimately leading to possible new treatment options to protect against fatigue and increase the quality of life for these patients.
REC name
Yorkshire & The Humber - Leeds East Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
13/YH/0348
Date of REC Opinion
5 Dec 2013
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion