Journal of IiME Volume 6 Issue 1 (June 2012) 1989 “Disordered immunity may be central to the pathogenesis of (ME)CFS. Reduced IgG levels were common (56% of patients), with the levels of serum IgG3 and IgG1 subclasses particularly affected. The finding of significantly increased numbers of peripheral blood mononuclear cells that express Class-II histocompatibility antigens (HLA-DR) in our patients implies immunological activation of these cells. Once activated, these cells may continue to produce cytokines which may mediate the symptoms of (ME)CFS” (AR Lloyd et al. The Medical Journal of Australia 1989:151:122-124). 1989 “On medical history, the only clearly striking finding is a high frequency of atopic or allergic illness (in about 50 – 70%)…. On immunologic testing, we and others have found evidence of subtle and diffuse dysfunction” (AL Komaroff & D Goldenberg. J Rheumatol 1989:16:19:23-27). 1989 In 1989 The CFIDS Association of America published a “Brief Summary” by Anthony Komaroff from Harvard and Director of the Division of General Medicine and Primary Care at Brigham and Womens Hospital, Massachusetts: “Considerable progress is being made in identifying various objective abnormalities, such as unusual immune system and nervous system findings. These advances are important (because) they identify measurable abnormalities that the patients cannot ‘fake’ ”. 1990 On 17th March 1990 Professor Peter Behan from Glasgow made a presentation to the Mid-Anglia branch of the ME Association in Cambridge; he noted that 50% of ME patients cannot produce steroids in response to stimulus. 1990 On 10th- 12th April 1990 the First World Symposium on ME/CFS was held at the University of Cambridge. Speakers presented evidence on Invest in ME (Charity Nr. 1114035) acute, latent, persistent and reactive virus/host interaction; on cytopathological studies; on electron microscopy studies; on immunological abnormalities, genetics and autoimmunity; on interferons and their role in virus infections; on muscle studies of abnormal metabolic function; on cardiac disease in ME/CFS; on lesions in the brain and on paediatric ME/CFS. The predominant view was of a persistent or chronic viral infection which either gave rise to, or was the result of, a continuing abnormal immune response and abnormalities of the muscle and central nervous system. Evidence was presented of an infective vasculitis in ME/CFS. The Symposium brought together leading international researchers to review all aspects of ME/CFS. The proceedings were subsequently published as the 724 page seminal textbook on ME/CFS (The Clinical and Scientific Basis of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, edited by Drs Byron Hyde, Jay Goldstein and Jay Levy; The Nightingale Research Foundation, Ottawa, 1992). 1990 The 184-page issue of The Spring/Summer CFIDS Chronicle again covered (ME)CFS conferences and medical research; in addition it carried a section on “Women’s Issues”, noting the immunological findings in women with endometriosis (often present in women with (ME)CFS), these being strikingly consistent with immunological findings in (ME)CFS in general. They also include the presence of anti-endometrial antibodies in peritoneal fluid and serum; deposits of complement C3 and C4 fractions in the endometrium, peritoneal fluid and sera, and increased number of activated macrophages in the peritoneal cavity. 1990 “The subgroup of patients with immunological abnormalities may have a prolonged illness” (DO Ho-Yen. JRCGP 1990:40:37-39). 1990 “In order to characterise in a comprehensive manner the status of laboratory markers associated with cellular immune function in www.investinme.org Page 37 of 108
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