Journal of IiME Volume 1 Issue 1 Dr. Leonard Jason (continued) and parasitic disease. Significantly higher rates of allergy and allergic type reactions have been reported in the CFS population (Borish, et al., 1998). Several studies have also reported significant elevations of the eosinophil counts of individuals with CFS (Conti, Magrini, Priori, Valesini & Bonini, 1996; Baraniuk, Clauw, Yuta, Gaumond, Upadhyayula, Fujita, et al. 1998; Priori, Conti, Luan, Aprino & Valesini, 1994). The normal range endorsed by Mercy Hospital Laboratories for eosinophil count is 100-300 mL. This variable was coded as normal or abnormal depending on the test results from Mercy Hospital Laboratory. When elevated levels of lymphocytes are found, this can be an indication of viral infection, chronic infection, and Hodgkin’s disease, among others. Elevated lymphocytes have been reported in the CFS population (Patarca, 2001), and abnormal lymphocyte responses have also been noted (Krueger et al., 2001). However, elevated levels and abnormal responses have not been found in all studies (Brimacombe, Zhang, Lange & Natelson, 2002). The normal range endorsed by Mercy Hospital Laboratories for lymphocytes is 800-4400mL. This variable was coded as normal or abnormal depending on the test results from Mercy Hospital Laboratory. Rheumatoid Arthritis Factor (RA Factor) RA factor measures antibodies in arthritis, individuals with rheumatoid arthritis. When this test occasionally, the serum of is abnormal, it indicates an inflammatory process such as rheumatoid autoimmune disease and infectious diseases. The presence of rheumatoid arthritis factor has been reported in the CFS population (Kerr et al., 2001). This laboratory test was conducted by National Health Laboratories Incorporated-Chicago, in Elmhurst, the degree of rapidity with which the red cells sink in a mass of drawn blood (Dirckx, 2001). Elevated Sed Rate can indicate bacterial infection, pelvic inflammatory disease, systemic lupus erythematosus, and red blood cell abnormalities (Kee, 2001). Abnormal sedimentation rates have been reported in CFS populations (Richards, Roberts, McGregor, Dunston & Butt, 2000). Results on this test are reported in millimeters per hour, and normal ranges depend on sex and age. The Mercy laboratories normal range for males < 50 is 010.4 mm/hr, and for males > 50, 0-11.4 mm/hr. For females < 50 the normal range is 0-11.0 mm/hr and for females > 50, 0-20.0 mm/hr. This variable was coded as normal or abnormal depending on the test results from Mercy Hospital Laboratories. Antinuclear Antibodies (ANA) ANA tests for the presence of antinuclear antibodies in the blood. A normal result is negative. When positive, it is an indication of systemic lupus or other rheumatoid disorders, which are inflammatory diseases. Occasionally this test can be positive in the presence of specific types of infections. Elevated rates of ANA have been reported in the CFS population (Nesher, Margalit & Ashkenazi, 2001). Several reports of a specific type of ANA found in some individuals with CFS have been published (Itoh et al., 2000; Nishikai, et al., 2001). Psychiatric Diagnosis To measure current and lifetime psychiatric diagnosis, the Structured Clinical Spitzer, Gibbon & Williams, 1995) was used. IL. Serum samples were first run undiluted, and if a positive result was found, the sample was then run diluted at a 1:10 dilution. The reference value for a normal result is < 1:20 titer. Ranges of 1:20-1:80 are positive for rheumatoid and other conditions. Results falling above 1:80 are positive for rheumatoid arthritis. Any positive results on this test were coded as abnormal. As Rheumatoid Arthritis is an exclusionary disorder for CFS diagnosis, all participants were screened for Rheumatoid Arthritis during their medical exam and this disorder was ruled out. Sedimentation Rate (Sed Rate) Sed rate measures the sinking velocity of blood cells, or Interview for the DSM (SCID; First, Previous studies have indicated that the SCID is a reliable measure of psychiatric diagnosis in the CFS population (Taylor & Jason, 1998). The SCID requires administration by master’s level clinicians. To create the categories used in this study, all diagnoses identified as anxiety disorders by the DSM (such as generalized anxiety disorder, phobias etc.) were grouped together into one Anxiety Diagnosis variable, all disorders identified as depressive disorders (such as major depressive disorder, seasonal affective disorder, bipolar disorder etc.) into one Depressive Disorder variable, and all other psychiatric diagnoses (such as substance abuse disorders, somatization etc.) were grouped into an Other Psychiatric Diagnosis variable. Disability To determine disability level, the SF-36 (Stewart, Hays & (continued page 12) 11 Invest in ME Charity Nr 1114035 www.investinme.org
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