Journal of IiME Volume 2 Issue 1 ME News from Around Europe from Finland R REESSEEAARRCCHH ff rroomm FFii nn ll aanndd (( TTuutt kkiimmuuss SSuuoommee ss tt aa )) An academic dissertation by Jaana Renko from Tampere University, Finland entitled Bacterial DNA Signatures in Arterial inflammation (2008) found signs of past bacterial infections in arterial plaques. Atherosclerosis develops over time starting often in childhood. Plaques develop in arterial walls resulting in narrowing of blood vessels. The plaques contain chronic inflammation and it has been thought for some time that bacteria are involved in causing the inflammation. The most identified of these bacteria are Chlamydia pneumoniae and oral bacteria. Jaana Renko examined arterial samples from autopsies and surgeries and found high overall diversity of bacterial DNA in the atherosclerotic coronary and abdominal artery samples. Her study supports the theory that past infections increase the risk of developing atherosclerosis. It is not clear whether the bacterial findings are the cause or consequence of the illness. It may be that it is easier for bacterial DNA to stick to the damaged arterial wall. This study showed the role of inflammation and possibly infection in the role of atherosclerosis. see http://acta.uta.fi/pdf/978-951-44-7249-7.pdf Chlamydia pneumoniae is implicated in the development of ME/CFS in some cases and is one of the sub groups for which further research is required. The most common causes of death among people with ME/CFS are heart failure, cancer and suicide (Jason et al. 2006). According Jason et al. people with ME/CFS died 25 years earlier than rest of the population. www.investinme.org Canadian Guidelines Invest in ME are the UK distributors for the Canadian Guidelines. Described even by NICE as “the most stringent” guidelines available these are proper, up-to-date clinical guidelines which can also be used as a base for research criteria. Findings from the study by Leonard A. Jason PhD (Comparing the Fukuda et al. Criteria and the Canadian Case Definition for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) indicated that the Canadian criteria captured many of the cardiopulmonary and neurological abnormalities, which were not currently assessed by the Fukuda criteria. The Canadian criteria also selected cases with 'less psychiatric co-morbidity, more physical functional impairment, and more fatigue/weakness, neuropsychiatric, and neurological symptoms' and individuals selected by these criteria were significantly different from psychiatric controls with CFS. The Canadian Guidelines provide a means for clearly diagnosing ME and were developed specifically for that purpose. They are an internationally accepted set of guidelines for which many in the ME community have been campaigning to be adopted as the standard set of guidelines for diagnosing ME. The Canadian Guidelines are available from IiME. The price is 46p per copy plus postage & packaging. To order please contact Invest in ME via this email address: info@investinme.org Invest in ME (Charity Nr. 1114035) Page 19/34
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