Association of chronic fatigue syndrome with premature telomere attrition
Abstract Background Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), is a severely debilitating condition of unknown etiology. The symptoms and risk factors of ME/CFS share features of accelerated aging implicated in several diseases. Using telomere length as a marker, t...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2018-02-01
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| Series: | Journal of Translational Medicine |
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| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12967-018-1414-x |
| _version_ | 1818545625840484352 |
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| author | Mangalathu S. Rajeevan Janna Murray Lisa Oakley Jin-Mann S. Lin Elizabeth R. Unger |
| author_facet | Mangalathu S. Rajeevan Janna Murray Lisa Oakley Jin-Mann S. Lin Elizabeth R. Unger |
| author_sort | Mangalathu S. Rajeevan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), is a severely debilitating condition of unknown etiology. The symptoms and risk factors of ME/CFS share features of accelerated aging implicated in several diseases. Using telomere length as a marker, this study was performed to test the hypothesis that ME/CFS is associated with accelerated aging. Methods Participant (n = 639) data came from the follow-up time point of the Georgia CFS surveillance study. Using the 1994 CFS Research Case Definition with questionnaire-based subscale thresholds for fatigue, function, and symptoms, participants were classified into four illness groups: CFS if all criteria were met (n = 64), CFS-X if CFS with exclusionary conditions (n = 77), ISF (insufficient symptoms/fatigue) if only some criteria were met regardless of exclusionary conditions (n = 302), and NF (non-fatigued) if no criteria and no exclusionary conditions (n = 196). Relative telomere length (T/S ratio) was measured using DNA from whole blood and real-time PCR. General linear models were used to estimate the association of illness groups or T/S ratio with demographics, biological measures and covariates with significance set at p < 0.05. Results The mean T/S ratio differed significantly by illness group (p = 0.0017); the T/S ratios in CFS (0.90 ± 0.03) and ISF (0.94 ± 0.02) were each significantly lower than in NF (1.06 ± 0.04). Differences in T/S ratio by illness groups remained significant after adjustment for covariates of age, sex, body mass index, waist–hip ratio, post-exertional malaise and education attainment. Telomere length was shorter by 635, 254 and 424 base pairs in CFS, CFS-X and ISF, respectively, compared to NF. This shorter telomere length translates to roughly 10.1–20.5, 4.0–8.2 and 6.6–13.7 years of additional aging in CFS, CFS-X and ISF compared to NF respectively. Further, stratified analyses based on age and sex demonstrated that the association of ME/CFS with short telomeres is largely moderated by female subjects < 45 years old. Conclusions This study found a significant association of ME/CFS with premature telomere attrition that is largely moderated by female subjects < 45 years old. Our results indicate that ME/CFS could be included in the list of conditions associated with accelerated aging. Further work is needed to evaluate the functional significance of accelerated aging in ME/CFS. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-12T07:42:33Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c2e46afc4936464abfb276fd0b6cd3be |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1479-5876 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-12T07:42:33Z |
| publishDate | 2018-02-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Translational Medicine |
| spelling | doaj.art-c2e46afc4936464abfb276fd0b6cd3be2022-12-22T00:32:45ZengBMCJournal of Translational Medicine1479-58762018-02-0116111110.1186/s12967-018-1414-xAssociation of chronic fatigue syndrome with premature telomere attritionMangalathu S. Rajeevan0Janna Murray1Lisa Oakley2Jin-Mann S. Lin3Elizabeth R. Unger4Division of High-Consequence Pathogens & Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and PreventionDivision of High-Consequence Pathogens & Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and PreventionDivision of High-Consequence Pathogens & Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and PreventionDivision of High-Consequence Pathogens & Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and PreventionDivision of High-Consequence Pathogens & Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and PreventionAbstract Background Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), is a severely debilitating condition of unknown etiology. The symptoms and risk factors of ME/CFS share features of accelerated aging implicated in several diseases. Using telomere length as a marker, this study was performed to test the hypothesis that ME/CFS is associated with accelerated aging. Methods Participant (n = 639) data came from the follow-up time point of the Georgia CFS surveillance study. Using the 1994 CFS Research Case Definition with questionnaire-based subscale thresholds for fatigue, function, and symptoms, participants were classified into four illness groups: CFS if all criteria were met (n = 64), CFS-X if CFS with exclusionary conditions (n = 77), ISF (insufficient symptoms/fatigue) if only some criteria were met regardless of exclusionary conditions (n = 302), and NF (non-fatigued) if no criteria and no exclusionary conditions (n = 196). Relative telomere length (T/S ratio) was measured using DNA from whole blood and real-time PCR. General linear models were used to estimate the association of illness groups or T/S ratio with demographics, biological measures and covariates with significance set at p < 0.05. Results The mean T/S ratio differed significantly by illness group (p = 0.0017); the T/S ratios in CFS (0.90 ± 0.03) and ISF (0.94 ± 0.02) were each significantly lower than in NF (1.06 ± 0.04). Differences in T/S ratio by illness groups remained significant after adjustment for covariates of age, sex, body mass index, waist–hip ratio, post-exertional malaise and education attainment. Telomere length was shorter by 635, 254 and 424 base pairs in CFS, CFS-X and ISF, respectively, compared to NF. This shorter telomere length translates to roughly 10.1–20.5, 4.0–8.2 and 6.6–13.7 years of additional aging in CFS, CFS-X and ISF compared to NF respectively. Further, stratified analyses based on age and sex demonstrated that the association of ME/CFS with short telomeres is largely moderated by female subjects < 45 years old. Conclusions This study found a significant association of ME/CFS with premature telomere attrition that is largely moderated by female subjects < 45 years old. Our results indicate that ME/CFS could be included in the list of conditions associated with accelerated aging. Further work is needed to evaluate the functional significance of accelerated aging in ME/CFS.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12967-018-1414-xTelomere attritionChronic fatigue syndromeMyalgic encephalomyelitisImmunosenescenceStress |
| spellingShingle | Mangalathu S. Rajeevan Janna Murray Lisa Oakley Jin-Mann S. Lin Elizabeth R. Unger Association of chronic fatigue syndrome with premature telomere attrition Journal of Translational Medicine Telomere attrition Chronic fatigue syndrome Myalgic encephalomyelitis Immunosenescence Stress |
| title | Association of chronic fatigue syndrome with premature telomere attrition |
| title_full | Association of chronic fatigue syndrome with premature telomere attrition |
| title_fullStr | Association of chronic fatigue syndrome with premature telomere attrition |
| title_full_unstemmed | Association of chronic fatigue syndrome with premature telomere attrition |
| title_short | Association of chronic fatigue syndrome with premature telomere attrition |
| title_sort | association of chronic fatigue syndrome with premature telomere attrition |
| topic | Telomere attrition Chronic fatigue syndrome Myalgic encephalomyelitis Immunosenescence Stress |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12967-018-1414-x |
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