Comment on: Myalgic encephalomyelitis. [J R Soc Med. 1991]
The exchange of views between Drs Wessely and Wilson in the correspondence columns of the March issue of the Journal (March 1991 JRSM, p 182) highlights the divergence of opinion concerning the nature of myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME).
Recognition of ME as a significant health problem in New Zealand dates from an outbreak of ‘Tapanui ‘flu’ in a small country town in 1983. As it seemed possible that the wide range of symptoms could be indicative of impaired capillary blood flow, we studied the filtrability of blood samples from members of ME support groups. We found that subjects who were acutely unwell had prolonged blood filtration times which returned towards normal in the chronic state.
More recently it has been shown that ME symptoms are associated with increased percentages of nondiscocytic erythrocytes and the percentage of such cells showed an inverse correlation with wellbeing. The significance of altered red cell shape in the pathogenesis of ME has been discussed and it has been found that an injection of vitamin B12 improved wellbeing within 24 h. The loss of symptoms was associated with reduced percentages of nondiscocytes in about 50% of subjects. Those who failed to perceive a beneficial response from the B12 showed no change in red cell shape. Further studies at varying degrees of completion confirm and extend the published observations.
You can read the rest of this comment here: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1295578/pdf/jrsocmed00119-0075a.pdf
Source: Simpson LO. Myalgic encephalomyelitis. J R Soc Med. 1991 Oct;84(10):633. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1295578/