Quebec – American ME and CFS Society

Abstract:

We investigated the presence of XMRV in a cohort of Quebec patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). DNA was purified from activated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and PCR was used to detect XMRV gag and env in 72 patients. Anti-XMRV antibodies were searched in sera of 62 patients by Western blot analysis. Attempts to detect XMRV antigens was made, using immunofluorescence with Gag anti-p30 antiserum on activated PBMC from 50 patients. Plasma viremia was measured by RT-PCR on 9 subjects. Finally, detection of infectious virus in 113 CFS subjects was made by co-culture of PHA+IL-2 activated PBMC with human LNCaP carcinoma cells, and by infecting the same susceptible cells with plasma, using a reverse transcriptase (RT) assay as a readout in both experiments. No detection of XMRV footprints nor infectious virus was detected with any of the approaches, in any of the tested individuals.

Source: Cool M, Bouchard N, Massé G, Laganière B, Dumont A, Hanna Z, Phaneuf D, Morisset R, Jolicoeur P. No detectable XMRV in subjects with chronic fatigue syndrome from Quebec. Virology. 2011 Nov 10;420(1):66-72. doi: 10.1016/j.virol.2011.08.018. Epub 2011 Sep 16. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21925693

Abstract:

OBJECTIVES: To propose a new method for comparing and integrating original qualitative data with systematic reviews of quantitative and qualitative studies, demonstrated by a study of the psychosocial needs of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) sufferers in Québec.

METHODS: A systematic literature review was performed across various databases for English and French language studies, on the psychosocial aspects of CFS. Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed method studies published between January 1994 and July 2008 were included. Unpublished literature and reference lists of included studies were also searched. Themes identified in the literature were used to guide semi-structured interviews with seventeen CFS-sufferers, mostly recruited from a large specialist practice in Montreal. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and validated by a research assistant. Transcripts were coded using the identified themes. New codes were created when new issues arose. All themes were subsequently synthesized into overall categories using a constant comparative method.

RESULTS: The literature search yielded thirty-one papers: twenty-eight primary studies and three systematic reviews. Twelve themes were identified and synthesized into four overall problem categories, such as “Lack of professional recognition.” Interviews confirmed findings from the literature, but also revealed unidentified needs specific to CFS-sufferers in Québec. Policy recommendations were provided to address these needs.

CONCLUSIONS: Multi-Source Synthesis provides a systematic method for synthesizing data from original studies with literature findings, thereby broadening the knowledge base and the local relevance of decisions concerning specific patient populations.

Source: Pedersen VH, Dagenais P, Lehoux P. Multi-source synthesis of data to inform health policy. Int J Technol Assess Health Care. 2011 Jul;27(3):238-46. doi: 10.1017/S0266462311000213. Epub 2011 Jul 8. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21736858