Scientists from the University of East Anglia and Oxford Biodynamics have announced the creation of the world’s first blood test to diagnose myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome. This was reported by The Guardian.
Until now, the diagnosis has been based solely on a combination of symptoms, and many patients have gone years without confirmation of the disease. The new test, based on analysing DNA folding patterns, could be the first objective method for diagnosing this serious condition.
Researchers studied blood samples from 47 patients with ME/CFS and 61 healthy adults. They discovered a consistent pattern in DNA structure that is unique to patients, which allowed them to develop a highly accurate test. According to the scientists, the test has a sensitivity of 92% and a specificity of 98%.
‘This is a significant step forward. For the first time, we have a simple blood test that can reliably detect ME/CFS,’ said study leader Professor Dmitry Pshezhetsky. According to him, the discovery could change the approach to the diagnosis and treatment of the disease.
Alexander Akulichev, chief scientist at Oxford Biodynamics, noted that the use of EpiSwitch ‘epigenetic’ markers has made it possible to achieve high accuracy, as they reflect changes in the body throughout life, rather than a fixed genetic code.
