There is considerable support for destroying and recreating immune cell populations to deal with autoimmune diseases and some aging effects. For example, for B cells:<p>----<p>1) Reversing B cell aging<p><a href="http://www.impactaging.com/papers/v3/n4/full/100313.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.impactaging.com/papers/v3/n4/full/100313.html</a><p>2) Long-lived autoreactive plasma cells drive persistent autoimmune inflammation.<p><a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nrrheum.2011.1" rel="nofollow">http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nrrheum.2011.1</a><p>3) B-cell depletion reactivates B lymphopoiesis in the BM and rejuvenates the B lineage in aging<p><a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1182/blood-2010-09-307983" rel="nofollow">http://dx.doi.org/10.1182/blood-2010-09-307983</a><p>----<p>Then for treatment of autoimmune disorders such as MS, more comprehensive destruction:<p><a href="http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-01/nu-sct012909.php" rel="nofollow">http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-01/nu-sct012909....</a><p>This was also tried for rheumatoid arthritis with mixed results before the development of biologics, and everyone gave up on the immune reboot with chemotherapy in favor of controlling the condition for some patients.<p>----<p>Then there are the prospects for destroying T cells specialized to herpesviruses like CMV (you probably have CMV, near everyone has CMV by time old age rolls around, it's very prevalent) that are thought to cause a large degree of immunosenescence by overloading the repertoire of immune cells with memory T cells for CMV and the like - too many of those and not enough naive T cells to deal with new threats and cancer surveillance. That isn't a going concern yet, but it certainly could be soon.
I am hoping someone can help here because it has been affecting my life every day. I have been extremely fatigued for the past 2.5 years and I've lost so many things due to it. I sleep the majority of every day away. How do I know if this is CFS?<p>I guess what I'm asking is, where do I start to cross out other possible causes? Considering so many things can cause fatigue.<p>Thank you
Very interesting! It didn't work for everyone, but it did work for a majority it looks like.<p>CFS is a pretty nasty condition, so I'm glad they've found something that works. My only concern would be the side effects from Rituxan. It's a well studied drug, but it really knocks down your immune system.
"A 150-person study is now under way, and includes a control group."<p>I'm curious, the latest study which is presumably what triggered this story, involved no control group, yet they mention a smaller study from 2011 which did use a control.<p>If this really does hint at a breakthrough, why did it take so long to follow up on the first study, and why did this one not use a control group?
so, it is possible that some infection is an original cause for the elevated antibody level. It reminds the history of stomach ulcers where bacteria, not the stress, happened to be the primary reason. Matter over mind once again :)
> This would prevent people from getting enough oxygen, explaining their extreme fatigue, but the team caution that their theory is just speculation for now.<p>Caution, in scientific journalism; sadly, I'm kind of impressed.
This is pretty solid evidence that CFS is not psychosomatic, given the difference in response between the control group and the group that received treatment. In case anyone was still unsure.
As for any autoimmune disease, have a read up on Naltrexone (Papers that is, not pseudo science blogs and advocacy sites that are generally poorly substantiated)<p>One on an MS model in mice : <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25906771" rel="nofollow">http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25906771</a>
I have a close friend who has chronic fatigue. It is commonly stigmatized as many regard those who are chronically fatigued as lazy, just making excuses.<p>But my friend is one of the hardest-working, most productive people I have met and is quite wealthy as a result at first of her code, then as a result of her management expertise.<p>Even so she feels like crap 24/7 and it just won't go away. Nothing helps.<p>She can be a little hard to get along with, though.
Rather than defaulting to drugs for CFS, I would much rather find the core cause of it? Oftentimes it is an infection, stress or even the food we put into our bodies. You would be amazed at how better you can feel and how much more energy you have by simply changing your diet and lifestyle.