Don Staines

Griffith University · School of Medical Science

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) patients suffer from a variety of physical and neurological complaints indicating the central nervous system plays a role in ME/CFS pathophysiology. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) has been used to study microstructural changes in neurodegenerative diseases. In this study, we evaluated DTI...

Objectives: This study aims to estimate direct and indirect health economic costs associated with government and out-of-pocket (OOP) expenditure based on health care service utilization and lost income of participants and carers, as reported by Australian Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) patient survey participants. Desig...

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) subjects suffer from a variety of cognitive complaints indicating that the central nervous system plays a role in its pathophysiology. Recently, the ratio T1w/T2w has been used to study changes in tissue myelin and/or iron levels in neurodegenerative diseases such as multiple sclerosis...

Background Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is a serious and debilitating disorder associated with significant disruptions in daily life including. This study aimed to examine the impact of sociodemographic and patient symptom characteristics on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of Australians with ME/CFS. Methods S...

Background Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/ Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) is a complex multifactorial disorder of unknown cause having multi-system manifestations. Although the aetiology of CFS/ME remains elusive, immunological dysfunction and more particularly reduced cytotoxic activity in natural killer (NK) cells is the most consistent laboratory...

Abstract Background Chronic fatigue syndrome or myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) is an illness characterised by profound and pervasive fatigue in addition to a heterogeneous constellation of symptoms. The aetiology of this condition remains unknown; however, it has been previously suggested that enteric dysbiosis is implicated in the pathogenesis...

Gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms and irritable bowel (IB) symptoms have been associated with chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME). The aim of this study was to conduct a systematic review of these symptoms in CFS/ME, along with any evidence for probiotics as treatment. Pubmed, Scopus, Medline (EBSCOHost) and EMBASE databases we...

Table S1. Methodology quality assessment summary and Rosendal score of studies included in the present systematic review.

Fig. S1. NK cell CD69 expression in HC and CFS/ME patients. A. CD56BrightCD16Dim/− NK cells expressed CD69 as cells/ml under various conditions including PregS, TG, 2APB and ionomycin. B. CD56DimCD16+ NK cell expressed TRPM3 as cells/ml under various conditions including PregS, TG, 2APB and ionomycin. Data are represented as Mean with SEM. Asterisk...

Background: Chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) is characterised by unexplained fatigue for at least 6 months accompanied by a diverse but consistent set of symptoms. Diet modification and nutritional supplements could be used to improve patient outcomes, such fatigue and quality of life. We reviewed and discussed the evide...

Background: Mast cells (MCs) mediate inflammation through neuropeptides and cytokines, along with histamine and reactive oxygen species (ROS). Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) is an illness characterized by an unexplained disabling fatigue with multiple physiological impairments as well as dysregulated cytokine profiles....

Transient receptor potential melastatin subfamily 3 (TRPM3) ion channels play a role in calcium (Ca(2+) ) cell signalling. Reduced TRPM3 has been identified in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) patients. However, the significance of TRPM3 and association with intracellular Ca(2+) mobilisation has yet to be determined. Fift...

Supplementary Table 1. Blood parameters measured in CFS/ME patients and NFC participants.

Background: Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME), and Multiple Sclerosis (MS) may share some similarities in relation to reduced NK cell activity. It is likely that other cells such as regulatory T (Tregs), invariant Natural Killer T (iNKT) and gamma delta T (γδ T) cells may also be dysregulated in CFS/ME and MS. Objectives...

. CD8+ T cells have putative roles in the regulation of adaptive immune responses during infection. The purpose of this paper is to compare the status of CD8+ T cells in Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME). Methods . This preliminary investigation comprised 23 CFS/ME patients, 11 untreated MS pati...

Objectives: Previous research has provided evidence for dysregulation in peripheral cytokines in patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME). To date only one study has examined cytokines in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples of CFS/ME patients. The purpose of this pilot study was to examine the role of cytokines in CS...

MicroRNAs (miRNA) are small (~22 nucleotide) non-coding RNA molecules originally characterised as non-sense or junk DNA. Emerging research suggests that these molecules have diverse regulatory roles in an array of molecular, cellular and physiological processes. MiRNAs are versatile and highly stable molecules, therefore, they are able to exist as...

Aims Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) and Multiple Sclerosis (MS) are both disorders with severe neuroimmune symptoms, including cognitive impairment, immune dysfunction and abnormal cytokine expression. The purpose of this study was to assess the T helper (Th) 1, Th2 and Th17 cytokine profiles of CFS and MS patients. Methods This study measured the...

Aims Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) is a disabling illness with an unknown aetiology and diagnosis is based on symptom-specific criteria. Immunological dysregulation and cytokine abnormalities are consistent in CFS/ME. As recent studies have highlighted the importance of assessing severity subgroups in the illness, the...

Abstract Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) is a physical and cognitive disabling illness, characterised by severe fatigue and a range of physiological symptoms that primarily affects women. The immense variation in clinical presentation suggests differences in severity based on symptomology, physical and cognitive function...

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) is a multifactorial disorder defined by symptom-specific criteria and characterised by severe and prolonged fatigue. CFS/ME typically affects a variety of bodily systems, including the immune system. Patients with CFS/ME exhibit significantly reduced Natural Killer (NK) cell activity s...

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, also referred to as Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) is a heterogeneous condition, with a complex clinical presentation. Patients not only exhibit severe problems with fatigue following physical or mental exertion, but often experience a diverse range of symptoms that all contribute to the debilitating nature of the illn...

Perturbations in immune processes are a hallmark of a number of autoimmune and inflammatory disorders. Chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) is an inflammatory disorder with possible autoimmune correlates, characterized by reduced NK cell activity, elevations in regulatory T cells (Tregs) and dysregulation in cytokine levels....

Maintenance of health and physiological homeostasis is a synergistic process involving tight regulation of proteins, transcription factors and other molecular processes. The immune system consists of innate and adaptive immune cells that are required to sustain immunity. The presence of pathogens and tumour cells activates innate immune cells, in p...

Background: Chronic fatigue syndrome, also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) is a particularly difficult illness to identify. To aid in classifying patients for research as well as clinical care, potential cases may be evaluated according to clinical guidelines. Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of three sets of...

Heat shock proteins (HSPs) are important molecules required for ideal protein function. Extensive research on the functional properties of HSPs indicates that HSPs may be implicated in a wide range of physiological functions including immune function. In the immune system, HSPs are involved in cell proliferation, differentiation, cytokine release,...

Bidirectional communication between the adaptive and innate immune system is necessary for optimal immune function. Irregularities in innate immune cell function may affect cellular processes in the adaptive system and vice versa. In Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/ Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) a dysfunctional immune system has been described and th...

Gamma delta (γδ) T lymphocytes comprise about 1–10% of peripheral lymphocytes. Although, functionally distinct from the more diverse αβ T cells, γδ T cells have important roles in pathogenesis and inflammation. γδ T cells secrete cytokines and chemokines essential for regulating adaptive immunity. In diseases such as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgi...

Natural Killer (NK) cells are immune cells responsible for protecting the body from infection and malignancy. Cytotoxic NK cells contain secretory granules which store and release apoptotic inducing proteins such as perforin, granzyme A (GrzA) and granzyme B (GrzB). The aim of this study was to measure lytic proteins in samples of peripheral blood...

Chronic fatigue syndrome, or myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS), is a severe disabling condition. Patients with CFS usually trial many different medicines, both conventional and complementary. An overview of the pharmacological treatments used by CFS patients and the available evidence underpinning the use of these treatments would be of great value t...

The label 'chronic fatigue syndrome' (CFS) has persisted for many years because of the lack of knowledge of the aetiological agents and the disease process. In view of more recent research and clinical experience that strongly point to widespread inflammation and multisystemic neuropathology, it is more appropriate and correct to use the term 'myal...

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) is characterised by severe prolonged fatigue, and decreases in cognition and other physiological functions, resulting in severe loss of quality of life, difficult clinical management and high costs to the health care system. To date there is no proven pathomechanism to satisfactorily expla...

Immunomodulation and immunosuppression are important strategies for monitoring autoimmune disorders. As imbalances in immune function affect other physiological processes, immunomodulators may have an important role in restoring and maintaining regular neuroimmue activities. In recent years these agents have demonstrated important benefits in contr...

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/ Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) is a heterogeneous multifactorial disease characterised by severe fatigue and a range of systemic symptoms resulting in an inability to function at optimal levels. The symptoms of CFS/ME vary from patient to patient; however, prolonged and disabling fatigue, impaired memory and concentrat...

Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) has been extensively investigated in the context of infection as a contributing factor in the death of otherwise apparently healthy infants. A number of infectious agents have been implicated suggesting the causal pathomechanism is related to infection, but not necessarily solely attributable to any one type of i...

Vasoactive neuropeptides (VNs) such as pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) have critical roles as neurotransmitters, vasodilators including perfusion and hypoxia regulators, as well as immune and nociception modulators. They have key roles in blood vessels in the central nervous system...

Value norms within an interactive social network, social capital, can improve many aspects of the quality of life including health. Effective means of communication are key to making the social capital available. Telemedicine is therefore well placed to playing an important role in providing social capital to many groups in a society, which are at...

Two simultaneous human cases of fatal melioidosis in temperate south-eastern Queensland involved patients who had had pre-existing multisystem illnesses, had sustained cutaneous lesions before illness onset, and died from overwhelming sepsis. Onset of disease was preceded by unseasonably heavy rainfall. These and other features of these cases sugge...