Since 1988, The CFIDS Association of America, Inc. has allocated more than $US 2 million to support dozens of research projects into CFS. In October 1995, the Association agreed to fund the four studies outlined below. In addition to these, the Association also recently approved a $US 50,000 grant to Professor Anthony Komaroff's CFS research team at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, USA, for virological and immunological studies.

(Ed: CFIDS stands for Chronic Fatigue and Immune Dysfunction Syndrome, an American name for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome).

New Applications

Title: Orthostatic Intolerance in the CFS
Principal Investigator: Ronald Schondorf, PhD, MD
Institution: SMBD Jewish Hospital, McGill University, Canada
Approved: $46,015 (12-month grant)

The aim of Dr Schondorf's study is threefold: (1) Determine the unique symptoms and signs of orthostatic intolerance (intolerance to upright positions) in CFS; (2) Determine the causes of orthostatic intolerance in CFS; and (3) Apply insights gained from (1) and (2) to improve the management of orthostatic intolerance in CFS patients. Although working independently of the Johns Hopkins researchers, Dr Schondorf's study builds upon the foundation they have laid with their recent research.

Dr Schondorf's research team has developed a questionnaire to screen for the presence and severity of orthostatic intolerance frequently exhibited by CFIDS patients. Orthostatic intolerance will then be objectively and independently confirmed through extensive laboratory testing of autonomic function. These tests will continuously record changes in heart rate, blood pressure and the amount of blood ejected by each heart beat. More sophisticated tests will then be conducted to confirm and extend the understanding of orthostatic intolerance for each patient. Upon identifying the major causes of orthostatic intolerance in CFS, the research team will be able to determine medications and other interventions that should lead to improved orthostatic tolerance and relief of some CFS symptoms.


Title: Mitochondrial Bioenergetic Metabolism in the Pathophysiology of CFIDS
Principal Investigator: Brad Chazotte, PhD
Institution: University of North Carolina
Approved: $21,100 (4-month grant)

In October 1995, the Association began funding a single aim of Dr Chazotte's research project. This project will attempt to determine whether the mitochondrial membrane potential, which is the driving force for ATP (the cellular fuel) synthesis, is impaired in living white blood cells of CFIDS patients. Previous studies indicating lower ATP levels after exercise in CFIDS and fibromyalgia patients strongly support further investigation of ATP production in the mitochondria as a basis for fatigue, weakness and myalgia.


Renewal Application

Title: Immunopathogenesis of CFS
Principal Investigator: Nancy G. Klimas, MD
Institution: South Florida VA Foundation for Research and Education, Inc., Miami
Approved: $36,000 (12-month grant)

Dr Klimas' large multidisciplinary group continues its study of the immune systems of CFS patients and the evidence indicating abnormalities in one or more immune function parameters. The group is conducting a study of the immunologic and clinical status of CFS patients at various points over a one year period in an attempt to identify diagnostic and surrogate markers and a possible staging mechanism for CFIDS.



Continuing Projects

Title: Characterisation of a Virus Isolated from a CFIDS Patient (six-month progress report)
Principal Investigator: Sidney E. Grossberg, MD
Institution: Medical College of Wisconsin
Approved: $52,800 (6-month portion of 1995-1996 CFIDS research grant)

Dr Grossberg's six-month review indicated that significant progress has been made in his effort to clone and characterise a novel virus, the JHK virus, that he isolated from a CFIDS patient. Dr Paul Luciw, a member of the Scientific Advisory Committee and a virologist at the University of California-Davis, remains impressed with Dr Grossberg's work and indicated that the next six months would be critical to the outcome of the research project. (Dr Grossberg's NIH supplemental support has been extended for another year.)

Having resolved earlier methodological problems associated with the study, Dr Grossberg has begun participating in a blinded case-control study with Dr Anthony Komaroff of Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. Dr. Grossberg will test blood samples provided by Dr Komaroff from CFIDS patients and healthy controls in an effort to determine if any association exists between the JHK virus and CFIDS.


Acknowledgment: Reprinted from The CFIDS Chronicle, Fall 1995, Journal of The CFIDS Association of America, Inc., PO Box 220398, Charlotte, NC 28222-0398, USA.

Reprinted from Emerge, March 1996.