When Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990, a coalition of 39 countries responded. 382 US troops died. Those who survived deployments to the 1990-91 Gulf War theater of operations and returned to the U.S. were “safe” from combat but were not “safe and sound.” 37% of them were suffering from a… read more "An Explanation for Gulf War Illness"
Mayim Bialik’s Neuriva Commercials Make Questionable Claims
Mayim Bialik is a neuroscientist. In her TV commercials for Neuriva Plus she asserts that it is backed by strong science. I don’t think so. I wrote about the brain supplement Neuriva over a year ago. I thought their claim to have proof from clinical studies was misleading. I won’t repeat… read more "Mayim Bialik’s Neuriva Commercials Make Questionable Claims"
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Rituximab
IV rituximab has been used to treat chronic fatigue syndrome. A large, well-designed new study shows it doesn’t work. Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME or ME/CFS), is a poorly-understood condition characterized by profound fatigue and a constellation of other symptoms. The diagnostic criteria, cause, pathophysiology,… read more "Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Rituximab"
Treating Chronic Fatigue Syndrome with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Graded Exercise Therapy: How the PACE Trial Got It Wrong
The PACE trial said graded exercise is an effective treatment for CFS. CFS patients disagree. Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), and the recently-suggested IOM term systemic exertion intolerance disease (SEID), is characterized by long-term fatigue and a host of other symptoms that impair the patient’s ability to… read more "Treating Chronic Fatigue Syndrome with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Graded Exercise Therapy: How the PACE Trial Got It Wrong"
Followup: More Evidence against the XMRV Virus as a Cause of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
A mouse leukemia retrovirus, xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus (XMRVretrovirus), has been under consideration as a possible cause of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS, and also prostate cancer). In a study published in Science in October 2009, Lombardi et al. found XMRV in 67% of CFS patients and 3.7% of controls.… read more "Followup: More Evidence against the XMRV Virus as a Cause of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome"
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Retroviruses: Jumping the Gun
When I first heard that a retrovirus had been identified as a possible cause of chronic fatigue syndrome, I withheld judgment and awaited further developments. When I heard that two subsequent studies had failed to replicate the findings of the first, I assumed that the first had been a false… read more "Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Retroviruses: Jumping the Gun"