Selection of biomarkers in ME/CFS for patient stratification and treatment surveillance / optimisation

The longer-term aim is to develop simpler diagnostic tools from routine data to assist health professionals in diagnosing ME/CFS and to monitor therapeutic approaches. Examination of the diagnostic potential of serum biomarkers, both individually and in combination with viral infection markers, will allow the stratification of ME/CFS patients and seek appropriate therapies and evaluate their efficacy. By measuring symptom severity the investigation will also allow to stratify the ME/CFS cohort into mild to severe disease classes. We hypothesise the cohort of ME/CFS patients is divided into a number of groups/subsets, one of which is a group/subset having primary autoimmune aetiology, another one which is triggered by viral infection. The group/subset triggered by viral infection could have also markers of autoimmunity. It is possible to find a set of markers of autoimmunity pointing towards ME/CFS, especially later after disease onset. It should be possible to find a set of markers allowing the stratification of ME/CFS patients according to pathomechanisms and also severity of clinical manifestations.