Anyone with CFS (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) who is a bit busier and more active than usual easily can endure massive and uncomfortable symptom flares. This challenge is one of the many constant, nagging struggles that a CFS patient must live with while trying to get well. Proof of such symptom flares is documented in a recent study:
Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) patients often report symptom flare (SF) for >24 h after moderate exercise (post-ex). We hypothesized that SF is linked to increases in circulating cytokines and CD40 Ligand (CD40L). In 19 CFS patients and 17 controls, mental and physical fatigue and pain symptom ratings were obtained together with serum for 11 cytokines and CD40L before and at 0.5, 8, 24, and 48 h post-ex.
Before exercise, CFS had lower CD40L (p<.05) but similar cytokines versus controls. In subgroups based on SF at 48 h, high SF patients (n=11) increased in IL-1beta, IL-12, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, and IL-13 (p<.05) 8 h post-ex. Low SF patients (n=8) showed post-ex decreases in IL-10, IL-13, and CD40L, and controls decreased in IL-10, CD40L, and TNFalpha (p<.05). Thus, in CFS, cytokine activity may vary directly with SF, which may explain prior inconsistent findings.
You can find the entire resource at NCBI, Pubmed.com.
We’re talking an activation of cytokines, folks, and that’s not a new topic. At the least, they cause pain!
Does this type of thing happen to you when you’re a little busier?
When you try to get something accomplished?
Comment away. 
Do you think cytokines could be at fault?
Thanks, Cinda Crawford, host of the Health Matters Show
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
Cinda 03.18.10 at 3:50 pm
I used to have terrible symptom flares. They were monsters! Sometimes I’d suffer for just a day. Worse flares might last a month. That is one of the things that’s so hard about Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. It is so-o-oo unpredictable!