UK XMRV Study Doesn't Support Association Between XMRV & ME/CFS
Posted by Craig on Thursday, January 7, 2010
Yesterday a number of newspapers reported results of a UK study which does not support an association between the XMRV virus and CFS in UK patients.
The study was carried out by Imperial College London and King’s College London and published in the peer-reviewed journal PLoS ONE.
Blood samples were taken from 186 ME patients and tested for the presence of DNA from XMRV. A number of control tests were also carried out to show that the DNA in these samples was intact, that any positive findings were not a result of contamination of their experiment and that their test would identify XMRV if it was present. The researcher who carried out the DNA tests did not know which of the samples came from people with CFS.
The researchers did not identify XMRV in the blood from any of the 186 CFS patients tested. Their control tests showed that the DNA being tested was intact, that there was no contamination in their experiments and that when XMRV was present (in a positive control sample containing XMRV DNA) their test detected it.
The WPI who conducted the original research that found a link between XMRV and ME/CFS quickly hit out at the UK study. They claim that the UK research did not duplicate the rigorous scientific techniques used by WPI. In addition they point to the fact that the WPI study was published after six months of rigorous review and three independent lab confirmations. In contrast, this latest study was published online after only three days of review. The final point of difference relates to the patient samples used in the UK study; the WPI suggest that those
samples may have been confused with fatigued psychiatric patients, since the UK has "relegated 'CFS' patients to psychiatric care and not traditional medical practices".
This is the beauty of the scientific method: a theory is advanced, evidence presented and then other scientists try and replicate the results. Contrast this with so many products/solutions on the market offering quick fixes or miracle cures where there is no firm evidence for their effectiveness. For sure the results are disappointing. Many felt that the WPI research was a breakthrough that would at last lead to treatment for ME. Hopefully it still could. Either way, after more trials we'll arrive at the point where XMRV is confirmed as either causing or being present in most cases of ME/CFS or it will shown to be a redherring.
The study was carried out by Imperial College London and King’s College London and published in the peer-reviewed journal PLoS ONE.
Blood samples were taken from 186 ME patients and tested for the presence of DNA from XMRV. A number of control tests were also carried out to show that the DNA in these samples was intact, that any positive findings were not a result of contamination of their experiment and that their test would identify XMRV if it was present. The researcher who carried out the DNA tests did not know which of the samples came from people with CFS.
The researchers did not identify XMRV in the blood from any of the 186 CFS patients tested. Their control tests showed that the DNA being tested was intact, that there was no contamination in their experiments and that when XMRV was present (in a positive control sample containing XMRV DNA) their test detected it.
The WPI who conducted the original research that found a link between XMRV and ME/CFS quickly hit out at the UK study. They claim that the UK research did not duplicate the rigorous scientific techniques used by WPI. In addition they point to the fact that the WPI study was published after six months of rigorous review and three independent lab confirmations. In contrast, this latest study was published online after only three days of review. The final point of difference relates to the patient samples used in the UK study; the WPI suggest that those
samples may have been confused with fatigued psychiatric patients, since the UK has "relegated 'CFS' patients to psychiatric care and not traditional medical practices".
This is the beauty of the scientific method: a theory is advanced, evidence presented and then other scientists try and replicate the results. Contrast this with so many products/solutions on the market offering quick fixes or miracle cures where there is no firm evidence for their effectiveness. For sure the results are disappointing. Many felt that the WPI research was a breakthrough that would at last lead to treatment for ME. Hopefully it still could. Either way, after more trials we'll arrive at the point where XMRV is confirmed as either causing or being present in most cases of ME/CFS or it will shown to be a redherring.
Tags: xmrv cfs wpi "imperial college" "king's college"
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