Low-grade inflammation and arterial wave reflection in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome

Some of the symptoms reported by people with CFS (chronic fatigue syndrome) are associated with various cardiovascular phenomena. Markers of cardiovascular risk, including inflammation and oxidative stress, have been demonstrated in some patients with CFS, but little is known about the relationship between these and prognostic indicators of cardiovascular risk in this patient group. In the present study, we investigated the relationship between inflammation and oxidative stress and augmentation index, a measure of arterial stiffness, in 41 well-characterized patients with CFS and in 30 healthy subjects. AIx@75 (augmentation index normalized for a heart rate of 75 beats/min) was significantly greater in patients with CFS than in control subjects (22.5±1.7 compared with 13.3±2.3% respectively; P=0.002). Patients with CFS also had significantly increased levels of CRP (C-reactive protein) (2.58±2.91 compared with 1.07±2.16 μg/ml respectively; P<0.01) and 8-iso-prostaglandin F_2α isoprostanes (470.7±250.9 compared with 331.1±97.6 pg/ml respectively; P<0.005). In patients with CFS, AIx@75 correlated significantly with logCRP (r=0.507, P=0.001), isoprostanes (r=0.366, P=0.026), oxidized LDL (low-density lipoprotein) (r=0.333, P=0.039) and systolic blood pressure (r=0.371, P=0.017). In a stepwise multiple regression model, including systolic and diastolic blood pressure, body mass index, CRP, tumour necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1, oxidized LDL, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol levels, isoprostanes, age and gender, AIx@75 was independently associated with logCRP (β=0.385, P=0.006), age (β=0.363, P=0.022) and female gender (β=0.302, P=0.03) in patients with CFS. The combination of increased arterial wave reflection, inflammation and oxidative stress may result in an increased risk of future cardiovascular events. Assessment of arterial wave reflection might be useful for determining cardiovascular risk in this patient group.