Activin B is a novel biomarker for chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) diagnosis: a cross sectional study

Table 1 CFS/ME and healthy study control participant profile comparisons via representative pathology blood markers and cytokines

Assay or measurement	Study cohort	Mean ± SEM	p value
Age (years)	Control	36.83 ± 2.03	0.78
Age (years)	CFS/ME	37.69 ± 1.78	0.78
Haemoglobin (g/L)	Control	140.89 ± 2.48	0.64
Haemoglobin (g/L)	CFS/ME	139.13 ± 2.12	0.64
Thyroid stimulating hormone (mIU/L)	Control	1.38 ± 0.16	0.72
Thyroid stimulating hormone (mIU/L)	CFS/ME	1.45 ± 0.10	0.72
Vitamin D (nmol/L)	Control	73.61 ± 7.73	0.71
Vitamin D (nmol/L)	CFS/ME	76.64 ± 3.99	0.71
Anion gap (mmol/L)	Control	11.49 ± 0.55	0.14
Anion gap (mmol/L)	CFS/ME	10.62 ± 0.30	0.14
GTT–blood glucose 30 min post load (mmol/L)	Control	7.15 ± 0.52	0.45
GTT–blood glucose 30 min post load (mmol/L)	CFS/ME	7.66 ± 0.27	0.45
GTT–blood insulin 30 min post load (mU/L)	Control	50.88 ± 9.80	0.07
GTT–blood insulin 30 min post load (mU/L)	CFS/ME	81.33 ± 6.76	0.07
Interleukin-2 (pg/mL)	Control	0.22 ± 0.12	0.09
Interleukin-2 (pg/mL)	CFS/ME	0.54 ± 0.11	0.09
Interleukin-4 (pg/mL)	Control	0.26 ± 0.14	0.15
Interleukin-4 (pg/mL)	CFS/ME	0.55 ± 0.11	0.15
Interleukin-6 (pg/mL)	Control	0.86 ± 0.25	0.20
Interleukin-6 (pg/mL)	CFS/ME	1.37 ± 0.20	0.20
Interleukin-10 (pg/mL)	Control	1.06 ± 0.16	0.43
Interleukin-10 (pg/mL)	CFS/ME	1.18 ± 0.09	0.43
Interleukin-17A (pg/mL)	Control	Not detected	N/A
Interleukin-17A (pg/mL)	CFS/ME	Not detected	N/A
Interferon-γ (pg/mL)	Control	0.57 ± 0.20	0.31
Interferon-γ (pg/mL)	CFS/ME	0.37 ± 0.11	0.31
Tumour necrosis factor (pg/mL)	Control	Not detected	N/A
Tumour necrosis factor (pg/mL)	CFS/ME	Not detected	N/A

Analyses comprised healthy controls (n = 17) and the CFS/ME cohort (n = 45), except for cytokine and GTT studies that compared n = 8–10 controls with n = 38–44 CFS/ME. Statistical significance was calculated by unpaired Mann–Whitney test
GTT glucose tolerance test

ISSN: 1479-5876