NMCB researchers contribute to an international review on blood vessels in ME/CFS and post-COVID
A review on the role of blood vessels in ME/CFS and post-COVID has been published in the scientific journal Cell Death & Disease. NMCB researchers Rob Wüst and Anouk Slaghekke contributed to this publication.
In the review, researchers describe how a viral infection can damage the inner lining of blood vessels. This inner layer is called the endothelium. Under normal circumstances, these cells help ensure that blood flows properly through the body and that organs receive sufficient oxygen. However, after an infection these cells can remain in a damaged state. They may fail to recover properly and can continue to release signals that promote inflammation and impair blood circulation.
According to the researchers, this may contribute to symptoms experienced by many people with ME/CFS and post-COVID, such as severe fatigue, brain fog, and worsening of symptoms after exertion (PEM: post-exertional malaise).
An important point for patients and healthcare professionals
An important point for patients and healthcare professionals
This review is not proof that a single mechanism explains everything, nor is it a clinical guideline. However, it is an important step in recognizing a biologically coherent explanation that aligns with what many patients experience: symptoms that are not simply the result of reduced fitness due to inactivity.
The implication is also practical: if the body already struggles to regulate blood flow, recovery, and immune balance, certain interventions may backfire. This underlines the importance of safe approaches that take PEM and limits in exertion into account.
Read a Dutch summary of the review on the NMCB-website:
👉 Als je bloedvaten niet herstellen na een virusinfectie
Read the full scientific review here:
👉 https://lnkd.in/ePNJ2aAa