Two in five people with CFS have disordered breathing – an ‘unappreciated issue’

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By Olivia Bowthorpe

Two in five people with chronic fatigue experience disordered breathing, which may be exacerbating their symptoms, according to a new study.

The researchers found that 42% of patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) or chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) had dysfunctional breathing patterns during exercise testing, compared with just 16% of healthy participants.

The researchers, from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, believe the finding could lead to new treatments.

Dr Benjamin Natelson, professor of neurology at the school, said: “Nearly half of our chronic fatigue subjects had some disorder of breathing, a totally unappreciated issue probably involved in making symptoms worse.

“Identifying these abnormalities will lead researchers to new strategies to treat them, with the ultimate goal of reducing symptoms.”

The paper, published in Frontiers in Medicine, explained that people with ME or CFS experience worsening fatigue, dyspnoea and mental fog, after physical exercise or mental efforts. Some hyperventilate, but it has been unclear how common dysfunctional breathing is in this group, or how it relates to post-exertional malaise or long Covid.