Joint Flexibility and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome After Mononucleosis.

Purpose: Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is a chronic disease characterized by substantial fatigue, postexertional malaise, unrefreshing sleep, and orthostatic intolerance, among other symptoms. Specific risk factors for the development of ME/CFS have not been adequately characterized. It has been suggested that ME/CFS is a connective tissue disorder and that joint hyperflexibility is a risk factor for the development of ME/CFS.
Methods: The goal of this study was to examine whether joint hyperflexibility is a risk factor for the development of ME/CFS after infectious mononucleosis (IM). This study was part of a prospective cohort study. College students were studied for the development of IM and were followed up for the development of ME/CFS 6 months later. Participants in the cohort for the present study included 53 students who met criteria for ME/CFS 6 months after IM and 66 recovered control subjects who had modified Beighton scores (a measure of joint hyperflexibility) available.
Findings: No connection was found between joint hyperflexibility and the development of ME/CFS after IM. Differences in joint hyperflexibility (as measured by using the modified Beighton score) in the ME/CFS group and the control group were not statistically significant. Female subjects had significantly higher Beighton scores compared with male subjects.
Implication: After IM, no relationship was found between joint hyperflexibility and the development of ME/CFS.
Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest None of the authors have any associations that may pose a conflict of interest (including but not limited to pharmaceutical stock ownership, consultancy, advisory board membership, relevant patents, or research funding) for at least the 2 years before manuscript submission. The sponsor had no role in study design, in the collection, analysis and interpretation of data; in the writing of the report; and in the decision to submit the article for publication.
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