Investigating SLE related muscle fatigue
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Unravelling SLE related fatigue: Investigating the role of mitochondrial dysfunction in skeletal muscle
IRAS ID
185893
Contact name
Neil Basu
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Aberdeen
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 6 months, 1 days
Research summary
Fatigue is a common and disabling problem among most patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) - a chronic disorder of the immune system which typically effects women of child bearing age. Up to 90% of patients experience this symptom and consider it to be a key cause of poor quality of life and work disability. Unfortunately, there are currently few effective therapies for fatigue and certainly none which are easily accessible within the health service. This unacceptable situation reflects our limited understanding of the underlying causes of fatigue.
Patients commonly attribute their fatigue to limitations in their skeletal muscles. Our study seeks to examine whether abnormalities within the muscles may be able to explain the development of fatigue among these patients. Specifically, we aim to apply non-invasive magnetic resonance imaging techniques in order to evaluate the function of the mitochondria (microscopic engines which process and deliver energy to the body). We are interested to investigate whether mitochondrial abnormalities exist within the muscles of SLE patients in comparison to healthy volunteers and to then establish whether such dysfunction may be linked to the experience of fatigue. Evidence of a link may lead to future fatigue alleviating treatments through the targeting of poorly functioning mitochondria.
REC name
East Midlands - Leicester Central Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
15/EM/0418
Date of REC Opinion
9 Sep 2015
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion