ME/CFS Science @mecfsscience.org · 11/09/20264) My (amateur) understanding is that they use a radioactive tracer (iodine-131) bound to albumin so that it stays within the blood vessels. They then do multiple blood draws over time and estimate plasma volume based on the dilution of the tracer. 1100
ME/CFS Science @mecfsscience.org · 11/09/20265) There were no matched controls in this study so they defined hypovolemia based on a reduction of 8% or more compared to reference data. This was the case for 35% of the ME/CFS patients. (But 22% were hypervolemic and actually had high blood volume). 3110
ME/CFS Science @mecfsscience.org · 11/09/20266) The results for red blood cell volume (RBCV) were as follows: 49% had an RBCV deficit 41% had normal RBCV 10% had RBCV excess. Reduced RBCV points to less circulating red cell mass and can point to (occult) anemia. 190
Wilhelmina Jenkins @wilhelminaj.bsky.social · 19/09/2026@lizmeactga.bsky.social , this is what I was referring to. 130
Wilhelmina Jenkins @wilhelminaj.bsky.social · 11/09/2026The hypervolemia is a surprise. Since Dr. Bell’s studies long ago, many pwME have assumed that they have hypovolemia. Do you think that this was just another study that was not adequately followed up? 110
