“The myocardial dynamics of these patients was frightening”
Among others Dr. Lerner was the Chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases and established a virology laboratory at Wayne State University School of Medicine.
Dr. Martin Lerner became acquainted with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome in a very direct way: he caught it in 1988 and was disabled by it until 1996. He recovered using valtrex, an antiviral.
One of three infectious disease specialists focusing on ME/CFS (w/Dr. Chia, Dr. Montoya) in the United States, Dr. Lerner’s focus on and treatment of herpesviruses has left an indelible footprint on this field.
His studies and papers over the past fifteen years kept the herpesvirus infection hypothesis of ME/CFS alive. Dr. Lerner pioneered the Holter Monitor test as a diagnostic tool for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and created and validated the Energy Point Index to monitor functionality. He believes a defective form of Epstein-Barr Virus may be play a key role in ME/CFS. The Glazer/Williams group is exploring this theory.
Dr. Lerner passed away in 2015.
Documents and Video’s
- Find Dr. Lerner’s A Primer on ME/CFS here
- His Treatment Approach Videos here and here.
- Grand Rounds on ME/CFS presentation (2007)
- Invest in ME “Diagnosing ME/CFS” (2008)
- CFSAC: Successful Antiviral Treatment of ME/CFS (2010)
Blogs and Interviews
- Learning CFS: Dr. Lerner on his Longterm Antiviral Treatment Study by Cort Johnson
- Dr. Lerner’s Antiviral Treatment Trial Succeeds by Cort Johnson
Research
Antibody to Epstein-Barr virus deoxyuridine triphosphate nucleotidohydrolase and deoxyribonucleotide polymerase in a chronic fatigue syndrome subset. Lerner AM, Ariza ME, Williams M, Jason L, Beqaj S, Fitzgerald JT, Lemeshow S, Glaser R. PLoS One. 2012;7(11):e47891. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0047891. Epub 2012 Nov 14.
Validation of the energy index point score to serially measure the degree of disability in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome. Lerner AM, Beqaj SH, Fitzgerald JT. In Vivo. 2008 Nov-Dec;22(6):799-801.
Valacyclovir treatment in Epstein-Barr virus subset chronic fatigue syndrome: thirty-six months follow-up.Lerner AM, Beqaj SH, Deeter RG, Fitzgerald JT. In Vivo. 2007 Sep-Oct;21(5):707-13.
Prevalence of abnormal cardiac wall motion in the cardiomyopathy associated with incomplete multiplication of Epstein-barr Virus and/or cytomegalovirus in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome. Lerner AM, Dworkin HJ, Sayyed T, Chang CH, Fitzgerald JT, Beqaj S, Deeter RG, Goldstein J, Gottipolu P, O’Neill W. In Vivo. 2004 Jul-Aug;18(4):417-24.
IgM serum antibodies to Epstein-Barr virus are uniquely present in a subset of patients with the chronic fatigue syndrome. Lerner AM, Beqaj SH, Deeter RG, Fitzgerald JT. In Vivo. 2004 Mar-Apr;18(2):101-6.
A six-month trial of valacyclovir in the Epstein-Barr virus subset of chronic fatigue syndrome: improvement in left ventricular function. Lerner AM, Beqaj SH, Deeter RG, Dworkin HJ, Zervos M, Chang CH, Fitzgerald JT, Goldstein J, O’Neill W. Drugs Today (Barc). 2002 Aug;38(8):549-61. Review.
IgM serum antibodies to human cytomegalovirus nonstructural gene products p52 and CM2(UL44 and UL57) are uniquely present in a subset of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome. Lerner AM, Beqaj SH, Deeter RG, Fitzgerald JT.
Immunoassay with cytomegalovirus early antigens from gene products p52 and CM2 (UL44 and UL57) detects active infection in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome. Beqaj SH, Lerner AM, Fitzgerald JT. J Clin Pathol. 2008 May;61(5):623-6. Epub 2007 Nov 23
A small, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of the use of antiviral therapy for patients with chronic fatigue syndrome. Lerner AM, Zervos M, Chang CH, Beqaj S, Goldstein J, O’Neill W, Dworkin H, Fitgerald T, Deeter RG. Clin Infect Dis. 2001 Jun 1;32(11):1657-8. No abstract available.
Abnormal left ventricular myocardial dynamics in eleven patients with chronic fatigue syndrome. Dworkin HJ, Lawrie C, Bohdiewicz P, Lerner AM. Clin Nucl Med. 1994 Aug;19(8):675-7.
Repetitively negative changing T waves at 24-h electrocardiographic monitors in patients with the chronic fatigue syndrome. Left ventricular dysfunction in a cohort. Lerner AM, Lawrie C, Dworkin HS. Chest. 1993 Nov;104(5):1417-21.
A new continuing fatigue syndrome following mild viral illness. A proscription to exercise. Lerner AM. Chest. 1988 Nov;94(5):901-2. No abstract available.