On September 9, 2006, Paul Cheney, MD, PhD, presented a seminar titled "CFS: The Heart of the Matter." This outstanding seminar contains important, fascinating and unique material that will eventually be published. There is an overview of chronic fatigue syndrome, an in-depth look at the cardiovascular issues in CFS, a new model of the illness, and a full update on Dr. Cheney's latest study, including the treatment protocol.

A 2-disc DVD set of the seminar is now available. Many thanks to Marc Iverson for underwriting a portion of the DVD cost to make it less expensive and thus available to more people. Click here for ordering information.

Following is an outline of topics covered. It is by no means exhaustive. Timecodes are given for the beginning of each section, making it easy to locate particular subjects and also giving an indication of how much time was devoted to each topic.

Note that while there is a section on treatment that is approximately 30 minutes long, specific treatments are also mentioned in earlier sections and in the final Q&A. There is more treatment information in this seminar than in any previous one! Exciting, effective treatment with objectively demonstrated benefits.

DISC ONE

• Dr. Cheney's Opening Remarks (0:00)
• Principles Important in CFS (7:30)
  many fascinating observations!!
• Case Definition and Important Clinical Findings (20:00)
  includes the four phases of CFS
• Key Medical Literature (24:46)
  many citations of published works, by category
• Objective Database (26:16)
  includes graph of four phases of CFS, recovery trajectory, physical exam findings, immune activation, sub-cortical brain injury, metabolic disturbances, pulse-oximeter data, Oxyhemoglobin Dissociation Curve, exercise ergometry, fingerprint changes & biopsy of tissue, immunity pathway, RNase-L activity, MRS results, MRI results, blood gas test results: mixed venous hypoxia
• Models of Pathophysiology: circa 1995 and 2004 (49:43)
  includes mitochondrial impairment, the 4 phases, altered gene expression, energy conundrum, Dr. Martin Pall's work, neurotransmitters & SSRIs
• Evidence of Diastolic Dysfunction and Heart Failure (1:08:41 - 1:44:36)
  includes cardiac output, cardiomyopathy, brain - adrenal - heart axis, hypothyroidism, micro vs macro circulation, echo vs impedance testing, order of sacrifice, diastolic vs systolic heart failure, pulmonary hypertension, echocardiography in CFS:
  • diastolic or energetic dysfunction;
  • cavitation of left atrium on head up tilt;
  • LV wall thickening;
  • wall motion aberrancies;
  • positive response to magnesium;
  • positive response to Nexavir;
  • PFO's and oxygen toxicity.
  Cardiomyopathy & CFS, diastolic vs systolic problems, E and A wave forms, E/A ratio, echo Tissue Doppler Imaging (TDI), e'/a' ratio, D/S ratio, Summary of Diastolic Parameters

DISC TWO

• Evidence of Diastolic Dysfunction and Heart Failure cont'd (0:00)
  includes left atrial cavitation, E/e' ratio, summary of other parameters, IVRT shifts with magnesium, IVRT shifts with Nexavir, left ventricular wall thickening and asynchrony, ischemic changes in the inter-ventricular wall
• Evidence of Tight Association of CFS with PFO's (10:20)
  Patent Foramen Ovales (includes oxygen toxicity)
• An Emerging Physiologic Model (circa 2006) (20:03)
  includes PFO complications, Venous Hypoxemia complications, Diastolic Dysfunction vs Diastolic Heart Failure
• Treatment Approaches (26:55)
  includes the study protocol and results to date, echo parameters measured as part of the study, gene expression and cell signaling factors
• Q&A (55:30 - 1:33:33)
  includes PFO's, effects of traveling to and living at altitude, Diamox, risk of mini-strokes and prophylaxis, oxygen therapy, genetics and CFS, growth hormone, migraines, Enada, D-Ribose, ImmunePro, glutathione, NAC, hypothyroidism, mercury

In addition to the numerous topics mentioned above, Dr. Cheney also addresses the following: sleep issues, blood volume, candida, chlamydia, lyme disease, multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS), fibromyalgia (FM), gulf war syndrome (GWS), phenotypic and genotypic changes in DNA, hyperbaric oxygen, and the use of stem cells from umbilical cord blood.

About Paul Cheney, MD, PhD

Dr. Cheney was one of the doctors who recognized an outbreak of "something" in Incline Village at Lake Tahoe in 1984 and called in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). He has treated approximately 5000 patients with CFIDS from at least 48 states and 15 countries. He has published numerous articles in peer reviewed medical journals and lectured around the world on the subject of CFS. Dr. Cheney was a founding Director of the International Association of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (IACFS), a professional association of scientists and clinicians.

He has held research positions in tumor immunology at the CDC in Atlanta, the Departments of Pharmacology and Radiation Oncology at Emory University School of Medicine, and the prestigious Wistar Institute on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Cheney was Chief of Medicine at Mountain Home Air Force Base hospital in Mountain Home, Idaho and Chief of Medicine at Lakeshore Hospital on the North Shore of Lake Tahoe in Incline Village, NV.

Dr. Cheney has authored or co-authored publications and scientific presentations in many fields relevant to CFS, including immunology, virology, clinical epidemiology, metabolism, neuropsychology, neuroendocrinology, and exercise physiology. He currently practices in Asheville, NC.