Precision Medicine: The Role of the MSIDS Model in Defining, Diagnosing, and Treating Chronic Lyme Disease/Post Treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome and Other Chronic Illness: Part 2.

Richard I Horowitz,Phyllis R Freeman

doi:10.3390/healthcare6040129

Abstract

We present a precision medical perspective to assist in the definition, diagnosis, and management of Post Treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome (PTLDS)/chronic Lyme disease. PTLDS represents a small subset of patients treated for an erythema migrans (EM) rash with persistent or recurrent symptoms and functional decline. The larger population with chronic Lyme disease is less understood and well defined. Multiple Systemic Infectious Disease Syndrome (MSIDS) is a multifactorial model for treating chronic disease(s), which identifies up to 16 overlapping sources of inflammation and their downstream effects. A patient symptom survey and a retrospective chart review of 200 patients was therefore performed on those patients with chronic Lyme disease/PTLDS to identify those variables on the MSIDS model with the greatest potential effect on regaining health. Results indicate that dapsone combination therapy decreased the severity of eight major Lyme symptoms, and multiple sources of inflammation (other infections, immune dysfunction, autoimmunity, food allergies/sensitivities, leaky gut, mineral deficiencies, environmental toxins with detoxification problems, and sleep disorders) along with downstream effects of inflammation may all affect chronic symptomatology. In part two of our observational study and review paper, we postulate that the use of this model can represent an important and needed paradigm shift in the diagnosis and treatment of chronic disease.

Highlights

Lyme disease is rapidly spreading and there has been a 320% increase in the number of US counties affected with Lyme disease within the past 20 years [1], with another recent threefold increase in the number of vector-borne disease cases [2]
Since the Multiple Systemic Infectious Disease Syndrome (MSIDS) model posits that patients may remain ill with persistent Lyme symptoms because of ongoing infection(s), and because of a complex of other overlapping medical problems, we closely examined each patient’s chart for evidence of these conditions and abnormalities
We suggest that patients be considered to have “Lyme-MSIDS”, and believe that this term best describes the multiple biologic and biochemical abnormalities that can be present after an infection with Borrelia burgdorferi, causing chronic illness

Summary

Introduction

Lyme disease is rapidly spreading and there has been a 320% increase in the number of US counties affected with Lyme disease within the past 20 years [1], with another recent threefold increase in the number of vector-borne disease cases [2]. According to prior National Institutes of Health (NIH) studies, those patients with symptoms of chronic Lyme disease, both diagnosed and undiagnosed, are extremely ill [4] and many are disabled and unable to work [5]. Some of these disabling symptoms include arthritis, pain, fatigue, and cognitive difficulties. These are hallmark symptoms of Lyme disease and associated co-infections.

Results

Discussion

Conclusion