ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

643 studies

461–480 of 643 studies

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredMeta-Analysis

Self-esteem of children and adolescents with chronic illness: a meta-analysis.

Pinquart, M·Child: care, health and development·2013

This study combined results from 621 research studies to see whether children and teens with long-term illnesses have lower self-esteem (feeling good about themselves) compared to healthy peers. The findings show that children with chronic illnesses do tend to have somewhat lower self-esteem, with children who have chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) and chronic headaches experiencing the most significant drops. The study suggests that helping these children experience success and maintain good friendships can boost their self-esteem.

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

Natural killer cells in patients with severe chronic fatigue syndrome.

Brenu, E W, Hardcastle, S L, Atkinson, G M et al.·Auto- immunity highlights·2013

This review examined how natural killer (NK) cells—a type of white blood cell that fights infections and abnormal cells—work differently in ME/CFS patients. The researchers found that people with ME/CFS often have unusual numbers of NK cells or reduced ability to fight infections, which may help explain why patients suffer from persistent symptoms and recurrent infections. Understanding these immune cell problems could eventually lead to better treatments.

Immune System

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredSystematic-Review

Evidence for overlap between urological and nonurological unexplained clinical conditions.

Bullones Rodríguez, María Ángeles, Afari, Niloofar, Buchwald, Dedra S et al.·The Journal of urology·2013

This study looked at how often people with unexplained urinary and bladder conditions also have other unexplained pain and fatigue conditions like fibromyalgia and ME/CFS. Researchers reviewed over 1,000 published studies and found that these conditions often occur together in the same person—sometimes up to 79% of people with chronic pelvic pain also had irritable bowel syndrome symptoms. This suggests these conditions may share common underlying causes rather than being completely separate diseases.

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

Chronic fatigue syndrome following infections in adolescents.

Katz, Ben Z, Jason, Leonard A·Current opinion in pediatrics·2013

This review examined teenagers who developed chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) after infections like mononucleosis. About 13% of teens had ME/CFS six months after infection, dropping to 7% at one year and 4% at two years. The good news is that teenagers generally recover better from post-infectious ME/CFS than adults do.

Immune System

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredMeta-Analysis

Mindfulness-based therapies in the treatment of somatization disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Lakhan, Shaheen E, Schofield, Kerry L·PloS one·2013

This review looked at 13 studies testing whether mindfulness-based therapy (a technique that teaches people to focus on the present moment without judgment) helps people with conditions like chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, and irritable bowel syndrome. The researchers found that mindfulness therapy showed small to moderate benefits for reducing pain, symptom severity, depression, and anxiety, and for improving quality of life, though the overall evidence was limited.

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

Pesticides and human chronic diseases: evidences, mechanisms, and perspectives.

Mostafalou, Sara, Abdollahi, Mohammad·Toxicology and applied pharmacology·2013

This review examined whether pesticide exposure is connected to various chronic illnesses, including ME/CFS. Researchers looked at evidence showing that pesticides may damage cells and disrupt the body's normal functions through several pathways, such as causing oxidative stress, harming mitochondria (the cell's energy centers), and interfering with protein disposal systems. The review suggests pesticides could contribute to many diseases, but more specific research is needed to prove direct causation in individual conditions.

Energy Metabolism

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredSystematic-Review

Heart rate variability in patients with fibromyalgia and patients with chronic fatigue syndrome: a systematic review.

Meeus, Mira, Goubert, Dorien, De Backer, Fien et al.·Seminars in arthritis and rheumatism·2013

This review looked at 16 studies comparing heart rhythm patterns between people with fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, and healthy controls. Both conditions showed changes in how the heart responds to stress, but the patterns were different: fibromyalgia patients had heart rhythm problems throughout the day, while CFS patients mainly showed them during sleep. Exercise helped improve heart rhythm patterns in fibromyalgia patients.

Autonomic Nervous System

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

The neuropsychiatric and neuropsychological features of chronic fatigue syndrome: revisiting the enigma.

Christley, Yvonne, Duffy, Tim, Everall, Ian Paul et al.·Current psychiatry reports·2013

This review examined how mental health symptoms like depression and cognitive problems (such as memory and concentration difficulties) commonly occur in ME/CFS patients. Researchers found that depression and ME/CFS often happen together but may involve different biological mechanisms in the body, particularly involving inflammation, immune system dysfunction, and stress hormone imbalances. Understanding these connections helps explain why ME/CFS patients struggle with both physical fatigue and mental health challenges.

Immune System

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Dysfunctional syndromes and fibromyalgia: a 2012 critical digest.

Sarzi-Puttini, Piercarlo, Atzeni, Fabiola, Di Franco, Manuela et al.·Clinical and experimental rheumatology·2012

This review looked at several long-lasting conditions that cause widespread pain, tiredness, sleep problems, and difficulty concentrating—conditions that don't always show up clearly on standard medical tests. The researchers examined fibromyalgia, ME/CFS, and irritable bowel syndrome to understand how they're connected and what causes symptoms to keep happening. They found that these conditions share similar patterns in how the nervous system processes pain and fatigue.

Pain and SensitizationCognitive Impairment

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

A review of the definitional criteria for chronic fatigue syndrome.

Christley, Yvonne, Duffy, Tim, Martin, Colin R·Journal of evaluation in clinical practice·2012

Doctors have been trying to agree on how to diagnose ME/CFS for over 30 years, but they still don't have a single agreed-upon definition. This review looked at five different official definitions that doctors use to diagnose the condition. The most commonly used definition, from the CDC in 1994, has never been proven to be better than the others and has been criticized for not being specific enough.

Diagnostics

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Biomarkers for chronic fatigue.

Klimas, Nancy G, Broderick, Gordon, Fletcher, Mary Ann·Brain, behavior, and immunity·2012

This review examines blood tests and biological markers that might help diagnose ME/CFS, since current diagnosis relies only on symptoms. The researchers found that multiple body systems—including the immune system, stress hormones, and nervous system—appear to be disrupted in ME/CFS patients. However, no single test yet reliably identifies the condition, suggesting ME/CFS may involve complex changes across several systems rather than one simple cause.

Immune System

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

Chronic fatigue syndrome: diagnosis and treatment.

Yancey, Joseph R, Thomas, Sarah M·American family physician·2012

ME/CFS is a serious illness causing extreme tiredness that doesn't improve with rest, often accompanied by muscle pain, sleep problems, and difficulty thinking clearly. Doctors diagnose it by checking for severe fatigue lasting over six months plus at least four other specific symptoms, while ruling out other diseases. Currently, talk therapy and structured exercise programs show modest benefits, though no medications or alternative treatments have proven effective.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Pediatric Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Jason, Leonard A, Barker, Kristen, Brown, Abigail·Reviews in health care·2012

This review examines how ME/CFS affects children and teenagers, which can be quite different from how it affects adults. The authors looked at existing research on how common pediatric ME/CFS is, how doctors diagnose it, what treatments are available, and what happens to children over time. They identified important gaps in our understanding and call for better ways to recognize and help young people with this condition.

Diagnostics

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredSystematic-Review

Systematic reviews of TCM trials: how does inclusion of Chinese trials affect outcome?

Adams, Denise, Wu, Taixiang, Yasui, Yutaka et al.·Journal of evidence-based medicine·2012

This study looked at whether including research studies published in Chinese would change what we know about treating chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and infectious mononucleosis with traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Researchers searched both English and Chinese databases for high-quality studies. While searching Chinese databases found many more studies than English databases, most of these studies had serious design problems and couldn't be used to draw reliable conclusions.

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Sleep abnormalities in chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis: a review.

Jackson, Melinda L, Bruck, Dorothy·Journal of clinical sleep medicine : JCSM : official publication of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine·2012

People with ME/CFS often complain of sleep that doesn't feel refreshing, even when they sleep for normal or long amounts of time. This review looked at research studies measuring sleep in ME/CFS patients and found that standard sleep tests usually don't show obvious differences between patients and healthy people. However, newer, more detailed measurement techniques are beginning to reveal subtle sleep problems that standard tests miss.

Endocrine Disruption

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

Overlap between functional GI disorders and other functional syndromes: what are the underlying mechanisms?

Kim, S E, Chang, L·Neurogastroenterology and motility·2012

Many patients with ME/CFS experience overlapping conditions like irritable bowel syndrome, fibromyalgia, and jaw pain. This review looked at what ME/CFS and similar conditions might have in common. The researchers found that these disorders likely share several underlying problems: how the body processes pain, changes in brain activity, possible past infections, immune system problems, and genetic factors that make some people more vulnerable.

Immune System

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredSystematic-Review

How to exercise people with chronic fatigue syndrome: evidence-based practice guidelines.

Van Cauwenbergh, Deborah, De Kooning, Margot, Ickmans, Kelly et al.·European journal of clinical investigation·2012

This review looked at research studies about exercise therapy for ME/CFS to figure out the best way to recommend exercise to patients. Based on 12 high-quality studies, the researchers found that aerobic exercise (like walking or cycling) works best when done about 10-11 times over 4-5 months, starting with 5-15 minute sessions at home and gradually building up to 30 minutes. They recommend increasing exercise based on time rather than how you're feeling that day.

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

In the mind or in the brain? Scientific evidence for central sensitisation in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Nijs, Jo, Meeus, Mira, Van Oosterwijck, Jessica et al.·European journal of clinical investigation·2012

This review examined whether ME/CFS involves a nervous system that becomes overly sensitive to pain and other sensations. Researchers found that people with ME/CFS do show heightened responses to various types of stimuli—including touch, pressure, heat, and electrical stimulation—across multiple body areas. Importantly, this nervous system sensitivity tends to get worse, not better, after exercise or stress, suggesting a fundamental difference in how the central nervous system responds in ME/CFS.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM unclearSystematic-Review

Quality and acceptability of patient-reported outcome measures used in chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME): a systematic review.

Haywood, Kirstie L, Staniszewska, Sophie, Chapman, Sarah·Quality of life research : an international journal of quality of life aspects of treatment, care and rehabilitation·2012

This study looked at questionnaires and surveys used to measure how ME/CFS affects patients' health and quality of life. Researchers reviewed 77 different measurement tools and found that most of them were not thoroughly tested or proven to work well. Importantly, patients were rarely involved in creating or improving these questionnaires, even though patients know best what matters to them.

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM requiredReview-Narrative

Pacing as a strategy to improve energy management in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome: a consensus document.

Goudsmit, Ellen M, Nijs, Jo, Jason, Leonard A et al.·Disability and rehabilitation·2012

This review examined pacing, a strategy where people with ME/CFS carefully manage their energy use to avoid overexertion. The researchers found that pacing is one of the most helpful approaches patients report using, and evidence suggests it can help stabilize symptoms and reduce post-exertional malaise (the characteristic worsening that follows activity). Pacing can be adjusted to fit each person's individual abilities and is generally accepted well by patients.

Post-Exertional Malaise

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Self-esteem of children and adolescents with chronic illness: a meta-analysis.

Natural killer cells in patients with severe chronic fatigue syndrome.

Evidence for overlap between urological and nonurological unexplained clinical conditions.

Chronic fatigue syndrome following infections in adolescents.

Mindfulness-based therapies in the treatment of somatization disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Pesticides and human chronic diseases: evidences, mechanisms, and perspectives.

Heart rate variability in patients with fibromyalgia and patients with chronic fatigue syndrome: a systematic review.

The neuropsychiatric and neuropsychological features of chronic fatigue syndrome: revisiting the enigma.

Dysfunctional syndromes and fibromyalgia: a 2012 critical digest.

A review of the definitional criteria for chronic fatigue syndrome.

Biomarkers for chronic fatigue.

Chronic fatigue syndrome: diagnosis and treatment.

Pediatric Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Systematic reviews of TCM trials: how does inclusion of Chinese trials affect outcome?

Sleep abnormalities in chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis: a review.

Overlap between functional GI disorders and other functional syndromes: what are the underlying mechanisms?

How to exercise people with chronic fatigue syndrome: evidence-based practice guidelines.

In the mind or in the brain? Scientific evidence for central sensitisation in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Quality and acceptability of patient-reported outcome measures used in chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME): a systematic review.

Pacing as a strategy to improve energy management in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome: a consensus document.

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