ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

644 studies

521–540 of 644 studies

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredSystematic-Review

A systematic review of chronic fatigue, its syndromes and ethnicity: prevalence, severity, co-morbidity and coping.

Dinos, Sokratis, Khoshaba, Bernadette, Ashby, Deborah et al.·International journal of epidemiology·2009

This review looked at many studies to understand how ME/CFS (also called chronic fatigue syndrome) affects people from different ethnic backgrounds. The researchers found that African Americans and Native Americans may actually get ME/CFS more often than White Americans, which contradicts an older belief that it was mainly a condition affecting white, wealthy women. The study also found that people from minority ethnic groups with ME/CFS may experience more severe symptoms and may cope differently with their illness.

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredMeta-Analysis

As good as it gets? A meta-analysis and systematic review of methodological quality of heart rate variability studies in functional somatic disorders.

Tak, Lineke M, Riese, Harriëtte, de Bock, Geertruida H et al.·Biological psychology·2009

This research review looked at whether people with ME/CFS and similar conditions have problems with their nervous system's ability to regulate heart rate. Researchers combined results from 23 studies involving 533 patients and found weak evidence that patients may have lower parasympathetic nerve activity (the calming part of the nervous system) compared to healthy people. However, the evidence was not strong enough to draw firm conclusions, and the studies reviewed had many quality problems that made the results unreliable.

Autonomic Nervous System

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

Evidence-based efficacy of adaptogens in fatigue, and molecular mechanisms related to their stress-protective activity.

Panossian, Alexander, Wikman, Georg·Current clinical pharmacology·2009

This review examined whether herbal supplements called adaptogens can help with fatigue and ME/CFS. Researchers found that some adaptogens—particularly Rhodiola rosea—showed promise in clinical studies for improving attention, thinking, and mental energy in people with fatigue and chronic fatigue syndrome. The review suggests these herbs may work by helping the body manage stress through changes in specific stress-response proteins and hormones.

Cognitive Impairment

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredSystematic-Review

Traditional Chinese medicinal herbs for the treatment of idiopathic chronic fatigue and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Adams, Denise, Wu, Taixiang, Yang, Xunzhe et al.·The Cochrane database of systematic reviews·2009

This study looked at whether herbal medicines used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) could help treat chronic fatigue and ME/CFS. Researchers searched through thousands of medical studies to find high-quality tests comparing TCM herbs to placebo or standard treatments, but they found that none of the available studies were rigorous enough to draw reliable conclusions about whether these treatments actually work.

Interventions

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredSystematic-Review

Chronic fatigue syndrome.

Reid, Steven F, Chalder, Trudie, Cleare, Anthony et al.·BMJ clinical evidence·2008

This review looked at all available research on treatments for ME/CFS up to September 2007, examining 45 studies to see which treatments work and which are safe. The researchers studied many different treatments including therapy, exercise programs, supplements, and medications. They found that the quality and strength of evidence varies considerably depending on which treatment is being examined.

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome: findings, principles and strategies.

Luyten, Patrick, Van Houdenhove, Boudewijn, Pae, Chi-Un et al.·Psychiatry investigation·2008

This review examines current treatments for ME/CFS and discusses what we know about what causes the condition. The authors suggest that effective treatment should be personalized to each patient's needs and focus on helping people make lasting changes to their lifestyle that restore both mental and physical balance. The review emphasizes that while treatments exist, many patients still have a poor prognosis even when receiving care.

Interventions

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

Neuroaetiology of chronic fatigue syndrome: an overview.

Sanders, Patricia, Korf, Jakob·The world journal of biological psychiatry : the official journal of the World Federation of Societies of Biological Psychiatry·2008

This review examines several competing theories about what causes ME/CFS. The authors found that while viral infections, brain hormone imbalances, immune problems, and psychological factors are all proposed as causes, none has been definitively proven. The authors suggest that ME/CFS may not be one single disease, but rather several different conditions that produce similar symptoms, which could explain why treatments like cognitive behavioral therapy work for some patients but not others.

Immune System

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredSystematic-Review

Cognitive behaviour therapy for chronic fatigue syndrome in adults.

Price, Jonathan R, Mitchell, Edward, Tidy, Elizabeth et al.·The Cochrane database of systematic reviews·2008

This review looked at 15 studies involving over 1,000 people with ME/CFS to see if cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT)—a type of talk therapy focused on thoughts and behaviors—could help reduce fatigue. Compared to usual care, CBT showed modest improvements in fatigue at the end of treatment, with 40% of people in CBT improving versus 26% in usual care. However, the benefits were less clear when researchers checked on people months later.

Interventions

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredEditorial

Central nervous system abnormalities in fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome: new concepts in treatment.

Gur, Ali, Oktayoglu, Pelin·Current pharmaceutical design·2008

This review examines how ME/CFS and fibromyalgia may both involve problems in the nervous system—specifically in how the brain processes pain, manages stress hormones, and controls automatic body functions. The authors discuss why current treatments are limited and explore new medication approaches that target brain chemicals involved in pain and fatigue.

SleepAutonomic Nervous SystemCognitive Impairment

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Approved and investigational uses of modafinil : an evidence-based review.

Kumar, Raminder·Drugs·2008

This review looked at studies testing modafinil, a medication that promotes wakefulness, in different conditions including sleep disorders and fatigue-related illnesses. The authors found that modafinil works well for approved conditions like narcolepsy and sleep apnea, but studies testing it for chronic fatigue syndrome were very small and gave unclear results. The medication can cause side effects like insomnia, headaches, and appetite loss, and may interact with other drugs.

SleepCognitive Impairment

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredSystematic-Review

A systematic review of chronic fatigue syndrome: don't assume it's depression.

Griffith, James P, Zarrouf, Fahd A·Primary care companion to the Journal of clinical psychiatry·2008

This review examined how ME/CFS is different from depression, since doctors often confuse the two conditions. The researchers looked at hundreds of medical articles to understand what causes ME/CFS, how to properly diagnose it, and how to treat it. They found that ME/CFS is missed in over 80% of people who have it, and is frequently wrongly labeled as depression instead.

Diagnostics

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM unclearSystematic-Review

Risk factors for chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis: a systematic scoping review of multiple predictor studies.

Hempel, S, Chambers, D, Bagnall, A-M et al.·Psychological medicine·2008

This study looked at 11 different research projects to find out what factors might make someone more likely to develop ME/CFS. The researchers examined many potential risk factors including physical health history, emotional wellbeing, social circumstances, and environmental exposures. Unfortunately, the studies didn't consistently agree on which factors were actually important, and no single risk factor was strong enough or reliable enough to help doctors predict who would develop ME/CFS.

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredMeta-Analysis

Efficacy of cognitive behavioral therapy for chronic fatigue syndrome: a meta-analysis.

Malouff, John M, Thorsteinsson, Einar B, Rooke, Sally E et al.·Clinical psychology review·2008

This study reviewed 15 previous research studies on whether cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)—a type of talk therapy focused on thoughts and behaviors—helps people with chronic fatigue syndrome. Overall, people who received CBT showed moderate improvement in fatigue compared to those who didn't receive it. About half of the people who completed CBT no longer met the clinical criteria for severe fatigue, though some people dropped out of treatment.

Interventions

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM unclearEditorial

Customizing treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia: the role of perpetuating factors.

Van Houdenhove, Boudewijn, Luyten, Patrick·Psychosomatics·2008

This review examined how ME/CFS and fibromyalgia affect people differently, and why treatments that work for some patients may not work for others. The authors found that while cognitive-behavioral therapy and graded exercise are evidence-based treatments, their success depends on identifying what specific factors are keeping each patient stuck—such as stress, sleep problems, or how they think about their illness. The key message is that personalized treatment plans tailored to each patient's individual perpetuating factors are likely to be more effective than one-size-fits-all approaches.

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredSystematic-Review

Somatic comorbidities of irritable bowel syndrome: a systematic analysis.

Riedl, Andrea, Schmidtmann, Marco, Stengel, Andreas et al.·Journal of psychosomatic research·2008

This study looked at other health conditions that commonly occur alongside irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Researchers found that people with IBS are twice as likely to have other physical health problems compared to people without IBS. Conditions like fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, and chronic pelvic pain appear in up to 65% of IBS patients, and digestive problems occur in about half of them.

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredSystematic-Review

A systematic review of acupuncture and moxibustion treatment for chronic fatigue syndrome in China.

Wang, Tianfang, Zhang, Qunhao, Xue, Xiaolin et al.·The American journal of Chinese medicine·2008

This review looked at Chinese studies testing acupuncture and moxibustion (a heat-based treatment) for chronic fatigue syndrome. The studies reported high success rates between 79% and 100%, but the research quality was generally weak, and none used the most rigorous study design (randomized controlled trials). While these results sound promising, they need to be confirmed with better-designed studies.

E0 ConsensusGuidelinePEM not requiredGuideline

EULAR evidence-based recommendations for the management of fibromyalgia syndrome.

Carville, S F, Arendt-Nielsen, L, Bliddal, H et al.·Annals of the rheumatic diseases·2008

European medical experts reviewed research on how to treat fibromyalgia, a condition causing widespread pain and fatigue. They looked at studies of different treatments—medicines and therapies like exercise and counseling—to see which ones worked best. Based on the strongest evidence available, they created 9 recommendations to help doctors manage fibromyalgia.

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

Personality and chronic fatigue syndrome: methodological and conceptual issues.

van Geelen, Stefan M, Sinnema, Gerben, Hermans, Hubert J M et al.·Clinical psychology review·2007

This review looked at studies examining whether ME/CFS patients have particular personality traits, such as being perfectionistic or hardworking. The researchers found that different studies gave very different answers—some found no personality differences between ME/CFS patients and healthy people, while others reported more serious psychological problems. The authors concluded that more careful research is needed, particularly looking at how patients understand and tell their own life stories.

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

Benefits of physical training in fibromyalgia and related syndromes.

Maquet, D, Demoulin, C, Croisier, J-L et al.·Annales de readaptation et de medecine physique : revue scientifique de la Societe francaise de reeducation fonctionnelle de readaptation et de medecine physique·2007

This review looked at studies on whether physical exercise and training help people with fibromyalgia and related conditions like ME/CFS. Most studies found that gradual, carefully planned exercise programs did help reduce pain and fatigue, though some reviews were less certain. The authors recommend that exercise should be part of a broader treatment approach that includes other therapies.

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM requiredSystematic-Review

Chronic musculoskeletal pain in patients with the chronic fatigue syndrome: a systematic review.

Meeus, Mira, Nijs, Jo, Meirleir, Kenny De·European journal of pain (London, England)·2007

This review looked at 25 scientific studies about chronic pain in ME/CFS patients. Most people with ME/CFS experience widespread pain along with fatigue, but there is no clear agreement on how to define or measure this pain. The review found that pain is common and disabling, but we still don't know exactly what causes it or how to treat it effectively.

Post-Exertional Malaise

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A systematic review of chronic fatigue, its syndromes and ethnicity: prevalence, severity, co-morbidity and coping.

As good as it gets? A meta-analysis and systematic review of methodological quality of heart rate variability studies in functional somatic disorders.

Evidence-based efficacy of adaptogens in fatigue, and molecular mechanisms related to their stress-protective activity.

Traditional Chinese medicinal herbs for the treatment of idiopathic chronic fatigue and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Chronic fatigue syndrome.

Treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome: findings, principles and strategies.

Neuroaetiology of chronic fatigue syndrome: an overview.

Cognitive behaviour therapy for chronic fatigue syndrome in adults.

Central nervous system abnormalities in fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome: new concepts in treatment.

Approved and investigational uses of modafinil : an evidence-based review.

A systematic review of chronic fatigue syndrome: don't assume it's depression.

Risk factors for chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis: a systematic scoping review of multiple predictor studies.

Efficacy of cognitive behavioral therapy for chronic fatigue syndrome: a meta-analysis.

Customizing treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia: the role of perpetuating factors.

Somatic comorbidities of irritable bowel syndrome: a systematic analysis.

A systematic review of acupuncture and moxibustion treatment for chronic fatigue syndrome in China.

EULAR evidence-based recommendations for the management of fibromyalgia syndrome.

Personality and chronic fatigue syndrome: methodological and conceptual issues.

Benefits of physical training in fibromyalgia and related syndromes.

Chronic musculoskeletal pain in patients with the chronic fatigue syndrome: a systematic review.

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