ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

2795 studies

1001–1020 of 2,795 studies

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Effects of unsupportive social interactions, stigma, and symptoms on patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis and chronic fatigue syndrome.

McManimen, Stephanie L, McClellan, Damani, Stoothoff, Jamie et al.·Journal of community psychology·2018

This study looked at why some ME/CFS patients experience suicidal thoughts and depression. Researchers found that patients who felt blamed for their illness, had their symptoms minimized by others, or felt socially rejected were more likely to experience both depression and suicidal thoughts. Importantly, some patients had suicidal thoughts without meeting the criteria for clinical depression, suggesting that stigma and unsupported social interactions alone can be harmful.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Characteristics and determinants of dietary intake and physical activity in a group of patients with multiple chemical sensitivity.

Aguilar-Aguilar, Elena, Marcos-Pasero, Helena, de la Iglesia, Rocío et al.·Endocrinologia, diabetes y nutricion·2018

This study looked at the eating habits and exercise levels of 52 people with multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS), a condition where people react badly to everyday chemicals. The researchers found that most patients weren't eating enough fruits, vegetables, and dairy products, were taking many supplements, and very few were exercising regularly. The study suggests that better nutritional guidance tailored to each person's needs could help improve their health and quality of life.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Intracranial compliance is associated with symptoms of orthostatic intolerance in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Finkelmeyer, Andreas, He, Jiabao, Maclachlan, Laura et al.·PloS one·2018

Many people with ME/CFS experience dizziness or lightheadedness when standing up—a condition called orthostatic intolerance. This study used brain imaging to measure how well the brain's blood vessels and fluid systems adjust to position changes. Researchers found that ME/CFS patients with worse symptoms had less flexible brain spaces and higher blood flow at rest, suggesting their brains may struggle to maintain proper blood flow when standing.

Autonomic Nervous System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM requiredCross-Sectional

Deconstructing post-exertional malaise in myalgic encephalomyelitis/ chronic fatigue syndrome: A patient-centered, cross-sectional survey.

Chu, Lily, Valencia, Ian J, Garvert, Donn W et al.·PloS one·2018

This study asked 150 ME/CFS patients to describe what happens when they experience post-exertional malaise (PEM)—the characteristic crash that follows physical activity, mental effort, or emotional stress. Researchers found that 90% of patients experienced PEM from all three types of triggers, with fatigue being the most common symptom, but also cognitive problems, sleep issues, headaches, and muscle pain. Most patients' PEM lasted at least 24 hours, though the timing and severity varied from person to person.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Comparison of Fatigue Severity and Quality of Life between Unexplained Fatigue Patients and Explained Fatigue Patients.

Yoo, Eun Hae, Choi, Eun Sil, Cho, Soo Hyun et al.·Korean journal of family medicine·2018

This study compared fatigue and quality of life in 200 Korean adults with fatigue. Researchers divided participants into two groups: those whose fatigue had a clear medical explanation (like anemia or thyroid disease) and those whose fatigue remained unexplained after testing. People with unexplained fatigue reported significantly lower quality of life, especially in physical functioning, compared to those with explained fatigue.

Diagnostics

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Operationalizing Substantial Reduction in Functioning Among Young Adults with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Gleason, Kristen D, Stoothoff, Jamie, McClellan, Damani et al.·International journal of behavioral medicine·2018

This study looked for the best way to measure the 'substantial reduction in functioning' that is required for ME/CFS diagnosis. Researchers used a standard health survey (SF-36) with young adults (ages 18-29) who had ME/CFS and compared them to people without the condition. They found that specific cutoff scores on four areas of the survey—physical functioning, general health, role physical (ability to work), and social functioning—could accurately identify who has ME/CFS.

Diagnostics

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredObservational

Rheumatism and chronic fatigue, the two facets of post-chikungunya disease: the TELECHIK cohort study on Reunion island.

Duvignaud, A, Fianu, A, Bertolotti, A et al.·Epidemiology and infection·2018

This study followed over 1,000 people on Reunion Island to understand why some patients infected with chikungunya virus develop long-lasting fatigue and joint pain. Researchers found that people who had chikungunya were much more likely to experience chronic fatigue and a condition resembling ME/CFS compared to those who were never infected. About 24% of people with chikungunya developed CFS-like illness, compared to only 7% of those without the virus.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

The X-Y factor: Females and males with urological chronic pelvic pain syndrome present distinct clinical phenotypes.

Hosier, Gregory W, Doiron, R Christopher, Tolls, Victoria et al.·Canadian Urological Association journal = Journal de l'Association des urologues du Canada·2018

This study compared how chronic pelvic pain affects men and women differently. Researchers found that women with pelvic pain had more bladder symptoms, nerve-related symptoms, and were more likely to have other conditions like chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, and depression. Men and women with the same diagnosis actually experience quite different patterns of pain and related health problems.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Higher Prevalence of "Low T3 Syndrome" in Patients With Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Case-Control Study.

Ruiz-Núñez, Begoña, Tarasse, Rabab, Vogelaar, Emar F et al.·Frontiers in endocrinology·2018

This study compared thyroid hormone levels in 98 ME/CFS patients with 99 healthy controls and found that ME/CFS patients were more than twice as likely to have low levels of an active thyroid hormone called T3. The patients also showed signs of chronic low-grade inflammation and had more reverse T3 (an inactive form), which may explain why their bodies aren't producing or using thyroid hormones efficiently.

Energy Metabolism

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Glucocorticoid receptor DNA methylation and childhood trauma in chronic fatigue syndrome patients.

Vangeel, Elise Beau, Kempke, Stefan, Bakusic, Jelena et al.·Journal of psychosomatic research·2018

This study looked at chemical changes (called methylation) on genes that control how the body handles stress in people with ME/CFS compared to healthy controls. The researchers found small but consistent differences in a stress-response gene, particularly in patients who had experienced childhood trauma. While the differences were tiny (about 1-2%), they suggest that ME/CFS may involve changes in how the body's stress system works.

Endocrine Disruption

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCase-Control

Evaluation of four clinical laboratory parameters for the diagnosis of myalgic encephalomyelitis.

De Meirleir, Kenny L, Mijatovic, Tatjana, Subramanian, Krishnamurthy et al.·Journal of translational medicine·2018

Researchers tested four substances in the blood of 140 ME/CFS patients and 140 healthy people to see if they could help diagnose the disease. They found that three specific markers—sCD14, prostaglandin E2, and interleukin 8—were most useful for identifying ME/CFS. These findings suggest that a simple blood test might one day help doctors confirm ME/CFS diagnosis more quickly and objectively.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Chronic fatigue syndrome patients have alterations in their oral microbiome composition and function.

Wang, Taiwu, Yu, Lei, Xu, Cong et al.·PloS one·2018

Researchers studied the bacteria living in the mouths of ME/CFS patients and compared them to healthy people. They found that ME/CFS patients have a different balance of oral bacteria, with some types being more common and others less common. These bacterial differences appear to affect how the body processes energy and amino acids, which could be relevant to understanding ME/CFS.

Energy Metabolism

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredLongitudinal

Longitudinal associations of lymphocyte subsets with clinical outcomes in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Mehalick, Melissa L, Schmaling, Karen B, Sabath, Daniel E et al.·Fatigue : biomedicine, health & behavior·2018

This study looked at how different types of immune cells (called lymphocytes) change over 18 months in people with ME/CFS and whether these changes connected to symptom severity and physical ability. Researchers tracked three types of immune cells in 93 ME/CFS patients and measured their fatigue, physical functioning, and energy levels over time. They found that certain immune cell patterns were linked to worse physical function and more symptoms, suggesting the immune system may play a role in ME/CFS severity.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCase-Control

Identification of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome-associated DNA methylation patterns.

Trivedi, Malav S, Oltra, Elisa, Sarria, Leonor et al.·PloS one·2018

Researchers studied chemical tags on DNA (called methylation) in people with ME/CFS compared to healthy people. While the overall amount of these tags was similar between groups, they found specific locations on thousands of genes where the tags differed. Many of these differences were in genes involved in immune system function, which aligns with what doctors already know about ME/CFS affecting immunity.

BiomarkersImmune System

E2 ModerateTrialPEM unclearRCT

Hair and salivary cortisol in a cohort of women with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Roerink, Megan E, Roerink, Sean H P P, Skoluda, Nadine et al.·Hormones and behavior·2018

This study measured cortisol (a stress hormone) in hair and saliva samples from women with ME/CFS and compared them to healthy women. The ME/CFS patients showed lower cortisol levels, particularly a weaker morning cortisol rise. When some patients took a medication called anakinra (which reduces inflammation), their cortisol levels changed differently than in patients taking placebo, suggesting a link between the immune system and hormonal stress response in ME/CFS.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearObservational

Why do some ME/CFS patients benefit from treatment with sodium dichloroacetate, but others do not?

Comhaire, Frank·Medical hypotheses·2018

This study looked at why some ME/CFS patients improve when taking sodium dichloroacetate (DCA), a drug that helps mitochondria—the energy centers of cells—work better, while others don't benefit at all. By examining 35 ME/CFS patients, researchers found 6 specific patient characteristics that could predict who would respond well to DCA treatment. These findings suggest doctors might be able to identify which patients are most likely to benefit from this treatment before they start taking it.

Interventions

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Visual Aspects of Reading Performance in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME).

Wilson, Rachel L, Paterson, Kevin B, McGowan, Victoria et al.·Frontiers in psychology·2018

This study tested reading and vision abilities in 27 people with ME/CFS and compared them to healthy controls. Researchers found that people with ME/CFS read more slowly and had greater difficulty reading when text was crowded together, even though their basic vision was similar to controls. These findings suggest that vision-related reading problems in ME/CFS are real and measurable, not just imagined.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCase-Control

Value of Circulating Cytokine Profiling During Submaximal Exercise Testing in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Moneghetti, Kegan J, Skhiri, Mehdi, Contrepois, Kévin et al.·Scientific reports·2018

Researchers tested whether measuring immune chemicals (called cytokines) in the blood after exercise could help identify people with ME/CFS. They compared 24 people with ME/CFS to 24 healthy controls and measured 51 different immune markers both before and 18 hours after exercise. They found that the pattern of immune chemicals measured 18 hours after exercise was different enough to reliably distinguish people with ME/CFS from healthy people.

Immune SystemPost-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateCohortPEM requiredCross-Sectional

Systemic exertion intolerance disease diagnostic criteria applied on an adolescent chronic fatigue syndrome cohort: evaluation of subgroup differences and prognostic utility.

Asprusten, Tarjei Tørre, Sulheim, Dag, Fagermoen, Even et al.·BMJ paediatrics open·2018

This study looked at whether a diagnostic checklist called SEID (Systemic Exertion Intolerance Disease) could reliably identify and predict outcomes in teenagers with ME/CFS. The researchers compared 120 adolescents who did or didn't meet the SEID criteria and found that the criteria didn't actually help predict who would improve over time. Interestingly, teens who met the SEID criteria were more likely to show symptoms of depression, which raises questions about whether the criteria are truly measuring ME/CFS itself.

Diagnostics

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredObservational

The effects of warm water immersion on blood pressure, heart rate and heart rate variability in people with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Parker, Romy, Higgins, Zeenath, Mlombile, Zandiswa N P et al.·The South African journal of physiotherapy·2018

This study looked at how warm water bathing affects heart function in people with ME/CFS compared to healthy people. Researchers found that people with ME/CFS had less stable heart rate patterns before entering warm water, but this improved during the water immersion. The heart rate stayed slightly elevated in the ME/CFS group even after leaving the water. Overall, warm water immersion appeared safe and may help with managing ME/CFS symptoms.

Autonomic Nervous System

← Previous Next 20 studies →

Or browse by topic

PEM Immune Neuro Metabolic Biomarkers Severe ME Long COVID Cognitive

Evidence Atlas

Evidence browser

Effects of unsupportive social interactions, stigma, and symptoms on patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Characteristics and determinants of dietary intake and physical activity in a group of patients with multiple chemical sensitivity.

Intracranial compliance is associated with symptoms of orthostatic intolerance in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Deconstructing post-exertional malaise in myalgic encephalomyelitis/ chronic fatigue syndrome: A patient-centered, cross-sectional survey.

Comparison of Fatigue Severity and Quality of Life between Unexplained Fatigue Patients and Explained Fatigue Patients.

Operationalizing Substantial Reduction in Functioning Among Young Adults with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Rheumatism and chronic fatigue, the two facets of post-chikungunya disease: the TELECHIK cohort study on Reunion island.

The X-Y factor: Females and males with urological chronic pelvic pain syndrome present distinct clinical phenotypes.

Higher Prevalence of "Low T3 Syndrome" in Patients With Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Case-Control Study.

Glucocorticoid receptor DNA methylation and childhood trauma in chronic fatigue syndrome patients.

Evaluation of four clinical laboratory parameters for the diagnosis of myalgic encephalomyelitis.

Chronic fatigue syndrome patients have alterations in their oral microbiome composition and function.

Longitudinal associations of lymphocyte subsets with clinical outcomes in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Identification of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome-associated DNA methylation patterns.

Hair and salivary cortisol in a cohort of women with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Why do some ME/CFS patients benefit from treatment with sodium dichloroacetate, but others do not?

Visual Aspects of Reading Performance in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME).

Value of Circulating Cytokine Profiling During Submaximal Exercise Testing in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Systemic exertion intolerance disease diagnostic criteria applied on an adolescent chronic fatigue syndrome cohort: evaluation of subgroup differences and prognostic utility.

The effects of warm water immersion on blood pressure, heart rate and heart rate variability in people with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Curated Collections

Neuroinflammation Evidence

Metabolism & Mitochondria

Biomarkers

PEM-Specific Research