ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

2807 studies

1021–1040 of 2,807 studies

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredLongitudinal

Reciprocal associations between daily need-based experiences, energy, and sleep in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Campbell, Rachel, Vansteenkiste, Maarten, Delesie, Liesbeth et al.·Health psychology : official journal of the Division of Health Psychology, American Psychological Association·2018

This study tracked 120 ME/CFS patients for 14 days to understand how their daily psychological needs, energy levels, and sleep quality relate to each other. Researchers found that on days when patients felt their needs were met (feeling in control, capable, and connected to others), they had more energy and better sleep. On days when patients felt frustrated in meeting these needs, they experienced more fatigue and worse sleep quality.

Sleep

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 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 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 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 ModeratePEM unclearBiobank-Resource

The UK ME/CFS Biobank: A Disease-Specific Biobank for Advancing Clinical Research Into Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Lacerda, Eliana M, Mudie, Kathleen, Kingdon, Caroline C et al.·Frontiers in neurology·2018

Researchers in the UK created a special collection of biological samples (like blood) and health information from 600 people—including those with ME/CFS, people with multiple sclerosis, and healthy volunteers. This resource, called the UK ME/CFS Biobank, was designed to help scientists study ME/CFS more effectively and find reliable ways to diagnose the disease. The biobank is being shared with researchers around the world to speed up discovery.

Biomarkers

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 requiredCross-Sectional

Association between cytokines and psychiatric symptoms in chronic fatigue syndrome and healthy controls.

Groven, Nina, Fors, Egil A, Iversen, Valentina C et al.·Nordic journal of psychiatry·2018

This study looked at immune system markers called cytokines in people with ME/CFS compared to healthy people, and how these markers related to mood and anxiety symptoms. Researchers found that people with ME/CFS had slightly higher levels of one immune marker (TNF-α) and discovered different patterns of how immune markers connected to psychiatric symptoms in ME/CFS patients versus healthy controls. The findings suggest that immune system activity may work differently in ME/CFS, which could help explain some symptoms and guide future treatments.

Immune System

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 not requiredCross-Sectional

Chronic fatigue syndrome in Chinese middle-school students.

Shi, Jieyao, Shen, Jie, Xie, Jian et al.·Medicine·2018

Researchers in China surveyed over 18,000 middle school students to see how many had chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). They found that about 1 in 100 students met the criteria for CFS, with older students and boys more commonly affected. Beyond typical tiredness, these students also reported school anxiety, sadness, and irritability, suggesting CFS in teenagers may involve emotional symptoms alongside physical exhaustion.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Blood Volume Status in ME/CFS Correlates With the Presence or Absence of Orthostatic Symptoms: Preliminary Results.

van Campen, C Linda M C, Rowe, Peter C, Visser, Frans C·Frontiers in pediatrics·2018

This study measured the amount of blood circulating in the bodies of 20 adults with ME/CFS and found that those with symptoms of dizziness or lightheadedness when standing up had significantly less blood volume than those without these symptoms. On average, all ME/CFS patients had about 11 milliliters less blood per kilogram of body weight than expected, but the drop was much more pronounced in patients with orthostatic symptoms. This finding suggests that reduced blood volume may be connected to specific symptoms some ME/CFS patients experience.

Autonomic Nervous System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

School Functioning in Adolescents With Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Knight, Sarah Jenette, Politis, Jennifer, Garnham, Christine et al.·Frontiers in pediatrics·2018

This study looked at how ME/CFS affects teenagers' school lives by comparing 39 adolescents with ME/CFS to 28 healthy peers. Researchers found that teens with ME/CFS missed more school, felt less connected to school, participated less in school activities, and had lower academic performance. The severity of fatigue and emotional symptoms were linked to these school difficulties.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM requiredCross-Sectional

Association of T and NK Cell Phenotype With the Diagnosis of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS).

Rivas, Jose Luis, Palencia, Teresa, Fernández, Guerau et al.·Frontiers in immunology·2018

This study compared immune system cells in the blood of people with ME/CFS to healthy people. Researchers found that ME/CFS patients had different levels of certain immune cells, particularly lower regulatory T cells and higher NKT-like cells, along with changes in natural killer (NK) cells. Using these immune cell differences, researchers could correctly identify about 70% of ME/CFS patients versus healthy controls, suggesting these immune markers might someday help doctors diagnose the condition.

Immune System

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Cross-Cultural Study of Information Processing Biases in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Comparison of Dutch and UK Chronic Fatigue Patients.

Hughes, Alicia M, Hirsch, Colette R, Nikolaus, Stephanie et al.·International journal of behavioral medicine·2018

This study looked at how people with ME/CFS pay attention to and interpret information related to illness and symptoms. Researchers in the Netherlands and UK tested whether people with ME/CFS tend to notice illness-related words more quickly and interpret unclear situations in ways related to their symptoms. They found that people with ME/CFS did show these patterns, and importantly, these patterns were similar in both countries, suggesting this is a consistent feature of the condition rather than a cultural difference.

Cognitive Impairment

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

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 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 not requiredCross-Sectional

Patients with chronic fatigue syndrome do not score higher on the autism-spectrum quotient than healthy controls: Comparison with autism spectrum disorder.

Bileviciute-Ljungar, Indre, Maroti, Daniel, Bejerot, Susanne·Scandinavian journal of psychology·2018

This study compared autistic traits in people with ME/CFS, people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and healthy people. Although ME/CFS and autism share some overlapping symptoms like fatigue, brain fog, and sensitivity to sound and light, the study found that people with ME/CFS did not show more autistic traits than healthy controls. People with autism did score higher on the autism assessment, showing the test can distinguish between the conditions.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Depression, evening salivary cortisol and inflammation in chronic fatigue syndrome: A psychoneuroendocrinological structural regression model.

Milrad, Sara F, Hall, Daniel L, Jutagir, Devika R et al.·International journal of psychophysiology : official journal of the International Organization of Psychophysiology·2018

This study examined how depression, stress hormone levels, and inflammation connect in ME/CFS patients. Researchers found that people with ME/CFS who had higher evening cortisol (a stress hormone) levels also had more depression and higher levels of inflammatory markers in their blood. The results suggest that depression, hormones, and the immune system may be interconnected in ME/CFS, though more research is needed to understand which causes which.

Immune System

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Reciprocal associations between daily need-based experiences, energy, and sleep in chronic fatigue syndrome.

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

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

Intracranial compliance is associated with symptoms of orthostatic intolerance in 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).

The UK ME/CFS Biobank: A Disease-Specific Biobank for Advancing Clinical Research Into 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.

Association between cytokines and psychiatric symptoms in chronic fatigue syndrome and healthy controls.

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

Chronic fatigue syndrome in Chinese middle-school students.

Blood Volume Status in ME/CFS Correlates With the Presence or Absence of Orthostatic Symptoms: Preliminary Results.

School Functioning in Adolescents With Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Association of T and NK Cell Phenotype With the Diagnosis of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS).

Cross-Cultural Study of Information Processing Biases in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Comparison of Dutch and UK Chronic Fatigue Patients.

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

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

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

Patients with chronic fatigue syndrome do not score higher on the autism-spectrum quotient than healthy controls: Comparison with autism spectrum disorder.

Depression, evening salivary cortisol and inflammation in chronic fatigue syndrome: A psychoneuroendocrinological structural regression model.

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