ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

2795 studies

1061–1080 of 2,795 studies

E2 ModerateDiagnosticPEM requiredCross-Sectional

A Comparison of Case Definitions for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Sunnquist, Madison, Jason, Leonard A, Nehrke, Pamela et al.·Journal of chronic diseases and management·2017

This study compared two different sets of diagnostic criteria used to identify ME/CFS patients. Researchers found that 76% of people diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome met the newer Institute of Medicine criteria, but only 44% met the revised London criteria. The London criteria identified patients who were more severely physically impaired, suggesting that different diagnostic tools can identify different groups of patients.

Diagnostics

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Comorbidity in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis: A Nationwide Population-Based Cohort Study.

Castro-Marrero, Jesús, Faro, Mónica, Aliste, Luisa et al.·Psychosomatics·2017

This study looked at 1,757 people with ME/CFS in Spain to understand what other health conditions they commonly experience alongside their ME/CFS. Researchers found that more than 80% of patients had at least one additional condition, such as fibromyalgia, thyroid problems, vitamin D deficiency, or ligament issues. The study identified five different groups of ME/CFS patients based on their comorbidities, with some groups experiencing significantly worse fatigue and quality of life than others.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Physio-somatic symptoms in schizophrenia: association with depression, anxiety, neurocognitive deficits and the tryptophan catabolite pathway.

Kanchanatawan, Buranee, Sirivichayakul, Sunee, Thika, Supaksorn et al.·Metabolic brain disease·2017

This study looked at physical symptoms like fatigue, muscle pain, and flu-like feelings in people with schizophrenia. Researchers found that more than half of schizophrenia patients experienced these symptoms, which were linked to depression, anxiety, and problems with memory and attention. The symptoms appeared to be connected to changes in how the body processes tryptophan, an amino acid, and how the immune system responds to these breakdown products.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

RNA-Seq Analysis of Gene Expression, Viral Pathogen, and B-Cell/T-Cell Receptor Signatures in Complex Chronic Disease.

Bouquet, Jerome, Gardy, Jennifer L, Brown, Scott et al.·Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America·2017

Researchers used genetic testing to compare blood samples from people with ME/CFS and a similar condition called alternative Lyme disease to healthy controls and people with lupus. They looked for differences in gene activity, immune cell patterns, and viral infections. Surprisingly, they found no major differences in gene activity between ME/CFS patients and healthy people, though they did find differences in lupus patients as expected.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Epigenetic modifications and glucocorticoid sensitivity in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS).

de Vega, Wilfred C, Herrera, Santiago, Vernon, Suzanne D et al.·BMC medical genomics·2017

This study looked at chemical tags attached to DNA in immune cells from ME/CFS patients and compared them to healthy people. Researchers found that ME/CFS patients had different patterns of these chemical tags, especially in genes related to how cells produce energy. Some of these differences were linked to patients' reported quality of life, suggesting that changes in how genes are regulated may contribute to ME/CFS symptoms.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Unperturbed Cytotoxic Lymphocyte Phenotype and Function in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Patients.

Theorell, Jakob, Bileviciute-Ljungar, Indre, Tesi, Bianca et al.·Frontiers in immunology·2017

Researchers tested whether immune cells called cytotoxic lymphocytes—which normally fight infections and respond to stress—work differently in ME/CFS patients compared to healthy people. They studied 48 ME/CFS patients and found that these immune cells looked and functioned normally, suggesting they are not responsible for ME/CFS symptoms. This means cytotoxic lymphocytes alone cannot be used as a simple blood test to diagnose the condition.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredObservational

Specialist treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome/ME: a cohort study among adult patients in England.

Collin, Simon M, Crawley, Esther·BMC health services research·2017

This study looked at how 952 ME/CFS patients fared after receiving treatment at 11 specialist NHS clinics in England. One year after starting treatment, about 27% felt much better, 37% felt a little better, but 20% felt the same or worse. Even 2-5 years later, 85% of patients still had ME/CFS symptoms, showing that this is a long-lasting condition that often continues despite specialist care.

Pain and SensitizationSleep

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Fatigue in an adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder population: A trans-diagnostic approach.

Rogers, Denise C, Dittner, Antonia J, Rimes, Katharine A et al.·The British journal of clinical psychology·2017

This study looked at fatigue in adults with ADHD and compared it to fatigue in people with ME/CFS and healthy people. Researchers found that adults with ADHD experience significantly more fatigue than healthy controls, with about 62% meeting criteria for clinically significant fatigue. Importantly, they discovered that people with ME/CFS and people with ADHD share many similar challenges, including low mood, anxiety, and reduced confidence in their abilities.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearObservational

Down-regulation of renin-aldosterone and antidiuretic hormone systems in patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Miwa, Kunihisa·Journal of cardiology·2017

This study found that ME/CFS patients have smaller hearts and lower levels of certain hormones that control blood volume and fluid balance compared to healthy people. When researchers gave half the ME/CFS patients a synthetic hormone called desmopressin for five days, about half of them felt better, with less dizziness when standing and improved ability to do daily activities.

Autonomic Nervous System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Can physical assessment techniques aid diagnosis in people with chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis? A diagnostic accuracy study.

Hives, Lucy, Bradley, Alice, Richards, Jim et al.·BMJ open·2017

Researchers tested whether five simple physical examination techniques could help doctors quickly identify ME/CFS. They examined 52 people with ME/CFS and 42 people without the condition, using trained practitioners to check for specific physical signs like spine problems and tender points. The study found that two of these physical signs were reliable and accurate enough to potentially help with diagnosis, suggesting that quick physical checks might be a useful screening tool.

Diagnostics

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredObservational

Guided Self-Help for Patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Prior to Starting Cognitive Behavioural Therapy: a Cohort Study.

Ali, Sheila, Goldsmith, Kimberley, Burgess, Mary et al.·Behavioural and cognitive psychotherapy·2017

This study tested whether guided self-help materials could help ME/CFS patients improve their physical functioning while waiting for cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). Patients filled out questionnaires at the start, just before CBT began, and after CBT ended. The self-help guidance helped improve how much patients could physically do, but didn't significantly reduce fatigue or improve social life during the waiting period. However, CBT itself did help with all three areas.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Access to Medical Care for Individuals with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Call for Centers of Excellence.

Sunnquist, Madison, Nicholson, Laura, Jason, Leonard A et al.·Modern clinical medicine research·2017

This study asked nearly 900 people with ME/CFS about their experiences finding and receiving medical care. The researchers found that less than half had ever seen a doctor who specializes in ME/CFS, even though almost everyone wanted to. The biggest obstacles were distance to specialists and cost, and patients were much happier with care from ME/CFS specialists than from doctors who didn't specialize in these conditions.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

[Sleep disturbances - an important factor in combination 'minor' symptoms of multiple sclerosis].

Yakupov, E Z, Troshina, Yu V·Zhurnal nevrologii i psikhiatrii imeni S.S. Korsakova·2017

This study looked at sleep problems in 54 people with multiple sclerosis (MS) compared to 54 healthy people. Researchers found that people with MS had much more trouble sleeping, and that poor sleep was connected to anxiety, depression, and fatigue. The study suggests that sleep disturbances may play an important role in how MS affects quality of life and fatigue symptoms.

Sleep

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Gross and fine motor function in fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Rasouli, Omid, Fors, Egil A, Borchgrevink, Petter Chr et al.·Journal of pain research·2017

This study compared how quickly people with ME/CFS and fibromyalgia could start moving when they heard a sound, and how well they could do precise hand movements compared to healthy people. Both ME/CFS and fibromyalgia groups were slower to start walking in response to the sound, though their fine hand movements were similar to healthy controls. The results suggest that ME/CFS and fibromyalgia may affect the speed of starting movement, but not the precision of hand tasks.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Medically unexplained physical symptoms (MUPS) among adults in Canada: Comorbidity, health care use and employment.

Park, Jungwee, Gilmour, Heather·Health reports·2017

This Canadian study found that about 5.5% of adults (roughly 1.3 million people) report medically unexplained physical symptoms, including ME/CFS, fibromyalgia, and chemical sensitivities. People with these conditions use more healthcare services, have higher rates of other health problems, and struggle more with employment than those without these conditions. About 1 in 4 people with these symptoms said they couldn't get the healthcare they needed.

E2 ModerateDiagnosticPEM unclearObservational

Multi-Site Clinical Assessment of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (MCAM): Design and Implementation of a Prospective/Retrospective Rolling Cohort Study.

Unger, Elizabeth R, Lin, Jin-Mann S, Tian, Hao et al.·American journal of epidemiology·2017

Researchers created a large study called MCAM to better understand ME/CFS by collecting standardized health information from patients across seven U.S. clinics. They also enrolled healthy people and patients with similar illnesses for comparison. The study tracked patients over time, collected samples for future research, and documented how doctors were treating ME/CFS patients, aiming to identify different types of ME/CFS and find tests that could help diagnosis.

Diagnostics

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Anxiety and depression in chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME): Examining the incidence of health anxiety in CFS/ME.

Daniels, Jo, Brigden, Amberly, Kacorova, Adela·Psychology and psychotherapy·2017

This study looked at how many people with ME/CFS also experience health anxiety—worry about physical symptoms and their meaning. Researchers surveyed 45 ME/CFS patients and found that most had elevated worry about their health, and many had clinically significant health anxiety. The findings suggest that health anxiety is common in ME/CFS and may be worth screening for and treating.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Whole blood gene expression in adolescent chronic fatigue syndrome: an exploratory cross-sectional study suggesting altered B cell differentiation and survival.

Nguyen, Chinh Bkrong, Alsøe, Lene, Lindvall, Jessica M et al.·Journal of translational medicine·2017

This study looked at blood samples from 29 teenagers with ME/CFS and compared them to 18 healthy teens to see if their genes were working differently. The researchers found that certain immune cells involved in fighting infection were not developing or surviving normally in the ME/CFS group, and that signs of inflammation and antiviral activity were higher. These gene changes were connected to nervous system problems and symptoms like post-exertional malaise (feeling much worse after activity).

Immune SystemPost-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Cognitive, Behavioural and Emotional Processing Vulnerability Factors.

Brooks, Samantha K, Chalder, Trudie, Rimes, Katharine A·Behavioural and cognitive psychotherapy·2017

This study looked at whether certain personality traits and thinking patterns might make someone more vulnerable to developing ME/CFS. Researchers compared 67 people with ME/CFS to 73 healthy people, asking about their personalities both now and before they became ill. They found that people who later developed ME/CFS tended to be perfectionists, were very self-sacrificing, and had unhelpful beliefs about emotions—especially before they got sick.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM requiredCross-Sectional

Clinical Criteria Versus a Possible Research Case Definition in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis.

Jason, Leonard A, McManimen, Stephanie, Sunnquist, Madison et al.·Fatigue : biomedicine, health & behavior·2017

This study compared different ways of defining ME/CFS to see which one best identifies the sickest patients. Researchers looked at over 1,000 patients from multiple countries and found that using stricter criteria—specifically focusing on people who are homebound and meet core ME/CFS symptoms—identified a group with more severe symptoms and greater disability than the broader clinical definition. The researchers suggest that having a clear, standardized research definition would help scientists compare patients more fairly across different studies.

Diagnostics

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Evidence Atlas

Evidence browser

A Comparison of Case Definitions for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Comorbidity in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis: A Nationwide Population-Based Cohort Study.

Physio-somatic symptoms in schizophrenia: association with depression, anxiety, neurocognitive deficits and the tryptophan catabolite pathway.

RNA-Seq Analysis of Gene Expression, Viral Pathogen, and B-Cell/T-Cell Receptor Signatures in Complex Chronic Disease.

Epigenetic modifications and glucocorticoid sensitivity in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS).

Unperturbed Cytotoxic Lymphocyte Phenotype and Function in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Patients.

Specialist treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome/ME: a cohort study among adult patients in England.

Fatigue in an adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder population: A trans-diagnostic approach.

Down-regulation of renin-aldosterone and antidiuretic hormone systems in patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Can physical assessment techniques aid diagnosis in people with chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis? A diagnostic accuracy study.

Guided Self-Help for Patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Prior to Starting Cognitive Behavioural Therapy: a Cohort Study.

Access to Medical Care for Individuals with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Call for Centers of Excellence.

[Sleep disturbances - an important factor in combination 'minor' symptoms of multiple sclerosis].

Gross and fine motor function in fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Medically unexplained physical symptoms (MUPS) among adults in Canada: Comorbidity, health care use and employment.

Multi-Site Clinical Assessment of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (MCAM): Design and Implementation of a Prospective/Retrospective Rolling Cohort Study.

Anxiety and depression in chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME): Examining the incidence of health anxiety in CFS/ME.

Whole blood gene expression in adolescent chronic fatigue syndrome: an exploratory cross-sectional study suggesting altered B cell differentiation and survival.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Cognitive, Behavioural and Emotional Processing Vulnerability Factors.

Clinical Criteria Versus a Possible Research Case Definition in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis.

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