ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

2807 studies

1081–1100 of 2,807 studies

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 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredLongitudinal

Do changes in illness perceptions, physical activity, and behavioural regulation influence fatigue severity and health-related outcomes in CFS patients?

De Gucht, V, Garcia, F K, den Engelsman, M et al.·Journal of psychosomatic research·2017

This study followed 144 CFS patients over one year to understand how their beliefs about their illness and their activity patterns affected their fatigue and overall health. Researchers found that patients who increasingly believed their illness had serious consequences and who used an all-or-nothing approach to activity (doing too much then crashing) tended to have worse fatigue. Illness beliefs also affected physical symptoms and mood, while activity patterns influenced both fatigue and physical functioning.

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 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Metabolic profiling of a myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome discovery cohort reveals disturbances in fatty acid and lipid metabolism.

Germain, Arnaud, Ruppert, David, Levine, Susan M et al.·Molecular bioSystems·2017

This study examined the chemicals in the blood of 17 ME/CFS patients and compared them to 15 healthy people. Researchers found 74 different chemicals at abnormal levels in ME/CFS patients, with 35 showing significant differences. Many of these chemicals are important for producing energy in the body, which could help explain why ME/CFS patients feel so exhausted.

BiomarkersEnergy Metabolism

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Familiality and Heritability of Fatigue in an Australian Twin Sample.

Corfield, Elizabeth C, Martin, Nicholas G, Nyholt, Dale R·Twin research and human genetics : the official journal of the International Society for Twin Studies·2017

This study looked at whether fatigue runs in families and whether genetics plays a role. Researchers compared identical twins (who share all genes) with fraternal twins (who share about half) and found that when one twin had fatigue, their identical twin was more likely to also have fatigue than fraternal twins were. The results suggest that about 40% of fatigue differences between people are due to genetics, while the remaining 60% comes from environmental factors or lifestyle.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Impact of Rantes from jawbone on Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Lechner, J, Huesker, K, Von Baehr, V·Journal of biological regulators and homeostatic agents·2017

This study investigated whether inflammation in the jawbone might contribute to ME/CFS. Researchers compared jawbone tissue from 21 ME/CFS patients with tissue from 19 healthy people and found that ME/CFS patients had significantly higher levels of inflammatory proteins (RANTES and FGF-2) in areas of jawbone that had undergone incomplete healing. The authors suggest that this hidden jawbone inflammation might be a previously unknown trigger for ME/CFS.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Giardia-specific cellular immune responses in post-giardiasis chronic fatigue syndrome.

Hanevik, Kurt, Kristoffersen, Einar, Mørch, Kristine et al.·BMC immunology·2017

Researchers studied whether people who developed ME/CFS after a Giardia infection (a parasite that causes stomach illness) had different immune responses compared to those who recovered. They found that fatigued patients had higher levels of a specific immune protein called sCD40L, which correlated with how tired they felt. However, most immune markers tested were similar between those who developed ME/CFS and those who recovered, suggesting the answer may be more complex than initially expected.

Immune System

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 ModerateDiagnosticPEM not requiredMethods-Paper

The assessment of fatigue: Psychometric qualities and norms for the Checklist individual strength.

Worm-Smeitink, M, Gielissen, M, Bloot, L et al.·Journal of psychosomatic research·2017

This study tested a questionnaire called the Checklist Individual Strength (CIS) that measures different types of fatigue, including how tired people feel, difficulty concentrating, lack of motivation, and reduced activity levels. Researchers gave this questionnaire to nearly 2,300 healthy people and over 5,000 patients with chronic fatigue to see if it accurately identifies severe fatigue. They found the CIS works well for measuring fatigue and recommended adjusting the score that indicates 'severe fatigue' from 35 to 40 points for ME/CFS research.

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 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

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 unclearCross-Sectional

Immune network analysis of cerebrospinal fluid in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome with atypical and classical presentations.

Hornig, M, Gottschalk, C G, Eddy, M L et al.·Translational psychiatry·2017

This study examined fluid from around the brain and spinal cord in people with ME/CFS to look for immune system differences. Researchers found that people whose ME/CFS started differently (without a clear infection trigger) had different patterns of immune molecules compared to those with typical ME/CFS that started after a viral-like illness. The atypical group had lower levels of certain inflammatory markers and less coordinated immune activity in their central nervous system.

Immune System

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 not requiredCross-Sectional

Neuroendocrine disorder in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Tomic, Slavica, Brkic, Snezana, Lendak, Dajana et al.·Turkish journal of medical sciences·2017

This study looked at hormone levels in 40 women with ME/CFS compared to 40 healthy women to see if hormonal imbalances might explain ME/CFS symptoms. While standard hormone tests showed mostly normal results, researchers found that cortisol (a stress hormone) didn't follow its natural daily rhythm in ME/CFS patients the way it does in healthy people, and thyroid hormone T3 was lower in the ME/CFS group. The findings suggest that ME/CFS may involve subtle disruptions in how the body regulates these hormones over time.

Endocrine Disruption

E2 ModerateCohortPEM requiredCross-Sectional

The utility of patient-reported outcome measures among patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Murdock, Kyle W, Wang, Xin Shelley, Shi, Qiuling et al.·Quality of life research : an international journal of quality of life aspects of treatment, care and rehabilitation·2017

Researchers tested three common questionnaires that measure fatigue and symptoms in ME/CFS patients to see which ones work best. They found that two popular questionnaires had problems—many patients scored so high they hit the ceiling (meaning the test couldn't measure if they got worse), and the questions weren't reliable. The DePaul Symptom Questionnaire worked much better, especially at measuring post-exertional malaise (the worsening of symptoms after activity), and could reliably distinguish ME/CFS patients from healthy people.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Vitamin D status in chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis: a cohort study from the North-West of England.

Earl, Kate E, Sakellariou, Giorgos K, Sinclair, Melanie et al.·BMJ open·2017

This study investigated whether low vitamin D levels contribute to the fatigue experienced by people with ME/CFS. Researchers compared 92 ME/CFS patients with 94 healthy controls and found that ME/CFS patients actually had higher vitamin D levels, often because they were taking vitamin D supplements. Importantly, there was no connection between vitamin D levels and how fatigued patients felt, suggesting that vitamin D deficiency is not a cause of ME/CFS fatigue.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Obesity in adolescents with chronic fatigue syndrome: an observational study.

Norris, T, Hawton, K, Hamilton-Shield, J et al.·Archives of disease in childhood·2017

This study looked at whether adolescents with ME/CFS are more likely to be overweight or obese than young people without the condition. Researchers compared teenagers attending specialist ME/CFS clinics with healthy teenagers from a large population study. They found that adolescents with severe ME/CFS (those referred to specialist services) had higher rates of obesity, particularly by age 16.

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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).

Do changes in illness perceptions, physical activity, and behavioural regulation influence fatigue severity and health-related outcomes in CFS patients?

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

Metabolic profiling of a myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome discovery cohort reveals disturbances in fatty acid and lipid metabolism.

Familiality and Heritability of Fatigue in an Australian Twin Sample.

Impact of Rantes from jawbone on Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Giardia-specific cellular immune responses in post-giardiasis chronic fatigue syndrome.

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].

The assessment of fatigue: Psychometric qualities and norms for the Checklist individual strength.

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

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

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

Immune network analysis of cerebrospinal fluid in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome with atypical and classical presentations.

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

Neuroendocrine disorder in chronic fatigue syndrome.

The utility of patient-reported outcome measures among patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Vitamin D status in chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis: a cohort study from the North-West of England.

Obesity in adolescents with chronic fatigue syndrome: an observational study.

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