ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

2795 studies

1181–1200 of 2,795 studies

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

The prevalence of severe fatigue in rheumatic diseases: an international study.

Overman, Cécile L, Kool, Marianne B, Da Silva, José A P et al.·Clinical rheumatology·2016

This study surveyed over 6,000 people with various rheumatic diseases (conditions like rheumatoid arthritis and lupus that affect joints and connective tissue) to measure how common severe fatigue is. They found that about half of patients with rheumatic diseases experience severe fatigue, with the highest rates in fibromyalgia (82%) and lowest in osteoarthritis (35%). The researchers suggest that understanding and treating fatigue should be a major focus for doctors and researchers.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Regulatory T, natural killer T and γδ T cells in multiple sclerosis and chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis: a comparison.

Ramos, Sandra, Brenu, Ekua, Broadley, Simon et al.·Asian Pacific journal of allergy and immunology·2016

This study compared immune system cells in people with ME/CFS, people with multiple sclerosis (MS), and healthy people. Researchers found that ME/CFS patients had higher levels of certain regulatory immune cells called Tregs, while MS patients had lower levels of gamma delta T cells. The findings suggest that ME/CFS and MS affect the immune system in different ways, rather than through the same mechanisms.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclear

Association of mitochondrial DNA variants with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) symptoms.

Hanson, Maureen R, Gu, Zhenglong, Keinan, Alon et al.·Journal of translational medicine·2016

This study looked at whether variations in mitochondrial DNA (the genetic material in the energy-producing parts of our cells) are linked to ME/CFS. Researchers compared genetic samples from ME/CFS patients and healthy people. While they didn't find that specific DNA variants caused the disease itself, they did discover that certain genetic variations were associated with specific symptoms and how severe those symptoms were.

Energy Metabolism

E2 ModerateMechanismPEM unclearMechanistic

Antibodies to β adrenergic and muscarinic cholinergic receptors in patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Loebel, Madlen, Grabowski, Patricia, Heidecke, Harald et al.·Brain, behavior, and immunity·2016

Researchers tested whether ME/CFS patients have unusually high levels of antibodies (immune proteins) that attack nerve signaling receptors in the body. They found that about 30% of ME/CFS patients had elevated antibodies against certain receptors involved in adrenaline and acetylcholine signaling—chemicals that control heart rate, breathing, and other automatic body functions. Importantly, patients who received rituximab (a treatment that depletes B cells) and improved showed decreases in these antibody levels, suggesting a possible link between these antibodies and disease activity.

BiomarkersImmune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearObservational

Mortality of people with chronic fatigue syndrome: a retrospective cohort study in England and Wales from the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust Biomedical Research Centre (SLaM BRC) Clinical Record Interactive Search (CRIS) Register.

Roberts, Emmert, Wessely, Simon, Chalder, Trudie et al.·Lancet (London, England)·2016

This study looked at whether people with ME/CFS die at higher rates than the general population. Researchers examined medical records of 2,147 people diagnosed with ME/CFS in England and Wales over 7 years and found they did not have higher overall death rates. However, the study did find a concerning increase in deaths by suicide among people with ME/CFS, suggesting that mental health support is particularly important for this group.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Aberrant Resting-State Functional Connectivity in the Salience Network of Adolescent Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Wortinger, Laura Anne, Endestad, Tor, Melinder, Annika Maria D et al.·PloS one·2016

This study looked at how the brains of teenagers with ME/CFS show different activity patterns compared to healthy teenagers. Researchers used brain imaging to examine a network called the salience network, which helps the brain notice important signals like pain and fatigue. They found that teenagers with ME/CFS had weaker connections in this network, and the strength of these connections was linked to how severe their fatigue and pain symptoms were.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Extended B cell phenotype in patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome: a cross-sectional study.

Mensah, F, Bansal, A, Berkovitz, S et al.·Clinical and experimental immunology·2016

Researchers compared immune cells called B cells in people with ME/CFS and healthy people using specialized lab tests. While they didn't find major differences in the most common B cell types, they did discover subtle changes in how B cells are marked and organized in ME/CFS patients, particularly an increase in certain markers on specific B cell subsets. These findings suggest B cells may function differently in ME/CFS and could help explain why some patients improve with a drug that targets B cells.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

High prevalence of asymptomatic carriers of Tropheryma whipplei in different populations from the North of Spain.

García-Álvarez, Lara, Pérez-Matute, Patricia, Blanco, José Ramón et al.·Enfermedades infecciosas y microbiologia clinica·2016

Researchers tested stool samples from healthy people, HIV patients, and people with ME/CFS from Spain to see how common a bacterium called Tropheryma whipplei was in each group. They found this bacterium in about 25% of all samples, but it was more common in HIV patients (34%) than in healthy people without other conditions (20%), and was not found in any of the ME/CFS patients tested.

E2 ModerateDiagnosticPEM not requiredMethods-Paper

Methods of applying the 1994 case definition of chronic fatigue syndrome - impact on classification and observed illness characteristics.

Unger, E R, Lin, J-M S, Tian, H et al.·Population health metrics·2016

Researchers tested two different ways of diagnosing ME/CFS using the same official criteria to see if the method mattered. One method asked patients direct questions about fatigue and symptoms, while the other used standardized questionnaires with scoring thresholds. They found that both methods identified similar people as having ME/CFS (about 82% agreement), but the questionnaire method identified somewhat more cases without them being less severely ill.

Diagnostics

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Illness progression in chronic fatigue syndrome: a shifting immune baseline.

Russell, Lindsey, Broderick, Gordon, Taylor, Renee et al.·BMC immunology·2016

This study looked at three inflammatory proteins (IL-1α, IL-6, and IL-8) in the blood of people with ME/CFS at different stages of illness—newly diagnosed teenagers, people in the middle of their illness, and those who had been sick for over a decade. The researchers found that the pattern of these proteins changes as the illness progresses, suggesting that the body's immune response shifts over time. By adjusting for how long someone has been ill, doctors might be able to use these three proteins together to identify ME/CFS with 75-88% accuracy.

BiomarkersImmune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredLongitudinal

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome at Age 16 Years.

Collin, Simon M, Norris, Tom, Nuevo, Roberto et al.·Pediatrics·2016

This study found that about 1.9% of 16-year-olds in the UK experience chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS)—a condition causing severe, long-lasting tiredness that lasts at least 6 months and cannot be explained by other illnesses. Girls were nearly twice as likely as boys to have CFS at this age, and young people experiencing more family stress or difficulties were at higher risk. Children with CFS missed significantly more school than their peers.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCase-Control

Mitochondrial DNA variants correlate with symptoms in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Billing-Ross, Paul, Germain, Arnaud, Ye, Kaixiong et al.·Journal of translational medicine·2016

This study examined whether differences in mitochondrial DNA (the genetic instructions inside the energy-producing parts of our cells) are linked to ME/CFS symptoms. Researchers compared DNA from 193 ME/CFS patients and 196 healthy people and found that while certain mitochondrial DNA patterns were associated with specific symptoms like neurological problems, pain, and digestive issues, they were not linked to whether someone actually develops ME/CFS. This suggests mitochondrial DNA variations may influence how severe certain symptoms are, rather than causing the disease itself.

Energy Metabolism

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Statistically modelling the relationships between Type D personality and social support, health behaviors and symptom severity in chronic illness groups.

Horwood, Sharon, Anglim, Jeromy, Tooley, Greg·Psychology & health·2016

This study looked at whether certain personality traits (called Type D personality, which involves being prone to worry and keeping emotions to yourself) are more common in people with chronic illnesses like ME/CFS and fibromyalgia, and whether these traits affect health behaviors, social support, and symptom severity. Researchers surveyed 182 healthy people and 207 people with various chronic illnesses, and found that Type D personality was more common in the chronic illness groups. The study suggests that personality traits may influence how symptoms develop and how well people manage their conditions across different chronic diseases.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM requiredCross-Sectional

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) symptom-based phenotypes in two clinical cohorts of adult patients in the UK and The Netherlands.

Collin, Simon M, Nikolaus, Stephanie, Heron, Jon et al.·Journal of psychosomatic research·2016

This study looked at how ME/CFS symptoms vary from person to person by analyzing data from over 8,000 patients in the UK and Netherlands. Researchers found that ME/CFS patients fall into about 6 different groups based on which symptoms they experience—some have many symptoms, some mainly have pain, and others have very few symptoms beyond the core three (fatigue, brain fog, and sleep problems). Women and people who have been ill longer tended to have more symptoms overall.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredObservational

Long-term methylphenidate intake in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Blockmans, Daniel, Persoons, Philippe·Acta clinica Belgica·2016

This study looked at whether a medication called methylphenidate (also known as Ritalin) could help ME/CFS patients with concentration problems and fatigue over the long term. Researchers sent surveys to patients who had been prescribed this medication and found that about one-third of those still taking it reported significant improvement in both fatigue and concentration difficulties, and were able to work more hours.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Subgroup Analysis in Burnout: Relations Between Fatigue, Anxiety, and Depression.

van Dam, Arno·Frontiers in psychology·2016

This study looked at 113 people diagnosed with burnout to see if they fall into different subgroups based on their fatigue, depression, and anxiety levels. Researchers found two distinct groups that differed mainly in how severe their symptoms were, with depression being the strongest factor that separated them. The study raises important questions about whether burnout is truly a separate condition from depression or chronic fatigue.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredLongitudinal

Workers on transformation of the shelter object of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant into an ecologically-safe system show qEEG abnormalities and cognitive dysfunctions: A follow-up study.

Loganovsky, Konstantyn, Perchuk, Iryna, Marazziti, Donatella·The world journal of biological psychiatry : the official journal of the World Federation of Societies of Biological Psychiatry·2016

This study followed 196 workers who helped clean up and secure the damaged Chernobyl nuclear reactor between 2004 and 2008. Researchers tested their brain electrical activity and thinking skills before and after the work. The workers showed changes in brain wave patterns and developed mild memory and concentration problems after exposure to radiation, similar to symptoms seen in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredObservational

Treatment Outcome and Metacognitive Change in CBT and GET for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Fernie, Bruce A, Murphy, Gabrielle, Wells, Adrian et al.·Behavioural and cognitive psychotherapy·2016

This study tested whether two common treatments for ME/CFS—cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and graded exercise therapy (GET)—work equally well in real-world clinical settings. Researchers found that both treatments reduced fatigue, anxiety, and depression, and improved physical functioning similarly. They also discovered that changes in how patients think about their symptoms (measured by a questionnaire) were linked to improvements in fatigue, regardless of which treatment they received.

Interventions

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCase-Control

Genome-wide association analysis identifies genetic variations in subjects with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Schlauch, K A, Khaiboullina, S F, De Meirleir, K L et al.·Translational psychiatry·2016

Researchers compared the genes of people with ME/CFS to healthy people and found 442 genetic differences that may be linked to the condition. While most of these differences were in non-coding parts of the genome, some were in actual genes that produce proteins, including two that change how proteins work. Some genetic differences were found in genes related to the immune system's T-cells, which fight infection.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

The impact of chronic fatigue syndrome on cognitive functioning in adolescents.

Nijhof, Linde N, Nijhof, Sanne L, Bleijenberg, Gijs et al.·European journal of pediatrics·2016

This study looked at how ME/CFS affects thinking and concentration in teenagers. Researchers compared 59 teenagers with ME/CFS to 40 healthy teenagers and found that those with ME/CFS had lower scores on intelligence tests than their school grades would predict. When comparing teenagers' current test scores to their performance before they got sick, the ME/CFS group showed a significant decline, while healthy teens did not.

Cognitive Impairment

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The prevalence of severe fatigue in rheumatic diseases: an international study.

Regulatory T, natural killer T and γδ T cells in multiple sclerosis and chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis: a comparison.

Association of mitochondrial DNA variants with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) symptoms.

Antibodies to β adrenergic and muscarinic cholinergic receptors in patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Mortality of people with chronic fatigue syndrome: a retrospective cohort study in England and Wales from the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust Biomedical Research Centre (SLaM BRC) Clinical Record Interactive Search (CRIS) Register.

Aberrant Resting-State Functional Connectivity in the Salience Network of Adolescent Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Extended B cell phenotype in patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome: a cross-sectional study.

High prevalence of asymptomatic carriers of Tropheryma whipplei in different populations from the North of Spain.

Methods of applying the 1994 case definition of chronic fatigue syndrome - impact on classification and observed illness characteristics.

Illness progression in chronic fatigue syndrome: a shifting immune baseline.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome at Age 16 Years.

Mitochondrial DNA variants correlate with symptoms in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Statistically modelling the relationships between Type D personality and social support, health behaviors and symptom severity in chronic illness groups.

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) symptom-based phenotypes in two clinical cohorts of adult patients in the UK and The Netherlands.

Long-term methylphenidate intake in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Subgroup Analysis in Burnout: Relations Between Fatigue, Anxiety, and Depression.

Workers on transformation of the shelter object of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant into an ecologically-safe system show qEEG abnormalities and cognitive dysfunctions: A follow-up study.

Treatment Outcome and Metacognitive Change in CBT and GET for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Genome-wide association analysis identifies genetic variations in subjects with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

The impact of chronic fatigue syndrome on cognitive functioning in adolescents.

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