ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

2768 studies

1181–1200 of 2,768 studies

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredLongitudinal

Subjective but Not Actigraphy-Defined Sleep Predicts Next-Day Fatigue in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Prospective Daily Diary Study.

Russell, Charlotte, Wearden, Alison J, Fairclough, Gillian et al.·Sleep·2016

This study found that how people with ME/CFS feel about their sleep quality matters more for next-day fatigue than what sleep monitors actually measure. When patients reported poor sleep quality or felt their sleep wasn't refreshing, they experienced worse fatigue the following day. Interestingly, people who worried or felt anxious before bed reported worse sleep, and waking up in a bad mood partly explained why poor sleep led to more fatigue.

Sleep

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Index markers of chronic fatigue syndrome with dysfunction of TCA and urea cycles.

Yamano, Emi, Sugimoto, Masahiro, Hirayama, Akiyoshi et al.·Scientific reports·2016

Researchers analyzed blood samples from ME/CFS patients and healthy people to look for chemical markers that could help diagnose the disease. They found that certain metabolites—molecules involved in energy production and waste removal—were abnormal in ME/CFS patients. Two specific chemical ratios in the blood showed promise as potential diagnostic tools, correctly identifying CFS patients about 75-80% of the time.

BiomarkersEnergy 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 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Child abuse and physical health in adulthood.

Afifi, Tracie O, MacMillan, Harriet L, Boyle, Michael et al.·Health reports·2016

This study looked at whether experiencing abuse as a child is linked to physical health problems in adults. Researchers surveyed over 23,000 Canadian adults and found that people who experienced physical abuse, sexual abuse, or witnessed domestic violence as children were more likely to have various physical health conditions as adults, including chronic fatigue syndrome. These associations remained even after accounting for factors like smoking and obesity.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

TauG-guidance of dynamic balance control during gait initiation in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia.

Rasouli, Omid, Stensdotter, Ann-Katrin, Van der Meer, Audrey L H·Clinical biomechanics (Bristol, Avon)·2016

This study looked at how people with ME/CFS and fibromyalgia balance themselves when they start to walk. Using special equipment that measures foot pressure, researchers found that patients with both conditions had more difficulty controlling their weight shift onto one foot compared to healthy people. This suggests that balance problems in these conditions aren't just about standing still—they also affect the dynamic movements needed for everyday activities like walking.

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredObservational

Significant other behavioural responses and patient chronic fatigue syndrome symptom fluctuations in the context of daily life: An experience sampling study.

Band, Rebecca, Barrowclough, Christine, Emsley, Richard et al.·British journal of health psychology·2016

This study looked at how the way family members and partners respond to ME/CFS symptoms affects patients' day-to-day experiences. Researchers asked 23 ME/CFS patients and their loved ones to report on their interactions and symptoms six times daily for a week using smartphones. They found that negative or unhelpful responses from loved ones made symptoms and distress worse in the moment, while overly helpful responses sometimes led to less activity, but these effects were temporary rather than lasting.

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

Chronic fatigue syndrome in women assessed with combined cardiac magnetic resonance imaging.

Olimulder, M A G M, Galjee, M A, Wagenaar, L J et al.·Netherlands heart journal : monthly journal of the Netherlands Society of Cardiology and the Netherlands Heart Foundation·2016

This study used advanced heart imaging (MRI scans) to examine the hearts of 12 women with ME/CFS and compared them to 36 healthy women. The researchers found that women with ME/CFS had smaller hearts and mildly weaker heart function than the healthy controls. Some ME/CFS patients also showed signs of scarring in the heart muscle, which was not seen in any of the healthy controls.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

A UK based review of recommendations regarding the management of chronic fatigue syndrome.

Mallet, Miriam, King, Eleanor, White, Peter D·Journal of psychosomatic research·2016

This study looked at what different organizations in the UK recommend for treating ME/CFS. Researchers compared advice from patient support groups with advice from medical doctors and textbooks. They found major disagreements: patient groups strongly recommended complementary therapies (74% vs 16% for medical sources) and pacing strategies (91% vs 50%), while doctors more strongly recommended rehabilitation therapies (94% vs 28%). These different messages may confuse patients and affect how well treatments actually work.

Interventions

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Frequent IgG subclass and mannose binding lectin deficiency in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Guenther, Sabrina, Loebel, Madlen, Mooslechner, Agnes A et al.·Human immunology·2015

This study looked at immune system proteins called antibodies and a molecule called mannose binding lectin (MBL) in 300 people with ME/CFS. The researchers found that about 25% of patients had lower-than-normal levels of certain antibodies, while another 25% had higher-than-normal levels. Additionally, 15% had low MBL levels, compared to only 6% in healthy people. These immune defects were connected to frequent respiratory infections in ME/CFS patients.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Right arcuate fasciculus abnormality in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Zeineh, Michael M, Kang, James, Atlas, Scott W et al.·Radiology·2015

This study used advanced brain imaging to compare 15 ME/CFS patients with 14 healthy controls. Researchers found that ME/CFS patients had less white matter (the brain's communication pathways) overall, and specific changes in fiber structure on the right side of the brain. The severity of these brain changes correlated with how sick patients felt, suggesting this could be a measurable biological marker of the illness.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Polymorphism in COMT is associated with IgG3 subclass level and susceptibility to infection in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Löbel, Madlen, Mooslechner, Agnes Anna, Bauer, Sandra et al.·Journal of translational medicine·2015

This study looked at a genetic variation in a gene called COMT that affects how the body handles stress hormones. Researchers compared 74 ME/CFS patients with 76 healthy people and found that ME/CFS patients with a specific genetic variant (Met/Met) had higher stress hormone levels, weaker immune responses to certain infections, and got respiratory infections more often. This suggests that a person's genes may influence both their stress response and infection risk in ME/CFS.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Evidence in chronic fatigue syndrome for severity-dependent upregulation of prefrontal myelination that is independent of anxiety and depression.

Barnden, Leighton R, Crouch, Benjamin, Kwiatek, Richard et al.·NMR in biomedicine·2015

This study used advanced brain imaging (MRI scans) to examine white matter—the brain's communication wiring—in 25 people with ME/CFS and compared them to 25 healthy controls. The researchers found that in people with more severe ME/CFS, certain areas of the brain showed signs of increased myelination (the protective coating around nerve fibers), particularly in the prefrontal region. Importantly, these brain changes appeared to be distinct from depression and anxiety, suggesting ME/CFS involves unique brain differences.

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredObservational

The role of insomnia in the treatment of chronic fatigue.

Kallestad, Håvard, Jacobsen, Henrik B, Landrø, Nils Inge et al.·Journal of psychosomatic research·2015

This study examined whether improving sleep problems (insomnia) could help people with chronic fatigue feel less tired and recover better from stress. Researchers worked with 122 people who had chronic fatigue and received a 3.5-week rehabilitation program focused on acceptance and commitment therapy. They found that patients whose insomnia improved also experienced greater improvements in fatigue and had better stress recovery, suggesting that treating sleep problems may be an important part of treating chronic fatigue.

Sleep

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Plasma cytokine expression in adolescent chronic fatigue syndrome.

Wyller, Vegard Bruun, Sørensen, Øystein, Sulheim, Dag et al.·Brain, behavior, and immunity·2015

This study measured inflammation markers called cytokines in the blood of 120 adolescents with ME/CFS and compared them to 68 healthy young people. Despite CFS patients reporting significantly more fatigue and symptoms suggesting inflammation, the researchers found no differences in cytokine levels or inflammation patterns between the two groups. This suggests that the fatigue and symptoms in adolescent ME/CFS may not be caused by the type of low-grade inflammation in the blood that researchers had previously suspected.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCase-Control

Statin Use Is Associated with Bladder Pain Syndrome/Interstitial Cystitis: A Population-Based Case-Control Study.

Huang, C Y, Chung, S D, Kao, L T et al.·Urologia internationalis·2015

This study found that women who took statin drugs (commonly prescribed to lower cholesterol) were about 1.5 times more likely to develop bladder pain syndrome/interstitial cystitis (BPS/IC) compared to women who didn't take statins. The researchers think statins may damage the protective lining of the bladder, which could contribute to this painful condition.

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

A comparison of patients with Q fever fatigue syndrome and patients with chronic fatigue syndrome with a focus on inflammatory markers and possible fatigue perpetuating cognitions and behaviour.

Keijmel, Stephan P, Saxe, Johanna, van der Meer, Jos W M et al.·Journal of psychosomatic research·2015

This study compared people with Q fever fatigue syndrome (a fatigue illness that develops after a specific infection) with people with ME/CFS to see if they were similar. Researchers found that both groups experienced similar levels of fatigue and emotional distress, but had some differences in their backgrounds and how they thought about their symptoms. The study suggests that physical activity might play a role in fatigue for both conditions, and that treatments focusing on behavior changes could potentially help people with Q fever fatigue syndrome.

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Finding benefit in stressful uncertain circumstances: relations to social support and stigma among women with unexplained illnesses.

McInnis, Opal A, McQuaid, Robyn J, Bombay, Amy et al.·Stress (Amsterdam, Netherlands)·2015

People with ME/CFS and fibromyalgia face more stigma and judgment from others compared to people with more widely recognized illnesses like rheumatoid arthritis. This study found that when women with ME/CFS have good social support, they are less likely to hide their illness due to shame. However, women with ME/CFS reported finding less personal growth and positive change from their illness experience compared to women with other chronic conditions.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Cytokines in the cerebrospinal fluids of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis.

Peterson, D, Brenu, E W, Gottschalk, G et al.·Mediators of inflammation·2015

Researchers tested cerebrospinal fluid (the fluid around the brain and spinal cord) from ME/CFS patients and healthy controls to see if immune chemicals called cytokines were different. Out of 27 different immune chemicals tested, they found that only one—called IL-10—was lower in ME/CFS patients. This suggests that immune system problems in the brain and nervous system may play a role in ME/CFS symptoms.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Health related quality of life in adolescents with chronic fatigue syndrome: a cross-sectional study.

Winger, Anette, Kvarstein, Gunnvald, Wyller, Vegard Bruun et al.·Health and quality of life outcomes·2015

This study compared quality of life in 120 teenagers with ME/CFS to 39 healthy teenagers. Teens with ME/CFS reported significantly worse quality of life overall—44 points lower on a 0-100 scale. The biggest problems were physical health impacts and difficulty with school, which were much more affected than other areas of life.

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Subjective but Not Actigraphy-Defined Sleep Predicts Next-Day Fatigue in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Prospective Daily Diary Study.

Index markers of chronic fatigue syndrome with dysfunction of TCA and urea cycles.

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

Child abuse and physical health in adulthood.

TauG-guidance of dynamic balance control during gait initiation in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia.

Significant other behavioural responses and patient chronic fatigue syndrome symptom fluctuations in the context of daily life: An experience sampling study.

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.

Chronic fatigue syndrome in women assessed with combined cardiac magnetic resonance imaging.

A UK based review of recommendations regarding the management of chronic fatigue syndrome.

Frequent IgG subclass and mannose binding lectin deficiency in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Right arcuate fasciculus abnormality in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Polymorphism in COMT is associated with IgG3 subclass level and susceptibility to infection in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Evidence in chronic fatigue syndrome for severity-dependent upregulation of prefrontal myelination that is independent of anxiety and depression.

The role of insomnia in the treatment of chronic fatigue.

Plasma cytokine expression in adolescent chronic fatigue syndrome.

Statin Use Is Associated with Bladder Pain Syndrome/Interstitial Cystitis: A Population-Based Case-Control Study.

A comparison of patients with Q fever fatigue syndrome and patients with chronic fatigue syndrome with a focus on inflammatory markers and possible fatigue perpetuating cognitions and behaviour.

Finding benefit in stressful uncertain circumstances: relations to social support and stigma among women with unexplained illnesses.

Cytokines in the cerebrospinal fluids of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis.

Health related quality of life in adolescents with chronic fatigue syndrome: a cross-sectional study.

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