ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

2768 studies

1381–1400 of 2,768 studies

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCase-Control

Differing leukocyte gene expression profiles associated with fatigue in patients with prostate cancer versus chronic fatigue syndrome.

Light, Kathleen C, Agarwal, Neeraj, Iacob, Eli et al.·Psychoneuroendocrinology·2013

This study compared how certain genes are turned 'on' and 'off' differently in blood cells from people with ME/CFS, men with prostate cancer receiving hormone therapy, and healthy people. The researchers found that while both patient groups experience severe fatigue, they show different patterns of gene activity, suggesting that fatigue in these conditions may arise from different biological mechanisms. One gene related to calming the nervous system (DBI) was linked to fatigue severity in both patient groups, offering a potential target for future treatments.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM requiredObservational

Exercise challenge in Gulf War Illness reveals two subgroups with altered brain structure and function.

Rayhan, Rakib U, Stevens, Benson W, Raksit, Megna P et al.·PloS one·2013

This study looked at Gulf War veterans who experience post-exertional malaise (PEM)—a worsening of symptoms after physical activity—and compared them to healthy controls. Researchers used brain imaging before and after exercise tests and found that Gulf War Illness patients fell into two distinct groups: one with heart rate problems and one with increased pain sensitivity. Both groups showed different patterns of brain structure changes and how their brains responded to exercise, while healthy controls showed no such changes.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Attributions, distress and behavioural responses in the significant others of people with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Brooks, Joanna M, Daglish, Julie, Wearden, Alison J·Journal of health psychology·2013

This study looked at how family members and close friends of people with ME/CFS think about the illness and how those beliefs affect their emotions and behavior toward the patient. Researchers interviewed 30 family members and found that when they blamed the patient personally for their symptoms—rather than understanding it as a medical condition—they experienced more stress and were more likely to respond negatively to the patient. Understanding these beliefs could help develop better family-based support programs.

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM requiredCross-Sectional

Examining the energy envelope and associated symptom patterns in chronic fatigue syndrome: does coping matter?

Brown, Abigail A, Evans, Meredyth A, Jason, Leonard A·Chronic illness·2013

This study looked at whether different groups of ME/CFS patients manage their energy differently and whether coping strategies help them feel better. Researchers found three distinct groups of patients: two groups that fit the energy envelope theory (where staying within your energy limits helps you function better), and one group that was severely limited even though they were trying to stay within their energy limits. Surprisingly, using positive coping strategies didn't improve outcomes for the most impaired group, suggesting that coping alone cannot overcome the severity of ME/CFS.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Epitopes of microbial and human heat shock protein 60 and their recognition in myalgic encephalomyelitis.

Elfaitouri, Amal, Herrmann, Björn, Bölin-Wiener, Agnes et al.·PloS one·2013

This study looked at whether ME/CFS patients have different immune responses to heat shock protein 60 (HSP60), a protein found in both human cells and bacteria. Researchers tested blood samples from ME/CFS patients and healthy people, finding that some ME/CFS patients had specific antibodies against a bacterial version of this protein. This suggests that a past infection might trigger the immune system to attack proteins in the body, which could contribute to ME/CFS.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCase-Control

In myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome, increased autoimmune activity against 5-HT is associated with immuno-inflammatory pathways and bacterial translocation.

Maes, Michael, Ringel, Karl, Kubera, Marta et al.·Journal of affective disorders·2013

This study found that people with ME/CFS often develop antibodies (immune proteins) against serotonin, a chemical messenger in the brain. These antibodies were linked to higher levels of inflammation, signs of bacteria leaking from the gut, and worse symptoms including pain, fatigue, brain fog, and mood changes. The findings suggest ME/CFS involves immune system problems that may contribute to the condition's core symptoms.

NeuroinflammationImmune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Association between cognitive performance, physical fitness, and physical activity level in women with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Ickmans, Kelly, Clarys, Peter, Nijs, Jo et al.·Journal of rehabilitation research and development·2013

This study looked at whether people with ME/CFS who have better thinking skills (like memory and reaction time) also tend to be more physically fit or active. Researchers tested 31 women with ME/CFS and 13 healthy women on thinking tasks and physical fitness measures. They found that physical fitness—especially heart and muscle function—was linked to thinking speed, but daily activity levels were not.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Could mitochondrial dysfunction be a differentiating marker between chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia?

Castro-Marrero, Jesús, Cordero, Mario D, Sáez-Francas, Naia et al.·Antioxidants & redox signaling·2013

This study looked at whether problems in the energy-producing parts of cells (mitochondria) might be different between ME/CFS and fibromyalgia, two conditions that cause fatigue and are often confused with each other. Researchers tested blood cells from people with ME/CFS, fibromyalgia, and healthy people, measuring energy-related markers and signs of cellular damage. They found that both conditions showed some mitochondrial problems, but the patterns were different—suggesting mitochondrial dysfunction might help doctors tell these two conditions apart.

Diagnostics

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Long-term parental unemployment in childhood and subsequent chronic fatigue syndrome.

Fuller-Thomson, Esme, Mehta, Rukshan, Sulman, Joanne·ISRN family medicine·2013

This study looked at whether having a parent who was unemployed for a long time during childhood is connected to developing ME/CFS later in life. Researchers surveyed over 7,000 Canadian women and found that those who experienced parental unemployment in childhood were about 3 times more likely to have ME/CFS as adults, even after accounting for other life challenges and health factors.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Views on the nature of chronic fatigue syndrome: content analysis.

Hossenbaccus, Zahra, White, Peter D·JRSM short reports·2013

This study looked at how ME/CFS is described in newspapers, patient websites, and medical textbooks in the UK. Researchers found that patient organizations typically view ME/CFS as a physical illness, while doctors' resources were more likely to describe it as both physical and psychological. This disagreement may explain why some patients and doctors struggle to understand each other.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCase-Control

A case-control study on the association between rheumatoid arthritis and bladder pain syndrome/interstitial cystitis.

Keller, Joseph J, Liu, Shih-Ping, Lin, Herng-Ching·Neurourology and urodynamics·2013

This study looked at whether people with rheumatoid arthritis (an autoimmune disease that causes joint inflammation) are more likely to have bladder pain syndrome/interstitial cystitis (BPS/IC, a chronic bladder condition). Researchers compared nearly 9,300 people with BPS/IC to over 46,000 people without it, using insurance records from Taiwan. They found that people with BPS/IC were about 1.7 times more likely to have a history of rheumatoid arthritis than those without BPS/IC, even after accounting for other health conditions.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearLongitudinal

Treatment outcome in adults with chronic fatigue syndrome: a prospective study in England based on the CFS/ME National Outcomes Database.

Crawley, E, Collin, S M, White, P D et al.·QJM : monthly journal of the Association of Physicians·2013

This study tracked over 800 people with ME/CFS who received care at NHS specialist services in England for 8-20 months. Patients showed meaningful improvements in fatigue, physical function, anxiety, depression, and pain. The study found that patients who started with more severe fatigue, disability, or pain tended to have less improvement, suggesting baseline severity is an important predictor of how well someone will improve with specialist care.

Pain and Sensitization

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Latent class analysis of comorbidity patterns among women with generalized and localized vulvodynia: preliminary findings.

Nguyen, Ruby Hn, Veasley, Christin, Smolenski, Derek·Journal of pain research·2013

This study examined 1,457 women with vulvodynia (chronic vulvar pain) to understand which other pain conditions tend to occur together. Researchers found that women with more severe vulvar pain were much more likely to also have multiple other pain conditions, particularly irritable bowel syndrome and fibromyalgia. The findings suggest that these different pain conditions may share common underlying causes.

Pain and Sensitization

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

No detection of the retrovirus xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus in individuals with hemophilia.

Schüttrumpf, Jörg, Hourfar, M Kai, Alesci, Sonja et al.·Transfusion medicine and hemotherapy : offizielles Organ der Deutschen Gesellschaft fur Transfusionsmedizin und Immunhamatologie·2013

Researchers tested whether XMRV, a virus that had been suggested as a possible cause of ME/CFS, was present in the blood of people with hemophilia who received frequent blood products. Using sensitive testing methods, they found no trace of XMRV in any of the 127 people tested, even in those who had received many blood transfusions and factor treatments over time.

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Health and identity: Self-positioning in adolescent chronic fatigue syndrome and juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

Fuchs, Coralie E, van Geelen, Stefan M, van Geel, Rolf et al.·Clinical child psychology and psychiatry·2013

This study looked at how teenagers with ME/CFS and teenagers with juvenile arthritis see themselves and their health. Researchers found that teenagers with ME/CFS tend to view themselves more negatively—focusing on being tired and unwell—while teenagers with arthritis tend to see themselves as strong and healthy despite physical problems. The study suggests that how young people think about themselves during this important developmental period may affect their long-term wellbeing.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Patterns of abnormal visual attention in myalgic encephalomyelitis.

Hutchinson, Claire V, Badham, Stephen P·Optometry and vision science : official publication of the American Academy of Optometry·2013

This study tested whether people with ME/CFS have difficulty with visual attention—the ability to focus on and track things they see. Researchers compared 29 patients with ME/CFS to 29 healthy people using eye-tracking tests. The results showed that ME/CFS patients did struggle more with certain types of visual attention tasks, particularly when they had to focus on specific things or search for objects, supporting what many patients report experiencing.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredLongitudinal

Examining the impact of obesity on individuals with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Flores, Samantha, Brown, Abigail, Adeoye, Samuel et al.·Workplace health & safety·2013

This study looked at how weight affects people with ME/CFS compared to healthy people of similar weight. Researchers found that people with ME/CFS who were overweight or obese had worse health and functioning than healthy people carrying the same amount of weight. The findings suggest that having ME/CFS makes weight-related health challenges even more difficult.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

The Central Sensitization Inventory (CSI): establishing clinically significant values for identifying central sensitivity syndromes in an outpatient chronic pain sample.

Neblett, Randy, Cohen, Howard, Choi, YunHee et al.·The journal of pain·2013

This study tested a questionnaire called the Central Sensitization Inventory (CSI) to see if it could help doctors identify patients with conditions like ME/CFS, fibromyalgia, and irritable bowel syndrome. Researchers believe these conditions may share a common cause: the nervous system becoming overly sensitive to pain and other stimuli. The study found that a CSI score of 40 or higher was a good way to identify patients with these central sensitivity syndromes.

Pain and Sensitization

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Depression in paediatric chronic fatigue syndrome.

Bould, Helen, Collin, Simon M, Lewis, Glyn et al.·Archives of disease in childhood·2013

This study looked at how many young people with ME/CFS also experience depression. Researchers surveyed 542 children aged 12-18 and found that about 29% had depression—much higher than in the general population. Depression was more common in those with worse physical symptoms, higher disability, more pain, and poorer school attendance.

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM unclearObservational

Cognitive behavior therapy in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome: the role of illness acceptance and neuroticism.

Poppe, Carine, Petrovic, Mirko, Vogelaers, Dirk et al.·Journal of psychosomatic research·2013

This study tested whether cognitive behavior therapy (CBT)—a talking treatment that helps change thought patterns and behaviors—improves quality of life in ME/CFS patients. Eighty patients received CBT and reported on their mental health, physical wellbeing, fatigue, and personality traits before and after treatment. While patients did improve, the gains were modest, and the study found that personality traits like neuroticism and how much patients accept their illness affected who benefited most.

← Previous Next 20 studies →

Or browse by topic

PEM Immune Neuro Metabolic Biomarkers Severe ME Long COVID Cognitive

Evidence Atlas

Evidence browser

Differing leukocyte gene expression profiles associated with fatigue in patients with prostate cancer versus chronic fatigue syndrome.

Exercise challenge in Gulf War Illness reveals two subgroups with altered brain structure and function.

Attributions, distress and behavioural responses in the significant others of people with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Examining the energy envelope and associated symptom patterns in chronic fatigue syndrome: does coping matter?

Epitopes of microbial and human heat shock protein 60 and their recognition in myalgic encephalomyelitis.

In myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome, increased autoimmune activity against 5-HT is associated with immuno-inflammatory pathways and bacterial translocation.

Association between cognitive performance, physical fitness, and physical activity level in women with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Could mitochondrial dysfunction be a differentiating marker between chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia?

Long-term parental unemployment in childhood and subsequent chronic fatigue syndrome.

Views on the nature of chronic fatigue syndrome: content analysis.

A case-control study on the association between rheumatoid arthritis and bladder pain syndrome/interstitial cystitis.

Treatment outcome in adults with chronic fatigue syndrome: a prospective study in England based on the CFS/ME National Outcomes Database.

Latent class analysis of comorbidity patterns among women with generalized and localized vulvodynia: preliminary findings.

No detection of the retrovirus xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus in individuals with hemophilia.

Health and identity: Self-positioning in adolescent chronic fatigue syndrome and juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

Patterns of abnormal visual attention in myalgic encephalomyelitis.

Examining the impact of obesity on individuals with chronic fatigue syndrome.

The Central Sensitization Inventory (CSI): establishing clinically significant values for identifying central sensitivity syndromes in an outpatient chronic pain sample.

Depression in paediatric chronic fatigue syndrome.

Cognitive behavior therapy in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome: the role of illness acceptance and neuroticism.

Curated Collections

Neuroinflammation Evidence

Metabolism & Mitochondria

Biomarkers

PEM-Specific Research