ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

2795 studies

1501–1520 of 2,795 studies

E2 ModerateCohortPEM requiredCross-Sectional

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME), Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), and Chronic Fatigue (CF) are distinguished accurately: results of supervised learning techniques applied on clinical and inflammatory data.

Maes, Michael, Twisk, Frank N M, Johnson, Cort·Psychiatry research·2012

This study looked at whether ME, CFS, and chronic fatigue are truly different conditions or if they overlap too much to distinguish. Researchers tested 144 patients and found that post-exertional malaise (PEM)—where symptoms worsen after activity—is a key feature that separates ME from CFS. They also found that ME and CFS patients had higher levels of certain inflammatory markers in their blood compared to people with simple chronic fatigue.

BiomarkersImmune SystemPost-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredObservational

Therapist effects and the dissemination of cognitive behavior therapy for chronic fatigue syndrome in community-based mental health care.

Wiborg, Jan F, Knoop, Hans, Wensing, Michel et al.·Behaviour research and therapy·2012

This study looked at how well cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) for ME/CFS works when delivered by different therapists in regular mental health clinics rather than specialized centers. Researchers found that the individual therapist made a big difference in patient outcomes—accounting for 21% of the improvement variation. The therapist's beliefs about using treatment manuals and the specific clinic where treatment happened both influenced how well patients did.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM requiredLongitudinal

Adolescent chronic fatigue syndrome; a follow-up study displays concurrent improvement of circulatory abnormalities and clinical symptoms.

Sulheim, Dag, Hurum, Harald, Helland, Ingrid B et al.·BioPsychoSocial medicine·2012

This study followed 47 teenagers with ME/CFS over several months to see how they changed over time. Researchers found that most teens improved in their symptoms—including fatigue, pain, and brain fog—and these improvements happened at the same time their heart and nervous system function also improved. This suggests that problems with how the body regulates heart rate and blood pressure may be connected to ME/CFS symptoms.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Short communication: RNASEL alleles and susceptibility to infection by human retroviruses and hepatitis viruses.

Arredondo, Miguel, de Bethencourt, Fermín, Treviño, Ana et al.·AIDS research and human retroviruses·2012

This study looked at whether a specific gene variant called RNASEL affects how likely people are to get infected with certain viruses. Researchers compared the gene variant in people with different viral infections, including chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), HIV, hepatitis, and others. They found that the gene variant did not seem to influence susceptibility to most common viral infections studied, though there were some interesting patterns with two less common viruses.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Functional somatic syndromes: sensitivities and specificities of self-reports of physician diagnosis.

Warren, John W, Clauw, Daniel J·Psychosomatic medicine·2012

This study found that when doctors ask patients "Have you been diagnosed with ME/CFS or fibromyalgia?" they miss many people who actually have these conditions based on their symptoms. For example, doctors missed 90% of people who truly had ME/CFS by symptom criteria, and 77% of those with fibromyalgia. The researchers showed that asking about symptoms directly, rather than relying on patients to report a doctor's diagnosis, is much more accurate for identifying these conditions.

Diagnostics

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Heterogeneous nuclear RNPs as targets of autoantibodies in systemic rheumatic diseases.

Op De Beéck, Katrijn, Maes, Liesbeth, Van den Bergh, Karolien et al.·Arthritis and rheumatism·2012

This study looked for specific autoantibodies (immune proteins that attack the body's own cells) in people with various rheumatic diseases, including those with chronic fatigue syndrome. Researchers tested blood samples from hundreds of patients and healthy controls, measuring antibodies against different protein targets called hnRNPs. They found that people with Sjögren's syndrome (an autoimmune disease affecting glands) had significantly more of these antibodies compared to healthy people.

Immune System

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Factor analysis of the Beck Depression Inventory-II with patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Brown, Molly, Kaplan, Carly, Jason, Leonard·Journal of health psychology·2012

This study looked at how well a depression screening tool (the Beck Depression Inventory-II) works for people with ME/CFS. The researchers found that the tool picks up on physical and emotional symptoms separately, and that people with ME/CFS tend to score high on the physical symptom questions because many overlap with ME/CFS symptoms like fatigue. A simpler version of the tool designed for primary care settings worked better for this group.

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder in chronic fatigue syndrome patients.

Sáez-Francàs, Naia, Alegre, José, Calvo, Natalia et al.·Psychiatry research·2012

This study looked at whether people with ME/CFS also have ADHD (attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder), a condition that affects focus and attention. Researchers found that about 30% of ME/CFS patients had ADHD as children, and about 21% still had it as adults. People with ME/CFS who also had ADHD experienced worse depression and anxiety, more severe fatigue, and higher suicide risk than those without ADHD.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Reduced cardiac vagal modulation impacts on cognitive performance in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Beaumont, Alison, Burton, Alexander R, Lemon, Jim et al.·PloS one·2012

This study examined whether problems with the heart's automatic nervous system (which controls heart rate) are connected to cognitive difficulties in ME/CFS patients. Researchers measured heart rate variability—the natural variation in time between heartbeats—while 30 ME/CFS patients and 40 healthy controls performed thinking tasks. ME/CFS patients showed slower thinking speeds and unusual heart rate patterns, and their reduced heart rate variability was linked to their cognitive slowness.

Autonomic Nervous SystemCognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredObservational

Comparison of chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalopathy with other disorders: an observational study.

Knudsen, Ak, Lervik, Lv, Harvey, Sb et al.·JRSM short reports·2012

Researchers looked at how many people were using online discussion forums for different health conditions in Norway in 2009. They found that ME/CFS forums were far more active than forums for other illnesses—with more users and more messages posted relative to how many people have the condition. This high activity might mean that people with ME/CFS are seeking answers and support online, especially since the condition is poorly understood and sometimes stigmatized.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Loss of capacity to recover from acidosis on repeat exercise in chronic fatigue syndrome: a case-control study.

Jones, David E J, Hollingsworth, Kieren G, Jakovljevic, Djordje G et al.·European journal of clinical investigation·2012

This study looked at how muscles produce and use energy during exercise in ME/CFS patients compared to healthy people. Researchers found that ME/CFS patients' muscles became more acidic (like buildup of lactic acid) during exercise and took much longer to recover back to normal levels, even after repeated exercise sessions. This abnormal response to exercise may explain why some ME/CFS patients feel worse after exertion rather than better.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredObservational

Predictors of Fatigue among Patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Jason, Leonard A, Brown, Molly, Evans, Meredyth et al.·Journal Of Human Behavior In The Social Environment·2012

This study asked ME/CFS patients to keep detailed activity logs to understand what triggers their fatigue. Researchers looked at what patients were doing, what they had been doing 30 minutes earlier, and their fatigue levels to find patterns. The study suggests that tracking daily activities can help doctors and patients see which activities are most connected to fatigue flare-ups.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus does not pose a risk to blood recipient safety.

Dodd, Roger Y, Hackett, John, Linnen, Jeffrey M et al.·Transfusion·2012

Researchers tested thousands of blood donors and transfusion recipients to see if XMRV (a virus once suspected to be linked to ME/CFS) was present in the blood supply and could be transmitted through blood transfusions. They found no evidence of the virus in any of the donors or recipients tested, suggesting that XMRV does not pose a safety risk to people receiving blood transfusions.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredLongitudinal

Orthostatic tolerance testing in a prospective cohort of adolescents with chronic fatigue syndrome and recovered controls following infectious mononucleosis.

Katz, Ben Z, Stewart, Julian M, Shiraishi, Yukiko et al.·Clinical pediatrics·2012

This study looked at whether teenagers with ME/CFS have trouble standing up for long periods (a condition called orthostatic intolerance). Researchers tested 36 teens with ME/CFS and 43 recovered teens, all about 6 months after having infectious mononucleosis. Surprisingly, they found that similar numbers of both groups had difficulty with standing tolerance, suggesting this may not be a key difference between those who recover and those who develop ME/CFS.

Autonomic Nervous System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Do you think it's a disease? a survey of medical students.

Erueti, Chrissy, Glasziou, Paul, Mar, Chris Del et al.·BMC medical education·2012

This study asked medical students whether various health conditions should be classified as a 'disease' or not. Interestingly, when the same condition was given a more medical-sounding name (like 'myalgic encephalomyelitis') versus a simpler name (like 'chronic fatigue syndrome'), students were more likely to call it a disease. This suggests that the words doctors use to describe an illness can influence how seriously it is viewed, even when describing the exact same condition.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCase-Control

Responses to exercise differ for chronic fatigue syndrome patients with fibromyalgia.

Cook, Dane B, Stegner, Aaron J, Nagelkirk, Paul R et al.·Medicine and science in sports and exercise·2012

This study compared how the bodies of ME/CFS patients respond to moderate exercise on a stationary bike. Researchers found that patients who have both ME/CFS and fibromyalgia (a condition causing widespread pain) showed different heart and breathing responses during exercise compared to healthy people, including higher perceived effort and different blood pressure patterns.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateDiagnosticPEM unclearMethods-Paper

Data mining: comparing the empiric CFS to the Canadian ME/CFS case definition.

Jason, Leonard A, Skendrovic, Beth, Furst, Jacob et al.·Journal of clinical psychology·2012

This study compared two different sets of diagnostic criteria used to identify ME/CFS patients. Researchers used a computer-based analysis technique to test which questions from patient surveys were most helpful in accurately diagnosing the illness. They found that the Canadian criteria correctly identified 87% of ME/CFS patients, while the older empiric criteria identified about 79%, suggesting the Canadian approach may be more effective for diagnosis.

Diagnostics

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Contrasting case definitions for chronic fatigue syndrome, Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome and myalgic encephalomyelitis.

Jason, Leonard A, Brown, Abigail, Clyne, Erin et al.·Evaluation & the health professions·2012

This study looked at patients diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) using an older definition and compared how many of them would also meet two newer, stricter definitions: ME/CFS and ME. Researchers found that patients meeting the newer, stricter definitions had more severe symptoms and greater disability than those who only met the older CFS definition. This suggests that the newer definitions may help doctors identify the most severely affected patients.

Diagnostics

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredLongitudinal

Understanding long-term outcomes of chronic fatigue syndrome.

Brown, Molly M, Bell, David S, Jason, Leonard A et al.·Journal of clinical psychology·2012

This study followed people who were diagnosed with ME/CFS 25 years earlier and compared them to healthy people. Most participants (20 out of 25) no longer had an ME/CFS diagnosis, but surprisingly, they still experienced significantly more health problems and limitations than healthy controls. This suggests that even when people stop meeting the criteria for ME/CFS, they may not fully recover to their previous level of health.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredObservational

Prevalence, incidence, and classification of chronic fatigue syndrome in Olmsted County, Minnesota, as estimated using the Rochester Epidemiology Project.

Vincent, Ann, Brimmer, Dana J, Whipple, Mary O et al.·Mayo Clinic proceedings·2012

This study looked at how many people in one county had ME/CFS by reviewing medical records from 1998-2002. Researchers found that about 71 out of every 100,000 people had ME/CFS, and about 13 out of every 100,000 per year were newly diagnosed. Importantly, they discovered that 70% of people initially suspected of having ME/CFS actually had other medical conditions that explained their fatigue instead.

Diagnostics

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Evidence browser

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME), Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), and Chronic Fatigue (CF) are distinguished accurately: results of supervised learning techniques applied on clinical and inflammatory data.

Therapist effects and the dissemination of cognitive behavior therapy for chronic fatigue syndrome in community-based mental health care.

Adolescent chronic fatigue syndrome; a follow-up study displays concurrent improvement of circulatory abnormalities and clinical symptoms.

Short communication: RNASEL alleles and susceptibility to infection by human retroviruses and hepatitis viruses.

Functional somatic syndromes: sensitivities and specificities of self-reports of physician diagnosis.

Heterogeneous nuclear RNPs as targets of autoantibodies in systemic rheumatic diseases.

Factor analysis of the Beck Depression Inventory-II with patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder in chronic fatigue syndrome patients.

Reduced cardiac vagal modulation impacts on cognitive performance in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Comparison of chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalopathy with other disorders: an observational study.

Loss of capacity to recover from acidosis on repeat exercise in chronic fatigue syndrome: a case-control study.

Predictors of Fatigue among Patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus does not pose a risk to blood recipient safety.

Orthostatic tolerance testing in a prospective cohort of adolescents with chronic fatigue syndrome and recovered controls following infectious mononucleosis.

Do you think it's a disease? a survey of medical students.

Responses to exercise differ for chronic fatigue syndrome patients with fibromyalgia.

Data mining: comparing the empiric CFS to the Canadian ME/CFS case definition.

Contrasting case definitions for chronic fatigue syndrome, Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome and myalgic encephalomyelitis.

Understanding long-term outcomes of chronic fatigue syndrome.

Prevalence, incidence, and classification of chronic fatigue syndrome in Olmsted County, Minnesota, as estimated using the Rochester Epidemiology Project.

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