ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

2768 studies

1561–1580 of 2,768 studies

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearObservational

Unidentified Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) is a major cause of school absence: surveillance outcomes from school-based clinics.

Crawley, Esther M, Emond, Alan M, Sterne, Jonathan A C·BMJ open·2011

Researchers set up clinics in three schools to identify students missing a lot of school without an obvious reason. They found that ME/CFS was responsible for about 1 in 100 cases of unexplained school absence. Students identified through this school-based approach were less severely ill than those who went to specialist clinics through typical healthcare pathways, and many improved quickly once they received appropriate care.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

The functional status and well being of people with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome and their carers.

Nacul, Luis C, Lacerda, Eliana M, Campion, Peter et al.·BMC public health·2011

This study measured how ME/CFS affects daily life and well-being in 170 patients and 44 family caregivers. Using a standard health questionnaire, researchers found that ME/CFS causes severe disability—worse than many other chronic illnesses like cancer—affecting both physical abilities and mental health. The emotional burden also significantly impacts the family members and caregivers who support people with ME/CFS.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearObservational

No evidence of XMRV in prostate cancer cohorts in the Midwestern United States.

Sakuma, Toshie, Hué, Stéphane, Squillace, Karen A et al.·Retrovirology·2011

Researchers tested prostate tissue and blood samples from men with and without prostate cancer to see if a virus called XMRV was present. They found a few samples that tested positive, but further investigation showed these were likely contaminated with mouse DNA from the laboratory rather than real virus. The study found no strong evidence that XMRV is actually infecting people's prostate tissue or blood.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

IgM-mediated autoimmune responses directed against multiple neoepitopes in depression: new pathways that underpin the inflammatory and neuroprogressive pathophysiology.

Maes, Michael, Mihaylova, Ivana, Kubera, Marta et al.·Journal of affective disorders·2011

This study looked at whether depression involves the immune system attacking the body's own molecules that have been damaged by stress and inflammation. Researchers compared antibody levels in 26 depressed patients and 17 healthy controls, finding that depressed patients had significantly higher levels of immune proteins attacking several molecular targets. These autoimmune responses were linked to fatigue and flu-like symptoms, suggesting a biological pathway that may connect depression, immune dysfunction, and physical exhaustion.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearObservational

No detection of XMRV in blood samples and tissue sections from prostate cancer patients in Northern Europe.

Stieler, Kristin, Schindler, Sarah, Schlomm, Thorsten et al.·PloS one·2011

Researchers tested blood samples and tissue samples from prostate cancer patients to look for XMRV, a virus that had been claimed to be found in some chronic fatigue syndrome patients. Using multiple testing methods, they found no clear evidence that XMRV was present in the blood or cancer tissues they examined. This study helps clarify whether XMRV is actually linked to disease or if earlier findings might have been false alarms.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Lack of infection with XMRV or other MLV-related viruses in blood, post-mortem brains and paternal gametes of autistic individuals.

Lintas, Carla, Guidi, Francesco, Manzi, Barbara et al.·PloS one·2011

Researchers wanted to know if a virus called XMRV or related viruses might cause autism. They tested blood, brain tissue, and semen samples from people with autism, their fathers, and control groups. They found no evidence that XMRV or similar viruses were present in autism patients, suggesting these viruses are unlikely to play a role in causing autism.

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredObservational

Cognitive behavioural treatment for chronic fatigue syndrome in a rehabilitation setting: effectiveness and predictors of outcome.

Schreurs, K M G, Veehof, M M, Passade, L et al.·Behaviour research and therapy·2011

This study tested whether combining cognitive behavioural therapy (a type of talking therapy that addresses thought patterns and behaviours) with graded exercise therapy (gradually increasing physical activity) helps people with ME/CFS. About one-third of patients experienced meaningful improvement in fatigue and physical function. The study found that patients who were more physically active before treatment, felt more in control of their symptoms, and had been unwell for a shorter time tended to do better.

Interventions

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Characteristics of chronic fatigue syndrome in a Japanese community population : chronic fatigue syndrome in Japan.

Hamaguchi, Masahide, Kawahito, Yutaka, Takeda, Noriyuki et al.·Clinical rheumatology·2011

This Japanese study looked at how many people have ME/CFS in the general population and what their daily habits are like. Researchers found that about 1 in 100 people in Japan have ME/CFS, and people with the condition slept significantly less (about 5.5 hours per night) compared to people without it (about 6.3 hours). The symptom of unrefreshing sleep was particularly useful for identifying who has ME/CFS.

Sleep

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredLongitudinal

Psychopathology and physical activity as predictors of chronic fatigue syndrome in the 1958 british birth cohort: a replication study of the 1946 and 1970 birth cohorts.

Goodwin, Laura, White, Peter D, Hotopf, Matthew et al.·Annals of epidemiology·2011

This study followed over 11,000 people born in 1958 in Britain to see whether emotional or mental health problems, and physical activity levels before they got sick, were connected to developing ME/CFS later in life. Researchers found that people who had psychological difficulties in their twenties and thirties were more likely to later develop ME/CFS, but childhood emotional problems or exercise habits didn't show this connection.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

A brain MRI study of chronic fatigue syndrome: evidence of brainstem dysfunction and altered homeostasis.

Barnden, Leighton R, Crouch, Benjamin, Kwiatek, Richard et al.·NMR in biomedicine·2011

This study used specialized brain imaging (MRI) to compare 25 people with ME/CFS to 25 healthy controls, looking at brain structure and how it related to fatigue severity and other symptoms. Researchers found that people with ME/CFS showed differences in brainstem volume (a critical part of the brain controlling basic functions) that correlated with how long fatigue had lasted, and unusual patterns in how blood pressure related to brainstem structure. These findings suggest ME/CFS may involve damage to a specific brain region that disrupts the body's automatic control systems.

Autonomic Nervous System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Selected Health Conditions Among Overweight, Obese, and Non-Obese Veterans of the 1991 Gulf War: Results from a Survey Conducted in 2003-2005.

Coughlin, Steven S, Kang, Han K, Mahan, Clare M·The open epidemiology journal·2011

This study looked at nearly 10,000 Gulf War veterans and veterans from the same era to see if weight and obesity were connected to health problems like chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and multi-symptom illness. The researchers found that obese veterans were more likely to have PTSD, but obesity did not explain why Gulf War veterans had more CFS-like illness or multi-symptom illness compared to other veterans.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Lower whole blood glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activity in depression, but not in myalgic encephalomyelitis / chronic fatigue syndrome: another pathway that may be associated with coronary artery disease and neuroprogression in depression.

Maes, Michael, Mihaylova, Ivanka, Kubera, Marta et al.·Neuro endocrinology letters·2011

This study looked at a protective enzyme called GPX that helps defend cells from damage in people with depression and ME/CFS. The researchers found that people with depression had lower levels of this enzyme compared to healthy people, but people with ME/CFS had normal levels. Both groups showed connections between low enzyme levels and symptoms like mood problems and autonomic nervous system dysfunction.

Biomarkers

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Measuring substantial reductions in functioning in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Jason, Leonard, Brown, Molly, Evans, Meredyth et al.·Disability and rehabilitation·2011

ME/CFS diagnosis requires showing that a person can do much less in work, school, social activities, or personal care than they could before becoming ill. However, doctors have struggled with how to measure this decline accurately. This study tested which questions from a standard health survey best identify real, substantial losses in functioning in ME/CFS patients, finding that questions about energy levels, physical activities, and social participation worked best.

Diagnostics

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Characterization of chronic fatigue in patients with sarcoidosis in clinical remission.

Korenromp, Ingrid H E, Heijnen, Cobi J, Vogels, Oscar J M et al.·Chest·2011

This study looked at 75 people with sarcoidosis (an inflammatory disease) whose disease was no longer active, but who still felt extremely tired. Nearly half of these fatigued patients met the diagnostic criteria for chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). The researchers found that fatigue was linked to depression, anxiety, reduced quality of life, lower physical activity, and muscle weakness—even though their sarcoidosis was considered under control.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

EEG spectral coherence data distinguish chronic fatigue syndrome patients from healthy controls and depressed patients--a case control study.

Duffy, Frank H, McAnulty, Gloria B, McCreary, Michelle C et al.·BMC neurology·2011

Researchers used brain wave recordings (EEG) to look for patterns that could distinguish ME/CFS patients from healthy people and those with depression. They found specific patterns in brain wave activity, particularly in the temporal lobes, that were present in ME/CFS patients but not in healthy controls or depressed patients. This suggests ME/CFS involves measurable differences in how the brain functions electrically.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus-associated chronic fatigue syndrome reveals a distinct inflammatory signature.

Lombardi, Vincent C, Hagen, Kathryn S, Hunter, Kenneth W et al.·In vivo (Athens, Greece)·2011

This 2011 study looked for a specific virus (XMRV) in the blood of ME/CFS patients and measured immune system chemicals called cytokines and chemokines. Researchers found a distinctive pattern of 10 immune chemicals that could identify XMRV-positive patients with very high accuracy (93-96%), suggesting that this virus may trigger a particular type of immune response in some people with ME/CFS.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Length of illness does not predict cognitive dysfunction in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Santamarina-Perez, Pilar, Eiroa-Orosa, Francisco Jose, Freniche, Verónica et al.·Applied neuropsychology·2011

This study examined whether cognitive problems (like memory and concentration difficulties) in ME/CFS get worse the longer someone has the illness. Researchers tested 56 women with ME/CFS and divided them into groups based on how long they'd been sick. They found that cognitive problems were similar across all groups, regardless of illness duration. This suggests that cognitive difficulties in ME/CFS don't progressively worsen over time.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredObservational

No evidence of murine-like gammaretroviruses in CFS patients previously identified as XMRV-infected.

Knox, Konstance, Carrigan, Donald, Simmons, Graham et al.·Science (New York, N.Y.)·2011

This study tested blood samples from 61 ME/CFS patients to look for viruses called XMRV and related mouse viruses that had been reported in earlier research. The researchers found no evidence of these viruses in the patients' blood, even in 43 patients who had previously tested positive. They concluded that earlier findings were likely due to contamination in the laboratory rather than actual infection.

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Chronic fatigue syndrome in an ethnically diverse population: the influence of psychosocial adversity and physical inactivity.

Bhui, Kamaldeep S, Dinos, Sokratis, Ashby, Deborah et al.·BMC medicine·2011

This study looked at how common ME/CFS is in different ethnic groups in England and found that people from ethnic minority backgrounds had higher rates of the illness than White British people. The researchers discovered that anxiety, depression, lack of physical activity, stress in relationships, and poor social support were all linked to higher rates of ME/CFS, and together these factors explained why some ethnic groups had more cases.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearObservational

What stops children with a chronic illness accessing health care: a mixed methods study in children with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME).

Webb, Carly M, Collin, Simon M, Deave, Toity et al.·BMC health services research·2011

Children with ME/CFS are waiting much longer than recommended to see a specialist—the typical wait is 18 months, while guidelines suggest assessment should happen within 3-6 months. This study found that many GPs and other doctors don't know enough about ME/CFS or how to refer children properly, and some had negative attitudes toward the condition. Parents also found it hard to explain an 'invisible' illness to healthcare providers, which delayed their children from getting the specialist care they needed.

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Unidentified Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) is a major cause of school absence: surveillance outcomes from school-based clinics.

The functional status and well being of people with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome and their carers.

No evidence of XMRV in prostate cancer cohorts in the Midwestern United States.

IgM-mediated autoimmune responses directed against multiple neoepitopes in depression: new pathways that underpin the inflammatory and neuroprogressive pathophysiology.

No detection of XMRV in blood samples and tissue sections from prostate cancer patients in Northern Europe.

Lack of infection with XMRV or other MLV-related viruses in blood, post-mortem brains and paternal gametes of autistic individuals.

Cognitive behavioural treatment for chronic fatigue syndrome in a rehabilitation setting: effectiveness and predictors of outcome.

Characteristics of chronic fatigue syndrome in a Japanese community population : chronic fatigue syndrome in Japan.

Psychopathology and physical activity as predictors of chronic fatigue syndrome in the 1958 british birth cohort: a replication study of the 1946 and 1970 birth cohorts.

A brain MRI study of chronic fatigue syndrome: evidence of brainstem dysfunction and altered homeostasis.

Selected Health Conditions Among Overweight, Obese, and Non-Obese Veterans of the 1991 Gulf War: Results from a Survey Conducted in 2003-2005.

Lower whole blood glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activity in depression, but not in myalgic encephalomyelitis / chronic fatigue syndrome: another pathway that may be associated with coronary artery disease and neuroprogression in depression.

Measuring substantial reductions in functioning in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Characterization of chronic fatigue in patients with sarcoidosis in clinical remission.

EEG spectral coherence data distinguish chronic fatigue syndrome patients from healthy controls and depressed patients--a case control study.

Xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus-associated chronic fatigue syndrome reveals a distinct inflammatory signature.

Length of illness does not predict cognitive dysfunction in chronic fatigue syndrome.

No evidence of murine-like gammaretroviruses in CFS patients previously identified as XMRV-infected.

Chronic fatigue syndrome in an ethnically diverse population: the influence of psychosocial adversity and physical inactivity.

What stops children with a chronic illness accessing health care: a mixed methods study in children with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME).

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