ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

2785 studies

1561–1580 of 2,785 studies

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Serologic and PCR testing of persons with chronic fatigue syndrome in the United States shows no association with xenotropic or polytropic murine leukemia virus-related viruses.

Satterfield, Brent C, Garcia, Rebecca A, Jia, Hongwei et al.·Retrovirology·2011

In 2009, researchers reported finding a virus called XMRV in most people with ME/CFS, which sparked hope for a potential cause. This study tested blood samples from 45 ME/CFS patients and 42 healthy people from across the United States using sensitive laboratory methods to look for XMRV and related viruses. The researchers found no evidence of these viruses in any of the samples, suggesting that XMRV is not present in most ME/CFS cases.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Cognitive impairment in fatigue and sleepiness associated conditions.

Neu, Daniel, Kajosch, Hendrik, Peigneux, Philippe et al.·Psychiatry research·2011

This study compared how fatigue and sleepiness affect thinking and memory. Researchers tested 15 people with ME/CFS, 15 people with sleep apnea, and 16 healthy controls using memory tests, attention tasks, and brain wave measurements. Both patient groups showed cognitive problems, though people with sleep apnea had slightly more difficulty with certain thinking tasks and movement speed.

SleepCognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

No association of xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus with prostate cancer or chronic fatigue syndrome in Japan.

Furuta, Rika A, Miyazawa, Takayuki, Sugiyama, Takeki et al.·Retrovirology·2011

Researchers tested blood samples from 500 healthy people, 67 prostate cancer patients, and 100 ME/CFS patients in Japan to see if a virus called XMRV was linked to these conditions. They found some antibodies to XMRV in a small number of people (1.6-3.0%), but no clear evidence of active infection in any group, suggesting XMRV is not a cause of ME/CFS in Japan.

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Psychophysical distress and alexithymic traits in chronic fatigue syndrome with and without comorbid depression.

Sepede, G, Racciatti, D, Gorgoretti, V et al.·International journal of immunopathology and pharmacology·2011

This study compared people with ME/CFS to healthy people and looked at two things: emotional distress and difficulty recognizing their own feelings. They found that ME/CFS patients had more physical symptoms and emotional complaints than healthy people, especially those who also had depression. Interestingly, even ME/CFS patients without depression had some difficulty identifying their emotions, though less than those with depression.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Prevalence of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) in three regions of England: a repeated cross-sectional study in primary care.

Nacul, Luis C, Lacerda, Eliana M, Pheby, Derek et al.·BMC medicine·2011

This study looked at how many people in three regions of England have ME/CFS by checking medical records and asking doctors directly about their patients. Depending on which diagnostic criteria they used, between 0.03% and 0.2% of adults had ME/CFS—meaning roughly 1 in 500 to 1 in 3,300 people. The study shows ME/CFS is a real and significant health problem affecting many people who need better support and care.

Diagnostics

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Migraine headaches in chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS): comparison of two prospective cross-sectional studies.

Ravindran, Murugan K, Zheng, Yin, Timbol, Christian et al.·BMC neurology·2011

This study found that headaches—especially migraines—are much more common in people with ME/CFS than in healthy people. Researchers studied two groups and found that 84% of people with ME/CFS experienced migraines, compared to only 5% of healthy controls. People with ME/CFS who had migraines with visual symptoms (aura) showed more severe dizziness, memory problems, and heart-related symptoms than those without aura.

Pain and Sensitization

E2 ModerateDiagnosticPEM unclearMethods-Paper

Measuring disability in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome: reliability and validity of the Work and Social Adjustment Scale.

Cella, Matteo, Sharpe, Michael, Chalder, Trudie·Journal of psychosomatic research·2011

This study tested whether a simple questionnaire called the Work and Social Adjustment Scale (WSAS) accurately measures how much ME/CFS affects a person's daily life and ability to work. Researchers gave this questionnaire to over 1,000 ME/CFS patients and found it was reliable and valid—meaning it consistently measured disability and actually reflected real-world functioning.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Immunological abnormalities as potential biomarkers in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis.

Brenu, Ekua W, van Driel, Mieke L, Staines, Don R et al.·Journal of translational medicine·2011

This study examined immune system markers in 95 ME/CFS patients compared to 50 healthy people to see if certain blood tests could help diagnose the condition. Researchers found that ME/CFS patients had imbalanced immune responses, including higher levels of certain inflammatory proteins and lower activity of immune cells that normally fight infections. These immune differences might one day be used as reliable diagnostic markers to help doctors identify ME/CFS.

BiomarkersImmune System

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

Mitochondrial enzymes discriminate between mitochondrial disorders and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Smits, Bart, van den Heuvel, Lambert, Knoop, Hans et al.·Mitochondrion·2011

This study looked at whether measurements of mitochondria (the energy-producing parts of cells) can help distinguish ME/CFS from true mitochondrial diseases. The researchers found that while people with ME/CFS have fewer mitochondria overall, the mitochondria that are present work normally. In contrast, people with actual mitochondrial disorders have mitochondria that don't function well, even when mitochondrial numbers are considered.

Energy Metabolism

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Adolescent chronic fatigue syndrome: prevalence, incidence, and morbidity.

Nijhof, Sanne L, Maijer, Kimberley, Bleijenberg, Gijs et al.·Pediatrics·2011

This Dutch study looked at how many teenagers have ME/CFS and how many develop it each year. Researchers found that about 111 out of every 100,000 teenagers have ME/CFS, and about 12 per 100,000 develop it annually. Most teens with ME/CFS experience severe fatigue and physical impairment, and nearly half miss more than half their school days.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Sleep-stage dynamics in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome with or without fibromyalgia.

Kishi, Akifumi, Natelson, Benjamin H, Togo, Fumiharu et al.·Sleep·2011

This study looked at sleep patterns in women with ME/CFS, comparing those with ME/CFS alone to those who also have fibromyalgia (FM). Researchers found that people with ME/CFS alone had trouble staying asleep and waking up too often from REM sleep, while those with both conditions showed different sleep problems including difficulty maintaining deeper sleep stages. These findings suggest that ME/CFS and fibromyalgia may involve different types of sleep disturbances.

Sleep

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredObservational

Xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus in monozygotic twins discordant for chronic fatigue syndrome.

Jerome, Keith R, Diem, Kurt, Huang, Meei-Li et al.·Diagnostic microbiology and infectious disease·2011

Researchers tested whether a virus called XMRV was present in people with ME/CFS by comparing identical twins where one had the illness and one didn't. They looked for the virus in blood samples using multiple sensitive tests. They found no evidence of XMRV in any of the people with ME/CFS, suggesting this virus is not likely a cause of the disease.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Chronic conditions and major depression in community-dwelling older adults.

Fiest, Kirsten M, Currie, Shawn R, Williams, Jeanne V A et al.·Journal of affective disorders·2011

This study looked at how common chronic illnesses and depression are together in older adults in Canada. Researchers found that people over 50 with long-term health conditions are much more likely to also have depression. Interestingly, conditions like Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, fibromyalgia, and migraines showed the strongest link with depression in seniors.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Up-regulation of TGF-β1 mRNA expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Zhang, Hai-Ying, Liu, Zhan-Dong, Hu, Chao-Jun et al.·Journal of the Formosan Medical Association = Taiwan yi zhi·2011

Researchers measured levels of a immune signaling molecule called TGF-β1 in blood cells from ME/CFS patients and compared them to healthy people and patients with other illnesses. They found that ME/CFS patients had significantly higher levels of TGF-β1 than both groups, suggesting this molecule may play a role in ME/CFS disease development.

Immune System

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 not requiredCross-Sectional

No evidence of XMRV or related retroviruses in a London HIV-1-positive patient cohort.

Gray, Eleanor R, Garson, Jeremy A, Breuer, Judith et al.·PloS one·2011

Researchers tested blood samples from 540 people with HIV to see if they carried a virus called XMRV, which had been proposed as a possible cause of ME/CFS. Despite having sensitive tests that could detect even tiny amounts of the virus, they found no evidence of XMRV in any of the patients. This suggests the virus is either not present or extremely rare in the population studied.

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 requiredObservational

Peripheral blood gene expression in postinfective fatigue syndrome following from three different triggering infections.

Galbraith, Sally, Cameron, Barbara, Li, Hui et al.·The Journal of infectious diseases·2011

Researchers studied blood samples from 18 people who developed long-lasting fatigue after three different infections (Epstein-Barr virus, Ross River virus, and Q fever) and compared them to 18 healthy people who recovered normally. They looked for patterns in which genes were turned on or off that might explain the fatigue syndrome. While they found some differences in gene activity, these patterns were not consistent across the different infection groups, suggesting there may not be a single blood-based marker that identifies post-infectious fatigue.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Excess of activating killer cell immunoglobulin‑like receptors and lack of HLA-Bw4 ligands: a two‑edged weapon in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Pasi, Annamaria, Bozzini, Sara, Carlo-Stella, Nicoletta et al.·Molecular medicine reports·2011

This study examined immune system genes called KIRs and their matching partners (HLA molecules) in people with ME/CFS. Researchers found that people with ME/CFS had an unusual pattern of these immune genes—specifically, more of a type called KIR3DS1 and fewer matching HLA partners for their receptors to recognize. The researchers suggest this mismatch might make it harder for the immune system to fight off infections, potentially allowing chronic infections to persist.

Immune System

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Serologic and PCR testing of persons with chronic fatigue syndrome in the United States shows no association with xenotropic or polytropic murine leukemia virus-related viruses.

Cognitive impairment in fatigue and sleepiness associated conditions.

No association of xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus with prostate cancer or chronic fatigue syndrome in Japan.

Psychophysical distress and alexithymic traits in chronic fatigue syndrome with and without comorbid depression.

Prevalence of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) in three regions of England: a repeated cross-sectional study in primary care.

Migraine headaches in chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS): comparison of two prospective cross-sectional studies.

Measuring disability in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome: reliability and validity of the Work and Social Adjustment Scale.

Immunological abnormalities as potential biomarkers in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis.

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

Mitochondrial enzymes discriminate between mitochondrial disorders and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Adolescent chronic fatigue syndrome: prevalence, incidence, and morbidity.

Sleep-stage dynamics in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome with or without fibromyalgia.

Xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus in monozygotic twins discordant for chronic fatigue syndrome.

Chronic conditions and major depression in community-dwelling older adults.

Up-regulation of TGF-β1 mRNA expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

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

No evidence of XMRV or related retroviruses in a London HIV-1-positive patient cohort.

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

Peripheral blood gene expression in postinfective fatigue syndrome following from three different triggering infections.

Excess of activating killer cell immunoglobulin‑like receptors and lack of HLA-Bw4 ligands: a two‑edged weapon in chronic fatigue syndrome.

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