ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

2785 studies

1621–1640 of 2,785 studies

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

The search for pain relief in people with chronic fatigue syndrome: a descriptive study.

Marshall, Rebecca, Paul, Lorna, Wood, Les·Physiotherapy theory and practice·2011

This study asked 50 people with ME/CFS who experience pain about treatments they had tried to help manage their symptoms. Researchers found that many patients tried complementary and alternative medicines (CAM) and physiotherapy, with acupuncture being the treatment most people reported as helpful for pain relief. The study suggests some of these treatments may help people cope with ME/CFS pain, though more research is needed to confirm how well they actually work.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Absence of detectable XMRV and other MLV-related viruses in healthy blood donors in the United States.

Tang, Shixing, Zhao, Jiangqin, Haleyur Giri Setty, Mohan Kumar et al.·PloS one·2011

Researchers tested blood samples from healthy U.S. blood donors to see if they carried XMRV or related viruses, which had been found in some ME/CFS patients in earlier studies. Using multiple sensitive detection methods, they found no evidence of these viruses in any of the 110 plasma samples or 71 cell samples they tested. This suggests that these viruses are not present in the U.S. blood supply at detectable levels.

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Clinical characteristics of patients with medically unexplained chronic widespread pain: a primary care center study.

Lee, Kye Hwa, Kim, Cheol Hwan, Shin, Ho Cheol et al.·Korean journal of family medicine·2011

This study examined 109 patients with chronic widespread pain to understand what makes medically unexplained pain different from pain caused by known medical or psychological conditions. Researchers found that patients with unexplained pain had more tender points on their body, greater fatigue, and more functional impairment than those with pain linked to known medical causes, but were very similar to those with pain linked to psychological factors.

Pain and Sensitization

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

The economic impact of chronic fatigue syndrome in Georgia: direct and indirect costs.

Lin, Jin-Mann S, Resch, Stephen C, Brimmer, Dana J et al.·Cost effectiveness and resource allocation : C/E·2011

This study measured how much money ME/CFS costs people and society in Georgia. Researchers found that people with ME/CFS spend about $3,300 extra per year on medical care and lose about $8,500 in yearly income compared to similar people without the illness. Across Georgia, ME/CFS may cost the state over $1.5 billion annually when you add up healthcare spending and lost wages.

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 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Long-term sickness absence among patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Knudsen, Ann Kristin, Henderson, Max, Harvey, Samuel B et al.·The British journal of psychiatry : the journal of mental science·2011

This study looked at ME/CFS patients who were on long-term sick leave from work and compared them to those still working. Patients taking sick leave had more severe physical fatigue and sleep problems than other patients. Interestingly, those on sick leave also tended to avoid situations they found embarrassing and rested more often as a coping strategy. The researchers suggest that helping patients manage embarrassment-related thoughts and avoidance behaviors might help them return to work.

Sleep

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

No detectable XMRV in subjects with chronic fatigue syndrome from Quebec.

Cool, Marc, Bouchard, Nathalie, Massé, Ginette et al.·Virology·2011

This study tested whether a virus called XMRV could be found in blood samples from 72 Canadian patients with ME/CFS. Researchers used several different methods to look for the virus, including testing for viral DNA, antibodies, and infectious virus particles. They found no evidence of XMRV in any of the patients tested.

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 requiredCross-Sectional

Reliability and validity of Short Form 36 Version 2 to measure health perceptions in a sub-group of individuals with fatigue.

Davenport, Todd E, Stevens, Staci R, Baroni, Katie et al.·Disability and rehabilitation·2011

This study tested whether a common health questionnaire (SF-36) could accurately measure how ME/CFS affects quality of life and symptom burden. Researchers gave the questionnaire to 16 people with ME/CFS and 14 healthy controls, then had them perform exercise tests to see how their symptoms changed. The SF-36 successfully captured differences between the two groups and predicted who would recover quickly after exercise.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateDiagnosticPEM not requiredMethods-Paper

Failure to confirm XMRV/MLVs in the blood of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome: a multi-laboratory study.

Simmons, Graham, Glynn, Simone A, Komaroff, Anthony L et al.·Science (New York, N.Y.)·2011

Some researchers had claimed that a virus called XMRV might be linked to ME/CFS. This study tested blood samples from 15 people previously reported to have this virus and 15 healthy people without it, sending them to 9 different labs for testing. The labs could not consistently find the virus, and when they did find it, the results were similar in both ME/CFS patients and healthy people. This suggests the virus is not reliably present in ME/CFS patients' blood.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

No evidence for XMRV nucleic acids, infectious virus or anti-XMRV antibodies in Canadian patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Steffen, Imke, Tyrrell, D Lorne, Stein, Eleanor et al.·PloS one·2011

Researchers tested blood samples from 58 Canadian ME/CFS patients and 57 healthy people to look for two viruses (XMRV and MLV) that had been suggested as possible causes of ME/CFS. Using multiple sensitive tests, they found no trace of these viruses or antibodies against them in any of the samples. This study challenges earlier reports that had linked these viruses to ME/CFS.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredObservational

No Evidence of XMRV or MuLV Sequences in Prostate Cancer, Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma, or the UK Blood Donor Population.

Robinson, Mark James, Tuke, Philip William, Erlwein, Otto et al.·Advances in virology·2011

This study tested whether XMRV (a virus that was claimed to cause ME/CFS) could be found in prostate cancer patients, lymphoma patients, and healthy blood donors in the UK. Researchers looked for genetic traces of the virus using sensitive laboratory tests. They found no evidence that XMRV or related viruses were actually infecting these groups of people.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Chronic widespread musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, depression and disordered sleep in chronic post-SARS syndrome; a case-controlled study.

Moldofsky, Harvey, Patcai, John·BMC neurology·2011

This study looked at people who had severe SARS infection and were unable to return to work for over a year afterward. These patients experienced long-lasting fatigue, widespread muscle pain, weakness, depression, and poor sleep quality. Researchers found that their sleep patterns and symptoms were very similar to those seen in fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Pain and SensitizationSleep

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Cerebral blood flow is reduced in chronic fatigue syndrome as assessed by arterial spin labeling.

Biswal, Bharat, Kunwar, Pratap, Natelson, Benjamin H·Journal of the neurological sciences·2011

Researchers used a brain imaging technique called arterial spin labeling to measure blood flow in the brains of 11 ME/CFS patients and 10 healthy people. They found that ME/CFS patients as a group had significantly lower blood flow to their brains compared to healthy controls, though this pattern wasn't universal—some patients showed normal or even slightly increased blood flow. This suggests that reduced brain blood flow may be one physical feature of ME/CFS, though it doesn't affect all patients in the same way.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearObservational

Social support needs for equity in health and social care: a thematic analysis of experiences of people with chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis.

de Carvalho Leite, Jose C, de L Drachler, Maria, Killett, Anne et al.·International journal for equity in health·2011

This study asked 35 people with ME/CFS in England about what support they needed from health and social care services. Participants described needing personalized help with managing symptoms, practical support for daily life, and financial assistance—but found it difficult to access these services because doctors and providers often didn't understand their condition. The researchers found that some groups, including certain ethnic minorities, faced even greater barriers to getting the help they needed.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCase-Control

Increased tenderness in the left third intercostal space in adult patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis: a controlled study.

Puri, B K, Gunatilake, K D R, Fernando, K A C et al.·The Journal of international medical research·2011

Researchers examined the chests of 42 people with ME/CFS and 20 healthy people to look for physical signs. They found that 81% of people with ME/CFS had tenderness (pain when touched) in a specific area on the left side of their rib cage, while none of the healthy people had this tenderness. This suggests there may be a consistent physical finding that doctors could potentially use to help identify ME/CFS.

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 not requiredCase-Control

Xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus is not associated with chronic fatigue syndrome in patients from different areas of the us in the 1990s.

Ali, Mir A, Dale, Janet K, Kozak, Christine A et al.·Virology journal·2011

A 2009 study claimed to find a virus called XMRV in most ME/CFS patients, raising hopes for a viral cause. This 2011 study looked for the same virus in ME/CFS patients from similar U.S. regions but found no clear evidence it was present or unique to ME/CFS patients. The small DNA signals they detected appeared to be contamination from mouse DNA rather than actual virus infection.

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Emotional expression, self-silencing, and distress tolerance in anorexia nervosa and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Hambrook, David, Oldershaw, Anna, Rimes, Katharine et al.·The British journal of clinical psychology·2011

This study looked at how people with ME/CFS and anorexia nervosa process emotions differently compared to healthy people. Researchers found that both patient groups had more difficulty tolerating emotional distress, tended to suppress their own needs for others, and held more negative beliefs about experiencing and expressing emotions. These emotional processing difficulties may play a role in how these illnesses develop and persist.

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredLongitudinal

The pathway from glandular fever to chronic fatigue syndrome: can the cognitive behavioural model provide the map?

Moss-Morris, R, Spence, M J, Hou, R·Psychological medicine·2011

This study followed 246 people with glandular fever (infectious mononucleosis) to see who developed chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) in the months after infection. The researchers found that certain psychological factors—like anxiety, depression, perfectionism, and negative beliefs about the illness—were associated with developing CFS. Interestingly, an 'all-or-nothing' approach to activity (pushing hard then stopping completely) was the strongest predictor of CFS at 6 months.

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The search for pain relief in people with chronic fatigue syndrome: a descriptive study.

Absence of detectable XMRV and other MLV-related viruses in healthy blood donors in the United States.

Clinical characteristics of patients with medically unexplained chronic widespread pain: a primary care center study.

The economic impact of chronic fatigue syndrome in Georgia: direct and indirect costs.

Mitochondrial enzymes discriminate between mitochondrial disorders and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Long-term sickness absence among patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

No detectable XMRV in subjects with chronic fatigue syndrome from Quebec.

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

Reliability and validity of Short Form 36 Version 2 to measure health perceptions in a sub-group of individuals with fatigue.

Failure to confirm XMRV/MLVs in the blood of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome: a multi-laboratory study.

No evidence for XMRV nucleic acids, infectious virus or anti-XMRV antibodies in Canadian patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

No Evidence of XMRV or MuLV Sequences in Prostate Cancer, Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma, or the UK Blood Donor Population.

Chronic widespread musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, depression and disordered sleep in chronic post-SARS syndrome; a case-controlled study.

Cerebral blood flow is reduced in chronic fatigue syndrome as assessed by arterial spin labeling.

Social support needs for equity in health and social care: a thematic analysis of experiences of people with chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis.

Increased tenderness in the left third intercostal space in adult patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis: a controlled study.

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

Xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus is not associated with chronic fatigue syndrome in patients from different areas of the us in the 1990s.

Emotional expression, self-silencing, and distress tolerance in anorexia nervosa and chronic fatigue syndrome.

The pathway from glandular fever to chronic fatigue syndrome: can the cognitive behavioural model provide the map?

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