ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

2768 studies

1841–1860 of 2,768 studies

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Immunoassay with cytomegalovirus early antigens from gene products p52 and CM2 (UL44 and UL57) detects active infection in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Beqaj, S H, Lerner, A M, Fitzgerald, J T·Journal of clinical pathology·2008

This study tested a new blood test method to detect active cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection in ME/CFS patients. The new test, called Copalis, was more sensitive than standard tests at finding signs of active CMV infection, detecting it in about 12% of CMV-exposed patients compared to only 2% with the older method. The researchers suggest this improved test could help identify a subset of ME/CFS patients who have active CMV infection.

Immune System

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredLongitudinal

Etiology of chronic fatigue syndrome: testing popular hypotheses using a national birth cohort study.

Harvey, Samuel B, Wadsworth, Michael, Wessely, Simon et al.·Psychosomatic medicine·2008

This study followed nearly 5,000 people from birth into their 50s to understand what causes ME/CFS. Researchers found that people who exercised more throughout their life—and continued exercising even as they felt increasingly tired—were more likely to develop ME/CFS later on. The study suggests that continuing to push yourself physically while experiencing growing fatigue may play a role in developing this condition.

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredLongitudinal

Predictors of persistent and new-onset fatigue in adolescent girls.

ter Wolbeek, Maike, van Doornen, Lorenz J P, Kavelaars, Annemieke et al.·Pediatrics·2008

This study followed 653 teenage girls over one year to understand why some develop long-lasting fatigue while others recover. Researchers found that about 26% of girls who were severely fatigued at the start remained fatigued throughout the year. Depression, anxiety, low physical activity, and poor sleep were linked to persistent or new fatigue, suggesting that emotional health and lifestyle habits play important roles in fatigue development.

Sleep

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredLongitudinal

Increase in prefrontal cortical volume following cognitive behavioural therapy in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

de Lange, Floris P, Koers, Anda, Kalkman, Joke S et al.·Brain : a journal of neurology·2008

This study found that ME/CFS patients have less brain tissue volume in certain areas compared to healthy people, but this loss can partially reverse with cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). Patients who received CBT showed improvement in their symptoms, physical activity, and thinking speed, and their brain scans revealed increased grey matter volume in the prefrontal cortex (the front part of the brain involved in decision-making). This suggests that some of the brain changes seen in ME/CFS may not be permanent and could improve with effective treatment.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Diffuse noxious inhibitory control is delayed in chronic fatigue syndrome: an experimental study.

Meeus, Mira, Nijs, Jo, Van de Wauwer, Naomi et al.·Pain·2008

This study tested how quickly the body's natural pain-blocking system kicks in when ME/CFS patients experience heat pain compared to healthy people. Researchers immersed participants' arms in warm water and tracked pain levels over time. They found that people with ME/CFS have stronger pain sensations overall, and their bodies take longer to activate the natural pain-suppression mechanism that normally reduces pain during ongoing stimulation.

Pain and Sensitization

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Prevalence of chronic widespread pain and chronic fatigue syndrome in Korean livestock raisers.

Kim, Seong-Ho, Lee, Kwan, Lim, Hyun-Sul·Journal of occupational health·2008

This study looked at how common chronic widespread pain and chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) are among Korean livestock farmers. Researchers surveyed farmers to understand whether their work environments and conditions might be connected to these conditions. The study helps show that ME/CFS affects not just office workers, but also people in physically demanding jobs like farming.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Gait characteristics of subjects with chronic fatigue syndrome and controls at self-selected and matched velocities.

Paul, Lorna, Rafferty, Danny, Wood, Leslie et al.·Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitation·2008

People with ME/CFS often walk differently than healthy people. Researchers tracked how 12 people with ME/CFS and 12 healthy controls walked, measuring their leg and ankle movements. People with ME/CFS walked slower and had different ankle movements, especially when walking at their own comfortable pace.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Negotiating the diagnostic uncertainty of contested illnesses: physician practices and paradigms.

Swoboda, Debra A·Health (London, England : 1997)·2008

This study surveyed 800 U.S. doctors to understand how they diagnose ME/CFS and similar illnesses that lack clear lab tests or agreed-upon causes. Researchers found that many doctors do diagnose these conditions, even without complete scientific consensus, by using practical strategies like consulting expert resources, ordering specific tests, and considering how the body might be affected. The study shows that doctors can rationally diagnose ME/CFS by using thoughtful decision-making processes, and that patients may benefit from seeing doctors who use these careful diagnostic approaches.

Diagnostics

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Low-grade inflammation and arterial wave reflection in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Spence, Vance A, Kennedy, Gwen, Belch, Jill J F et al.·Clinical science (London, England : 1979)·2008

This study found that people with ME/CFS have stiffer arteries and higher levels of inflammation and oxidative stress (cellular damage) compared to healthy people. These cardiovascular changes are associated with each other and may increase the risk of future heart problems in people with ME/CFS.

Immune System

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Fatigue among Spanish- and English-speaking Latinos.

Torres-Harding, Susan R, Mason-Shutter, Jennifer, Jason, Leonard A·Social work in public health·2008

This study looked at fatigue levels in Latino communities in Chicago, comparing people who speak English at home with those who speak Spanish at home. Researchers found that English-speaking Latinos reported higher levels of fatigue than Spanish-speaking Latinos. The difference remained even after accounting for other factors like age, income, and education, suggesting that cultural factors related to language and adaptation to a new country may play a role in how severe fatigue becomes.

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Chronic pain and fatigue: Associations with religion and spirituality.

Baetz, M, Bowen, R·Pain research & management·2008

This study looked at whether religion and spiritual beliefs affect how people experience chronic pain and fatigue, including ME/CFS. Using data from over 37,000 Canadians, researchers found that people who actively practice religion had fewer chronic pain and fatigue symptoms, while those who were spiritual but didn't attend religious services were more likely to have these conditions. People with chronic pain and fatigue often used prayer and spiritual support to cope, and those combining both religion and spirituality reported better emotional well-being.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Health-related quality of life in chronic fatigue syndrome: predictors of physical functioning and psychological distress.

Lowry, Timothy J, Pakenham, Kenneth I·Psychology, health & medicine·2008

This study looked at how ME/CFS affects quality of life in 139 Australian patients. Compared to healthy people, ME/CFS patients had significantly worse physical functioning and 63% experienced serious emotional distress. The severity of physical and mental fatigue, along with how often symptoms occurred, were the strongest predictors of poor physical quality of life.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearObservational

Measuring health outcomes of a multidisciplinary care approach in individuals with chronic environmental conditions using an abbreviated symptoms questionnaire.

Fox, Roy, Sampalli, Tara, Fox, Jonathan·Journal of multidisciplinary healthcare·2008

This study looked at how well a multidisciplinary treatment program (combining different types of care) worked for people with multiple chemical sensitivity and related conditions like ME/CFS. Researchers tracked 292 patients over time and used a symptom questionnaire to measure improvement. They found that some symptoms like difficulty concentrating and tiredness improved quickly (within 6 months), while others like fatigue took longer to improve.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Small heart syndrome in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Miwa, Kunihisa, Fujita, Masatoshi·Clinical cardiology·2008

This study found that people with ME/CFS are more likely to have a smaller heart than healthy people. Researchers used chest X-rays and heart ultrasounds to measure heart size in 56 ME/CFS patients under age 50 and compared them to 38 healthy controls. Patients with both ME/CFS and a small heart also experienced more symptoms like dizziness when standing, cold feet, and heart rhythm irregularities.

Autonomic Nervous System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Reduced plasma dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate levels are significantly correlated with fatigue severity in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis.

Ahboucha, Samir, Pomier-Layrargues, Gilles, Vincent, Catherine et al.·Neurochemistry international·2008

This study looked at a hormone called DHEAS in patients with a liver disease called primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC). The researchers found that patients with PBC who experienced fatigue had lower DHEAS levels than healthy people, and the lower the DHEAS, the more severe their fatigue was. This suggests that low DHEAS might be one reason why some liver patients feel exhausted, and raising DHEAS levels might help reduce their fatigue.

Endocrine Disruption

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Electrocardiographic QT interval and cardiovascular reactivity in fibromyalgia differ from chronic fatigue syndrome.

Naschitz, Jochanan E, Slobodin, Gleb, Sharif, Dauod et al.·European journal of internal medicine·2008

This study found that ME/CFS and fibromyalgia, two conditions that seem similar on the surface, actually show different patterns on heart tests. People with ME/CFS had shorter QT intervals on their electrocardiogram (a measure of heart electrical activity) and had more dramatic blood pressure and heart rate changes during a tilting test compared to people with fibromyalgia. These differences suggest the two conditions may be distinct disorders rather than variants of the same illness.

Autonomic Nervous System

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredLongitudinal

Catastrophizing and causal beliefs in whiplash.

Buitenhuis, J, de Jong, P J, Jaspers, J P C et al.·Spine·2008

This study looked at how people's thoughts and beliefs affect recovery from neck injuries caused by car accidents. Researchers found that people who catastrophize (expect the worst) about their pain and who believe their symptoms are caused by 'whiplash' tend to have longer-lasting problems, even when their initial injury was not severe. The study followed 140 people for a year after their accidents to see how their beliefs influenced their recovery.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Are patients with chronic fatigue syndrome just 'tired' or also 'sleepy'?

Neu, Daniel, Hoffmann, Guy, Moutrier, Robert et al.·Journal of sleep research·2008

This study asked whether ME/CFS patients experience daytime sleepiness (like wanting to nap) or mainly fatigue (exhaustion that doesn't improve with rest). Researchers tested 16 ME/CFS patients, 13 sleep apnea patients, and 12 healthy people using both objective sleep tests and questionnaires. They found that ME/CFS patients reported much higher fatigue than sleepiness, while sleep apnea patients showed the opposite pattern—suggesting fatigue and sleepiness are different problems.

Sleep

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

The prevalence of generalized soft tissue rheumatic conditions in Turkish medical students.

Eyigor, Sibel, Ozdedeli, Selcen, Durmaz, Berrin·Journal of clinical rheumatology : practical reports on rheumatic & musculoskeletal diseases·2008

This study looked at how common soft tissue pain conditions—including fibromyalgia, muscle pain, and joint hypermobility—are among medical students in Turkey. Researchers found that about 1 in 5 students had one of these conditions, with women affected much more often than men. Students with these conditions reported lower quality of life, especially in physical functioning and energy levels.

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredLongitudinal

Physical health 25 years later: the predictive ability of neuroticism.

Charles, Susan Turk, Gatz, Margaret, Kato, Kenji et al.·Health psychology : official journal of the Division of Health Psychology, American Psychological Association·2008

This study followed over 21,000 people for 25 years to see if personality traits measured in 1973 could predict physical health problems in 1998–2002. The researchers found that people who scored higher on neuroticism—a trait involving worry, emotional sensitivity, and stress—were more likely to report having chronic conditions, including chronic fatigue syndrome. However, when family history was considered, some of these connections weakened, suggesting that genetics may partly explain why certain personality traits and health problems run in families.

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Immunoassay with cytomegalovirus early antigens from gene products p52 and CM2 (UL44 and UL57) detects active infection in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Etiology of chronic fatigue syndrome: testing popular hypotheses using a national birth cohort study.

Predictors of persistent and new-onset fatigue in adolescent girls.

Increase in prefrontal cortical volume following cognitive behavioural therapy in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Diffuse noxious inhibitory control is delayed in chronic fatigue syndrome: an experimental study.

Prevalence of chronic widespread pain and chronic fatigue syndrome in Korean livestock raisers.

Gait characteristics of subjects with chronic fatigue syndrome and controls at self-selected and matched velocities.

Negotiating the diagnostic uncertainty of contested illnesses: physician practices and paradigms.

Low-grade inflammation and arterial wave reflection in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Fatigue among Spanish- and English-speaking Latinos.

Chronic pain and fatigue: Associations with religion and spirituality.

Health-related quality of life in chronic fatigue syndrome: predictors of physical functioning and psychological distress.

Measuring health outcomes of a multidisciplinary care approach in individuals with chronic environmental conditions using an abbreviated symptoms questionnaire.

Small heart syndrome in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Reduced plasma dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate levels are significantly correlated with fatigue severity in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis.

Electrocardiographic QT interval and cardiovascular reactivity in fibromyalgia differ from chronic fatigue syndrome.

Catastrophizing and causal beliefs in whiplash.

Are patients with chronic fatigue syndrome just 'tired' or also 'sleepy'?

The prevalence of generalized soft tissue rheumatic conditions in Turkish medical students.

Physical health 25 years later: the predictive ability of neuroticism.

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