Evidence browser

Exercise capacity and immune function in male and female patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS).

Snell, Christopher R, Vanness, J Mark, Strayer, David R et al.·In vivo (Athens, Greece)·2005

This study looked at whether a specific immune system problem affects how much exercise people with ME/CFS can do. Researchers tested 106 ME/CFS patients (35 men and 71 women) on exercise machines and found that patients with abnormal immune activity had noticeably lower exercise capacity than those with normal immune function. The difference was about the same for both men and women.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Brain 5-HT1A receptor binding in chronic fatigue syndrome measured using positron emission tomography and [11C]WAY-100635.

Cleare, Anthony J, Messa, Cristina, Rabiner, Eugenii A et al.·Biological psychiatry·2005

This study used brain imaging to measure a specific receptor (5-HT1A) that helps regulate serotonin, a chemical messenger in the brain. Researchers compared 10 ME/CFS patients with 10 healthy people and found that ME/CFS patients had significantly fewer of these receptors, especially in a brain region called the hippocampus (involved in memory and emotion). This suggests that serotonin regulation in the brain may work differently in ME/CFS.

Orthostatic instability in a population-based study of chronic fatigue syndrome.

Jones, James F, Nicholson, Ainsley, Nisenbaum, Rosane et al.·The American journal of medicine·2005

This study tested whether people with ME/CFS have problems with their body's ability to regulate blood pressure and heart rate when changing positions (like standing up). Researchers compared 58 people with ME/CFS to 55 healthy people using a tilt table test. Surprisingly, they found that both groups had similar rates of these problems, suggesting that this particular type of autonomic dysfunction may not be a primary cause of ME/CFS.

Autonomic Nervous System

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Children and adolescents with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome in non-specialist settings: beliefs, functional impairment and psychiatric disturbance.

Richards, Josephine, Turk, Jeremy, White, Sarah·European child & adolescent psychiatry·2005

This study looked at 30 children and teenagers with ME/CFS who were seen in regular medical clinics (not specialist ME/CFS centers) and compared them to 30 young people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Young people with ME/CFS had much higher rates of emotional and psychiatric symptoms, missed far more school, and strongly preferred rest over exercise compared to those with IBD. The study found that children and adolescents with ME/CFS experience significant disability and psychological distress.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome with antibiotics: pilot study assessing the involvement of Coxiella burnetii infection.

Iwakami, Etsuko, Arashima, Yasutomo, Kato, Kimitoshi et al.·Internal medicine (Tokyo, Japan)·2005

Researchers tested whether a specific bacterium called Coxiella burnetii might be causing ME/CFS by treating infected patients with antibiotics. While the antibiotics successfully cleared the infection in all patients tested, symptoms like fever, headache, and fatigue did not improve in the ME/CFS group—though they did improve significantly in patients who had post-Q fever fatigue syndrome (a related condition). This suggests that even though some ME/CFS patients carry this bacterium, it may not be the main cause of their illness.

Prevalence of chronic fatigue and chronic fatigue syndrome in Korea: community-based primary care study.

Kim, Cheol Hwan, Shin, Ho Cheol, Won, Chang Won·Journal of Korean medical science·2005

Researchers in Korea asked nearly 1,650 patients visiting primary care clinics about fatigue and checked whether they had chronic fatigue or ME/CFS. They found that about 8% of patients had chronic fatigue, but only 0.6% (less than 1%) had ME/CFS. Most chronic fatigue cases could be explained by physical or psychological causes, while ME/CFS cases had no clear medical explanation.

Diagnostics

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Diurnal patterns of salivary cortisol and cortisone output in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Jerjes, W K, Cleare, A J, Wessely, S et al.·Journal of affective disorders·2005

This study measured stress hormone levels (cortisol and cortisone) in saliva samples from ME/CFS patients and healthy people throughout the day. Researchers found that ME/CFS patients had lower levels of both hormones compared to healthy controls, but the daily pattern of these hormones remained similar between the two groups. This suggests that the body's stress response system may not be working at full capacity in some ME/CFS patients.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Oxidative stress levels are raised in chronic fatigue syndrome and are associated with clinical symptoms.

Kennedy, Gwen, Spence, Vance A, McLaren, Margaret et al.·Free radical biology & medicine·2005

This study measured harmful molecules called free radicals in the blood of ME/CFS patients and compared them to healthy people. Researchers found that ME/CFS patients had higher levels of these damaging molecules, and in patients without heart disease risk factors, the amount of free radicals correlated with how severe their symptoms were, particularly fatigue after exertion and joint pain.

BiomarkersPost-Exertional Malaise

Fatigue and regulation of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis in multiple sclerosis.

Gottschalk, Michaela, Kümpfel, Tania, Flachenecker, Peter et al.·Archives of neurology·2005

This study looked at fatigue in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients and examined whether their stress hormone system (HPA axis) might be involved. Researchers tested 31 MS patients using three different fatigue questionnaires and a special hormone test. They found that MS patients with severe fatigue had higher levels of a stress hormone called ACTH compared to MS patients without fatigue.

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredObservational

The definition of disabling fatigue in children and adolescents.

Fowler, Tom, Duthie, Pamela, Thapar, Anita et al.·BMC family practice·2005

This study looked at how disabling fatigue in children and teens should be defined, since the current definition used for adults might not fit young people well. Researchers found that children with disabling fatigue that didn't quite meet the strict adult criteria still suffered just as much and missed just as much school as those who did meet the strict criteria. The study suggests that doctors should use a broader, less restrictive definition to catch all children who need help.

Diagnostics

Cognitive behaviour group therapy for chronic fatigue syndrome: a non-randomised waiting list controlled study.

Bazelmans, E, Prins, J B, Lulofs, R et al.·Psychotherapy and psychosomatics·2005

This study tested whether cognitive behavior group therapy (CBGT)—a type of talk therapy done in groups—could help people with ME/CFS feel less fatigued and function better. Researchers compared 31 patients who received 12 sessions of CBGT over 6 months to 36 patients on a waiting list. They found the therapy had a modest benefit for fatigue but unexpectedly made functional problems slightly worse.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Awareness and knowledge of fibromyalgia among French rheumatologists and general practitioners.

Blotman, F, Thomas, E, Myon, E et al.·Clinical and experimental rheumatology·2005

This study asked French doctors (both general practitioners and specialists called rheumatologists) how much they knew about fibromyalgia, a condition with widespread muscle pain and fatigue. The results showed that most doctors had never formally learned about this condition in medical school, and many did not fully recognize it as a legitimate disease. The study highlights that doctors need better training to understand and properly diagnose fibromyalgia.

Diagnostics

Salivary cortisol as a predictor of postoperative fatigue.

Rubin, G James, Hotopf, Matthew, Papadopoulos, Andrew et al.·Psychosomatic medicine·2005

This study tested whether low cortisol (a stress hormone) causes or predicts chronic fatigue by following 161 patients before and after surgery. The researchers measured cortisol levels and fatigue at multiple time points, but found that low cortisol before or after surgery did not predict who would develop fatigue. This suggests that if low cortisol is connected to chronic fatigue, it develops after symptoms begin rather than causing them.

Biomarkers

Stress-induced changes in LPS-induced pro-inflammatory cytokine production in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Gaab, Jens, Rohleder, Nicolas, Heitz, Vera et al.·Psychoneuroendocrinology·2005

This study tested how ME/CFS patients' immune systems respond to stress compared to healthy people. Researchers gave both groups a stressful public speaking task, then exposed their blood samples to a bacterial substance to measure immune response. Unlike healthy controls whose immune response increased after stress, ME/CFS patients showed a decreased immune response, suggesting their bodies may not mobilize infection-fighting chemicals normally during stress.

Immune System

24-hour pituitary and adrenal hormone profiles in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Di Giorgio, Annabella, Hudson, Marina, Jerjes, Walid et al.·Psychosomatic medicine·2005

Researchers measured hormone levels in ME/CFS patients and healthy people over a full 24-hour period to see if the body's stress-hormone system works differently. They found that ME/CFS patients had lower levels of ACTH (a hormone that signals the adrenal glands) throughout the day, especially in the morning when levels normally peak. Other hormones tested were normal, suggesting a subtle problem with how the stress-hormone system is regulated.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Employment status in chronic fatigue syndrome. A cross-sectional study examining the value of exercise testing and self-reported measures for the assessment of employment status.

Nijs, Jo, Van de Putte, Karen, Louckx, Fred et al.·Clinical rehabilitation·2005

This study looked at whether exercise tests and questionnaires could predict which ME/CFS patients could work. Researchers tested 54 employed patients with ME/CFS and asked them about their work status and quality of life. They found that while some measures weakly related to employment, neither exercise testing nor self-reported disability measures were strong enough to reliably predict who could work.

Disturbed adrenal function in adolescents with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Segal, T Y, Hindmarsh, P C, Viner, R M·Journal of pediatric endocrinology & metabolism : JPEM·2005

This study tested how well the adrenal glands (small glands that produce stress hormones) respond to stimulation in adolescents with ME/CFS compared to healthy teens. Researchers found that adolescents with ME/CFS had weaker adrenal responses, producing less of the hormone cortisol and taking longer to reach peak levels. These differences were more noticeable in girls than boys.

[Clinical observation on effect of electro-acupuncture on back-shu points in treating chronic fatigue syndrome].

Wang, Qian, Xiong, Jia-xuan·Zhongguo Zhong xi yi jie he za zhi Zhongguo Zhongxiyi jiehe zazhi = Chinese journal of integrated traditional and Western medicine·2005

This study tested whether a type of acupuncture called electro-acupuncture (using small electrical currents with acupuncture needles) could help people with chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) feel less tired and have fewer symptoms. Forty patients received treatment targeting specific acupuncture points on the back, and researchers measured their fatigue and symptom levels before and after treatment. The results showed that fatigue and symptoms improved significantly after the treatment.

Interventions

[Prevalence of atopy in chronic fatigue syndrome].

Ferré Ybarz, L, Cardona Dahl, V, Cadahía García, A et al.·Allergologia et immunopathologia·2005

Researchers compared allergies and allergic sensitivity in 25 people with ME/CFS to 20 healthy controls. While patients with ME/CFS reported slightly more respiratory symptoms and drug allergies, the study found no significant difference in overall allergic sensitization between the two groups. This suggests that allergies may not be a core feature of ME/CFS, though some patients do experience them.

Immune System