ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

2768 studies

2041–2060 of 2,768 studies

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Prevalence and correlates of nonrestorative sleep complaints.

Ohayon, Maurice M·Archives of internal medicine·2005

This study surveyed over 25,000 people across seven European countries to understand how common nonrestorative sleep (feeling unrefreshed after sleep) is and what factors are linked to it. Researchers found that about 1 in 10 people experience nonrestorative sleep, with women and younger adults affected more often. People with this symptom reported worse daytime tiredness and mental fatigue compared to those with other sleep problems.

E2 ModerateMechanismPEM not requiredMechanistic

Reduction of serotonin transporters of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Yamamoto, Shigeyuki, Ouchi, Yasuomi, Onoe, Hirotaka et al.·Neuroreport·2004

Researchers used brain imaging (PET scans) to study a chemical messenger in the brain called serotonin in ME/CFS patients compared to healthy people. They found that ME/CFS patients had lower levels of serotonin transporters—the proteins that carry serotonin—in a specific brain region called the rostral anterior cingulate. This suggests that serotonin system dysfunction may be involved in ME/CFS symptoms.

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Post-traumatic stress disorder among patients with chronic pain and chronic fatigue.

Roy-Byrne, P, Smith, W R, Goldberg, J et al.·Psychological medicine·2004

This study examined whether trauma and PTSD are more common in people with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome. Researchers found that among 571 patients, about 20% had experienced PTSD and 42% had depression. The link between fibromyalgia symptoms (pain and tender points) and PTSD was strongest in patients who also had depression, suggesting that depression may play an important role in how trauma and chronic pain conditions are connected.

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Perceived stigma in functional somatic syndromes and comparable medical conditions.

Looper, Karl J, Kirmayer, Laurence J·Journal of psychosomatic research·2004

This study compared how stigmatized patients felt when living with ME/CFS, fibromyalgia, or IBS compared to patients with similar-sounding conditions that have clearer medical tests (like MS, rheumatoid arthritis, or inflammatory bowel disease). ME/CFS patients reported feeling more stigma than MS patients, but fibromyalgia and IBS patients did not feel significantly more stigmatized than their comparison groups. The researchers suggest that ME/CFS may feel more stigmatizing because its medical status is less clearly understood by the public and medical community.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Diminished central activation during maximal voluntary contraction in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Schillings, M L, Kalkman, J S, van der Werf, S P et al.·Clinical neurophysiology : official journal of the International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology·2004

This study compared how the brains and muscles of ME/CFS patients and healthy people control muscle strength during a sustained squeeze test. Researchers found that ME/CFS patients had weaker voluntary control from their brain to their muscles at the start of the task, even though their muscles themselves were less fatigued afterward. This suggests that in ME/CFS, the problem may originate from reduced brain-to-muscle signaling rather than muscle weakness itself.

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredLongitudinal

Predictors of outcome in fatigued employees on sick leave: results from a randomised trial.

Huibers, Marcus J H, Bleijenberg, Gijs, van Amelsvoort, Ludovic G P M et al.·Journal of psychosomatic research·2004

This study followed 151 tired employees on sick leave for one year to see who recovered and who returned to work. The researchers found that about 43% of people stopped having persistent fatigue, and 62% went back to work. Interestingly, getting better from fatigue and returning to work were driven by different factors—people who recovered from fatigue tended to view their condition differently psychologically, while those who returned to work tended to be younger, male, and have fewer thinking/memory problems.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredObservational

Outpatient rehabilitative treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS/ME).

Viner, R, Gregorowski, A, Wine, C et al.·Archives of disease in childhood·2004

This study looked at whether a combination of graded exercise, family counseling, and supportive care helped young people with ME/CFS get better compared to supportive care alone. Over 3-24 months, young people who received the full treatment program were more likely to return to school and report feeling better, with 43% fully recovering compared to only 4.5% in the supportive care alone group.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCase-Control

Association of medically unexplained fatigue with ACE insertion/deletion polymorphism in Gulf War veterans.

Vladutiu, Georgirene D, Natelson, Benjamin H·Muscle & nerve·2004

This study looked at a specific gene called ACE that helps control muscle function and found that Gulf War veterans with chronic fatigue had different versions of this gene compared to healthy veterans. Specifically, veterans with a certain genetic pattern (called DD) were much more likely to develop severe, long-lasting fatigue that doctors couldn't easily explain. This suggests that genetics may play a role in who develops ME/CFS, at least in this group of veterans.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Use of time-frequency analysis to investigate temporal patterns of cardiac autonomic response during head-up tilt in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Yoshiuchi, Kazuhiro, Quigley, Karen S, Ohashi, Kyoko et al.·Autonomic neuroscience : basic & clinical·2004

This study looked at how the nervous system that controls heart rate and blood pressure responds when people stand up from lying down. Researchers tested people with ME/CFS (with and without a condition called POTS), and compared them to healthy volunteers. They found that even ME/CFS patients without POTS showed subtle differences in how their heart rate changed during the standing test, suggesting their autonomic nervous system may not work quite normally.

Autonomic Nervous System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Cognitive processing in monozygotic twins discordant for chronic fatigue syndrome.

Mahurin, Roderick K, Claypoole, Keith H, Goldberg, Jack H et al.·Neuropsychology·2004

This study tested thinking and processing speed in identical twins where one had ME/CFS and one didn't, compared to healthy people without the condition. Researchers found that both twin groups—even the healthy ones—were slower at tasks requiring quick thinking compared to unrelated healthy controls, but both groups performed equally well on untimed thinking tasks. This suggests that slower processing speed may run in families rather than being caused by ME/CFS itself.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredObservational

The economic impact of chronic fatigue syndrome.

Reynolds, Kenneth J, Vernon, Suzanne D, Bouchery, Ellen et al.·Cost effectiveness and resource allocation : C/E·2004

This study looked at how much money people with ME/CFS lose because they cannot work or be as productive at home. Researchers found that people with ME/CFS lose about $20,000 per year in productivity on average, and the total cost to the United States economy is around $9.1 billion annually. This financial burden is similar to what other serious diseases like digestive disorders or nervous system conditions cost the country.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Increased neutrophil apoptosis in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Kennedy, G, Spence, V, Underwood, C et al.·Journal of clinical pathology·2004

This study found that people with ME/CFS have more dying white blood cells (neutrophils) and fewer healthy ones compared to people without the condition. The researchers also discovered that ME/CFS patients have higher levels of a chemical called TGF-beta1 that can trigger cell death. These findings suggest that ME/CFS involves measurable problems with the immune system that can be detected in a blood test.

Immune System

E2 ModerateReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Chronic fatigue syndrome: matching exercise to symptom fluctuations.

Skinner, James S·The Physician and sportsmedicine·2004

People with ME/CFS often feel extremely tired and experience worsening fatigue after physical activity, leading many to stop exercising altogether and become weaker. This review suggests that gentle, intermittent exercise at low to moderate intensity may actually help improve how much activity patients can do and reduce their fatigue and other symptoms. The good news is that standard exercise testing doesn't make ME/CFS symptoms worse, and matching exercise type to daily symptom changes appears to be a practical approach.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Cortisol and hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis hormones in follicular-phase women with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome and effect of depressive symptoms on these hormones.

Gur, Ali, Cevik, Remzi, Nas, Kemal et al.·Arthritis research & therapy·2004

This study examined hormone levels in women with fibromyalgia and ME/CFS, comparing them to healthy women. Researchers found that women with both conditions had lower cortisol (a stress hormone) than healthy controls, but other reproductive hormones were similar across groups. Depression symptoms appeared to be connected to even lower cortisol levels, though it's unclear whether depression causes low cortisol or low cortisol contributes to depression.

Endocrine Disruption

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredObservational

A comparison of pregnancies that occur before and after the onset of chronic fatigue syndrome.

Schacterle, Richard S, Komaroff, Anthony L·Archives of internal medicine·2004

This study surveyed 86 women with ME/CFS about their pregnancies before and after developing the illness. During pregnancy, about 4 in 10 women had no change in symptoms, 3 in 10 improved, and 3 in 10 worsened. The study found that pregnancy itself did not consistently make ME/CFS worse, and most pregnancy outcomes were similar whether the illness was present or not, though miscarriage rates were higher in pregnancies after ME/CFS onset.

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredLongitudinal

Development of the chronic fatigue syndrome in severely fatigued employees: predictors of outcome in the Maastricht cohort study.

Huibers, Marcus J H, Kant, I Jmert, Knottnerus, J André et al.·Journal of epidemiology and community health·2004

This study followed over 1,100 Dutch workers who reported unexplained fatigue for 3.7 years to see who would develop ME/CFS and who would recover. About 8% developed ME/CFS-like illness, 40% continued to have fatigue without meeting ME/CFS criteria, and 52% recovered completely. The study found that people at higher risk of developing ME/CFS tended to be older, female, less educated, and reported feeling exhausted and in poor health.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCase-Control

Prevalence of abnormal cardiac wall motion in the cardiomyopathy associated with incomplete multiplication of Epstein-barr Virus and/or cytomegalovirus in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Lerner, A Martin, Dworkin, Howard J, Sayyed, Tawfeeq et al.·In vivo (Athens, Greece)·2004

This study examined whether certain ME/CFS patients have heart problems caused by incomplete viral infections with Epstein-Barr virus or cytomegalovirus. Researchers found that ME/CFS patients with specific viral antibodies in their blood were more likely to show abnormal heart wall movement compared to control patients without ME/CFS. Some ME/CFS patients even showed heart tissue damage (cardiomyopathy) on biopsy.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

General practitioners' perceptions of chronic fatigue syndrome and beliefs about its management, compared with irritable bowel syndrome: qualitative study.

Raine, Rosalind, Carter, Simon, Sensky, Tom et al.·BMJ (Clinical research ed.)·2004

This study asked 46 general practitioners (GPs) in England about their views on ME/CFS and compared these with their views on irritable bowel syndrome. The researchers found that many GPs held negative stereotypes about ME/CFS patients, viewing them unfavorably because the condition has no clear physical marker, changes how it's classified over time, and conflicts with traditional ideas about work and illness. These negative attitudes made it harder for GPs to provide effective care.

Diagnostics

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearObservational

[Biologically active food additives for correction of the chronic fatigue syndrome].

Dotsenko, V A, Mosiĭchuk, L V, Paramonov, A E·Voprosy pitaniia·2004

This study looked at whether a nutritional supplement made from beer yeast called 'Nagipol' might help people with ME/CFS. Researchers gave the supplement to patients and found improvements in fatigue, thinking ability, mood symptoms, and some blood markers. The authors suggest it could be useful as part of dietary treatment for ME/CFS, especially for patients who are overweight.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCase-Control

Peripheral cholinergic function in humans with chronic fatigue syndrome, Gulf War syndrome and with illness following organophosphate exposure.

Khan, Faisel, Kennedy, Gwen, Spence, Vance A et al.·Clinical science (London, England : 1979)·2004

Researchers tested how blood vessels in the forearm respond to acetylcholine (a chemical messenger in the body) in people with ME/CFS, Gulf War illness, and pesticide exposure. They found that people with ME/CFS had an unusually strong vascular response to acetylcholine, but people with the other two conditions had normal responses. This suggests ME/CFS may involve a specific problem with how the body breaks down acetylcholine in blood vessels.

Autonomic Nervous System

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Prevalence and correlates of nonrestorative sleep complaints.

Reduction of serotonin transporters of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Post-traumatic stress disorder among patients with chronic pain and chronic fatigue.

Perceived stigma in functional somatic syndromes and comparable medical conditions.

Diminished central activation during maximal voluntary contraction in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Predictors of outcome in fatigued employees on sick leave: results from a randomised trial.

Outpatient rehabilitative treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS/ME).

Association of medically unexplained fatigue with ACE insertion/deletion polymorphism in Gulf War veterans.

Use of time-frequency analysis to investigate temporal patterns of cardiac autonomic response during head-up tilt in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Cognitive processing in monozygotic twins discordant for chronic fatigue syndrome.

The economic impact of chronic fatigue syndrome.

Increased neutrophil apoptosis in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Chronic fatigue syndrome: matching exercise to symptom fluctuations.

Cortisol and hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis hormones in follicular-phase women with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome and effect of depressive symptoms on these hormones.

A comparison of pregnancies that occur before and after the onset of chronic fatigue syndrome.

Development of the chronic fatigue syndrome in severely fatigued employees: predictors of outcome in the Maastricht cohort study.

Prevalence of abnormal cardiac wall motion in the cardiomyopathy associated with incomplete multiplication of Epstein-barr Virus and/or cytomegalovirus in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

General practitioners' perceptions of chronic fatigue syndrome and beliefs about its management, compared with irritable bowel syndrome: qualitative study.

[Biologically active food additives for correction of the chronic fatigue syndrome].

Peripheral cholinergic function in humans with chronic fatigue syndrome, Gulf War syndrome and with illness following organophosphate exposure.

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