ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

2785 studies

2141–2160 of 2,785 studies

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Illness perceptions and levels of disability in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome and rheumatoid arthritis.

Moss-Morris, Rona, Chalder, Trudie·Journal of psychosomatic research·2003

This study compared how people with ME/CFS and people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) view their illnesses and how disabled they feel. Researchers found that people with ME/CFS believe their symptoms are caused by a virus or immune problem, think their symptoms affect more areas of daily life, and report greater difficulty with work and social activities compared to RA patients—even though both groups have similar levels of physical disability.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Prevalence and incidence of chronic fatigue syndrome in Wichita, Kansas.

Reyes, Michele, Nisenbaum, Rosane, Hoaglin, David C et al.·Archives of internal medicine·2003

This study surveyed over 90,000 residents in Wichita, Kansas to find out how many people have ME/CFS. Researchers found that about 235 out of every 100,000 people have the condition, with women affected about 4 times more often than men. They also followed some people for a year to see how many newly developed ME/CFS, finding 180 new cases per 100,000 people.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredObservational

Enterovirus related metabolic myopathy: a postviral fatigue syndrome.

Lane, R J M, Soteriou, B A, Zhang, H et al.·Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry·2003

Researchers tested muscle samples from ME/CFS patients to see if they contained enterovirus (a type of virus). They found that about 21% of ME/CFS patients had enterovirus in their muscles, while none of the healthy control subjects did. Patients with enterovirus in their muscles were more likely to show abnormal lactate (a byproduct of muscle work) buildup during exercise, suggesting their muscles weren't using energy efficiently.

Energy MetabolismPost-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredLongitudinal

Fatigue in a community sample of twins.

Sullivan, P F, Kovalenko, P, York, T P et al.·Psychological medicine·2003

This study looked at fatigue that interferes with daily life in nearly 8,000 twins to understand what causes it. The researchers found that fatigue is connected to many different things—including depression, anxiety, stress, and how people view their health—but not always in the same way for everyone. The study suggests that fatigue is not one simple condition but rather several different types with different underlying causes.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCase-Control

Complement activation in a model of chronic fatigue syndrome.

Sorensen, Bristol, Streib, Joanne E, Strand, Matthew et al.·The Journal of allergy and clinical immunology·2003

Researchers asked people with ME/CFS and healthy controls to exercise on a stationary bike, then tracked their symptoms and blood markers over the following week. They found that people with ME/CFS had a specific increase in a immune system marker called C4a six hours after exercise, and their fatigue and reduced activity worsened significantly, while healthy controls did not show these changes.

Immune SystemPost-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredObservational

Chronic fatigue and organophosphate pesticides in sheep farming: a retrospective study amongst people reporting to a UK pharmacovigilance scheme.

Tahmaz, N, Soutar, A, Cherrie, J W·The Annals of occupational hygiene·2003

This study looked at sheep farmers in the UK who reported health problems they believed were caused by pesticides used in sheep dipping. Researchers wanted to know if repeated exposure to these pesticides was linked to chronic fatigue. They found that fatigue was very common among farmers who thought pesticides affected their health, and there was some association between higher pesticide exposure and higher fatigue scores, though the evidence was limited.

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Functional status, neuropsychological functioning, and mood in chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS): relationship to psychiatric disorder.

Tiersky, Lana A, Matheis, Robert J, Deluca, John et al.·The Journal of nervous and mental disease·2003

This study looked at how depression and anxiety affect people with ME/CFS. Researchers compared four groups: people with ME/CFS alone, people with ME/CFS plus mental health symptoms that started after CFS, people with ME/CFS plus mental health symptoms that started before CFS, and healthy controls. The main finding was that while mental health problems don't make the physical fatigue and weakness worse, they do make people feel more emotionally distressed—especially if those mental health issues came before the CFS diagnosis.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Post-traumatic stress disorder and chronic fatigue syndrome-like illness among Gulf War veterans: a population-based survey of 30,000 veterans.

Kang, Han K, Natelson, Benjamin H, Mahan, Clare M et al.·American journal of epidemiology·2003

This study compared Gulf War veterans to non-deployed veterans and found that those who served in the Gulf War had much higher rates of both PTSD and a condition resembling ME/CFS. Interestingly, while PTSD risk increased steadily with exposure to combat stress, ME/CFS-like illness only became more common at lower stress levels, suggesting that factors beyond stress alone may have caused the fatigue condition in Gulf War veterans.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Epidemiology of chronic fatigue syndrome and self reported myalgic encephalomyelitis in 5-15 year olds: cross sectional study.

Chalder, T, Goodman, R, Wessely, S et al.·BMJ (Clinical research ed.)·2003

This study looked at how common ME/CFS is in children aged 5-15 years old in the United Kingdom. Researchers surveyed thousands of families to find out how many children experienced long-lasting tiredness and muscle pain similar to ME/CFS. The findings help doctors understand how widespread this condition is in young people.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Diagnosing chronic fatigue syndrome: comparison of a protocol and computerised questionnaires.

Prins, J B, Elving, L D, Koning, H et al.·The Netherlands journal of medicine·2003

This study looked at whether doctors and researchers using a computer questionnaire agreed on who has ME/CFS. They reviewed 516 patients with chronic fatigue and found that doctors and researchers agreed about 84% of the time. When they disagreed, it was usually because they couldn't agree on how severe the fatigue was or how much it affected daily life. Only 3% of patients had a physical medical condition that explained their fatigue.

Diagnostics

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Aerobic capacity of Gulf War veterans with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Nagelkirk, Paul R, Cook, Dane B, Peckerman, Arnold et al.·Military medicine·2003

This study tested whether Gulf War veterans with ME/CFS had reduced exercise capacity compared to healthy Gulf War veterans. Researchers measured how well the heart and lungs worked during maximum exercise on a stationary bike. Surprisingly, the two groups performed similarly—those with ME/CFS were able to exercise just as hard and achieve similar fitness levels as the healthy veterans.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredLongitudinal

A population-based study of the clinical course of chronic fatigue syndrome.

Nisenbaum, Rosane, Jones, James F, Unger, Elizabeth R et al.·Health and quality of life outcomes·2003

This study followed 65 people with ME/CFS for up to 3 years to understand how the illness changes over time. Most people experienced periods where symptoms improved (called remission), though only 10% had complete and lasting improvement. The study found that people who had been sick for 2 years or less were more likely to recover, and that sleep problems remained a major issue even when other symptoms improved.

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Psychiatric adjustment in chronic fatigue syndrome of childhood and in juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

Rangel, L, Garralda, M E, Hall, A et al.·Psychological medicine·2003

This study compared psychiatric and emotional problems in children with ME/CFS versus children with juvenile arthritis, another serious chronic illness. Children with ME/CFS had significantly more depression, anxiety, and personality difficulties than the arthritis group, even though both groups faced similar challenges from living with chronic illness. This suggests that ME/CFS may involve specific factors that increase psychiatric risk beyond what chronic illness alone would explain.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Multiple co-infections (Mycoplasma, Chlamydia, human herpes virus-6) in blood of chronic fatigue syndrome patients: association with signs and symptoms.

Nicolson, G L, Gan, R, Haier, J·APMIS : acta pathologica, microbiologica, et immunologica Scandinavica·2003

This study tested the blood of 200 ME/CFS patients and 100 healthy controls for three types of infections: Mycoplasma bacteria, Chlamydia bacteria, and human herpesvirus-6 (HHV-6). The researchers found that ME/CFS patients had significantly higher rates of these infections compared to healthy people, and patients with multiple infections at the same time tended to have more severe symptoms.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Association between serotonin transporter gene polymorphism and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Narita, Masaaki, Nishigami, Naoko, Narita, Naoko et al.·Biochemical and biophysical research communications·2003

This study looked at a specific gene that controls serotonin, a chemical messenger in the brain. Researchers compared the genetic versions of this gene in 78 ME/CFS patients and healthy controls. They found that ME/CFS patients were more likely to have a genetic variant that may reduce how much serotonin stays active in the brain, which could make people more vulnerable to developing ME/CFS.

Endocrine Disruption

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearObservational

Chronic fatigue syndrome in patients with macrophagic myofasciitis.

Authier, François-Jérôme, Sauvat, Stéphane, Champey, Julien et al.·Arthritis and rheumatism·2003

This study looked at patients with macrophagic myofasciitis (MMF), a rare inflammatory muscle condition, and found that some of them also developed symptoms very similar to chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). The researchers observed that these patients experienced persistent fatigue, muscle pain, and other symptoms characteristic of ME/CFS alongside their muscle inflammation.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Relationship between musculoskeletal symptoms and blood markers of oxidative stress in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Vecchiet, Jacopo, Cipollone, Francesco, Falasca, Katia et al.·Neuroscience letters·2003

This study compared 21 people with ME/CFS to 20 healthy people and found that those with ME/CFS had signs of increased cellular damage (oxidative stress) and lower levels of protective molecules in their blood. People with ME/CFS also had more fatigue and their muscles were more sensitive to pain. The researchers found that the amount of cellular damage correlated with how fatigued people felt and how sensitive their muscles were.

Pain and Sensitization

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Prolonged acetylcholine-induced vasodilatation in the peripheral microcirculation of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Khan, Faisel, Spence, Vance, Kennedy, Gwen et al.·Clinical physiology and functional imaging·2003

This study looked at how blood vessels in the skin of ME/CFS patients respond to acetylcholine, a chemical messenger in the body. Researchers found that while the initial response was similar in patients and healthy controls, the blood vessels of ME/CFS patients took much longer to return to normal after the chemical was applied. This suggests that the way nerve signals control blood vessel function may be different in ME/CFS.

Autonomic Nervous System

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCase-Control

Life events, difficulties and dilemmas in the onset of chronic fatigue syndrome: a case-control study.

Hatcher, Simon, House, Allan·Psychological medicine·2003

This study compared 64 people with ME/CFS to 64 similar people without the condition to see if stressful life events played a role in developing the illness. Researchers found that ME/CFS patients were much more likely to have experienced severe stress or difficult situations in the few months before getting sick. Particularly interesting was that about 30% of ME/CFS patients had faced an unsolvable dilemma (a 'no-win' situation) before illness onset, while none of the healthy controls had experienced this.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Associations between bronchial hyperresponsiveness and immune cell parameters in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Nijs, Jo, De Becker, Pascale, De Meirleir, Kenny et al.·Chest·2003

Some ME/CFS patients experience unusual airway sensitivity (called bronchial hyperresponsiveness), but the reason why is unclear. This study tested whether this airway sensitivity is caused by specific immune system problems. Researchers found that patients with airway sensitivity had different immune cell patterns than healthy people, but these differences were not the same type seen in asthma, suggesting a different mechanism is at work.

Immune System

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Illness perceptions and levels of disability in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome and rheumatoid arthritis.

Prevalence and incidence of chronic fatigue syndrome in Wichita, Kansas.

Enterovirus related metabolic myopathy: a postviral fatigue syndrome.

Fatigue in a community sample of twins.

Complement activation in a model of chronic fatigue syndrome.

Chronic fatigue and organophosphate pesticides in sheep farming: a retrospective study amongst people reporting to a UK pharmacovigilance scheme.

Functional status, neuropsychological functioning, and mood in chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS): relationship to psychiatric disorder.

Post-traumatic stress disorder and chronic fatigue syndrome-like illness among Gulf War veterans: a population-based survey of 30,000 veterans.

Epidemiology of chronic fatigue syndrome and self reported myalgic encephalomyelitis in 5-15 year olds: cross sectional study.

Diagnosing chronic fatigue syndrome: comparison of a protocol and computerised questionnaires.

Aerobic capacity of Gulf War veterans with chronic fatigue syndrome.

A population-based study of the clinical course of chronic fatigue syndrome.

Psychiatric adjustment in chronic fatigue syndrome of childhood and in juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

Multiple co-infections (Mycoplasma, Chlamydia, human herpes virus-6) in blood of chronic fatigue syndrome patients: association with signs and symptoms.

Association between serotonin transporter gene polymorphism and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Chronic fatigue syndrome in patients with macrophagic myofasciitis.

Relationship between musculoskeletal symptoms and blood markers of oxidative stress in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Prolonged acetylcholine-induced vasodilatation in the peripheral microcirculation of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Life events, difficulties and dilemmas in the onset of chronic fatigue syndrome: a case-control study.

Associations between bronchial hyperresponsiveness and immune cell parameters in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

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