ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

2768 studies

2281–2300 of 2,768 studies

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredObservational

Antiviral pathway activation in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome and acute infection.

Gow, J W, Simpson, K, Behan, P O et al.·Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America·2001

Researchers compared two immune system defense pathways (RNase L and PKR) in people with ME/CFS, people with acute stomach infections, and healthy people. The immune pathways were only activated in people with acute infections, not in people with ME/CFS or healthy controls. This finding suggests that these particular immune markers cannot be used as a simple diagnostic test for ME/CFS.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Lack of association between HLA genotype and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Underhill, J A, Mahalingam, M, Peakman, M et al.·European journal of immunogenetics : official journal of the British Society for Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics·2001

Researchers tested whether certain immune system genes (HLA genes) were more common in ME/CFS patients compared to healthy people. They studied 58 ME/CFS patients and 134 healthy controls using modern genetic testing methods. They found no significant differences in HLA genes between the two groups, suggesting that these particular immune genes are not a major cause of ME/CFS.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Urinary free cortisol in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Cleare, A J, Blair, D, Chambers, S et al.·The American journal of psychiatry·2001

This study measured a stress hormone called cortisol in the urine of people with ME/CFS and compared it to healthy controls. The researchers found that people with ME/CFS had lower cortisol levels than expected. This difference was consistent across the patient group and wasn't explained by depression, medications, sleep problems, or disability levels.

Endocrine Disruption

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Clinicopathological findings consistent with primary Sjögren's syndrome in a subset of patients diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome: preliminary observations.

Sirois, D A, Natelson, B·The Journal of rheumatology·2001

Some people with ME/CFS experience dry eyes and dry mouth, which are also common symptoms of Sjögren's syndrome, an autoimmune disorder. This study tested 25 ME/CFS patients and 18 healthy volunteers for signs of Sjögren's syndrome using eye tests, saliva gland biopsies, and blood tests. The researchers found that about one-third of the ME/CFS patients had findings consistent with primary Sjögren's syndrome, while none of the healthy volunteers did.

Diagnostics

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCase-Control

Neurobehavioral deficits associated with chronic fatigue syndrome in veterans with Gulf War unexplained illnesses.

Binder, L M, Storzbach, D, Campbell, K A et al.·Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society : JINS·2001

This study looked at whether Gulf War veterans with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) had thinking and memory problems. Researchers compared 32 veterans with CFS to 62 healthy veterans using thinking and memory tests. They found that veterans with CFS did show some cognitive difficulties, even when the researchers accounted for differences in how smart people were before they got sick.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Is physical deconditioning a perpetuating factor in chronic fatigue syndrome? A controlled study on maximal exercise performance and relations with fatigue, impairment and physical activity.

Bazelmans, E, Bleijenberg, G, Van Der Meer, J W et al.·Psychological medicine·2001

This study tested whether ME/CFS patients are in poor physical condition compared to healthy people, and whether being out of shape might be making their illness worse. Researchers had 20 ME/CFS patients and 20 healthy controls perform exercise tests while measuring heart rate, oxygen use, and other body functions. The study found no significant difference in physical fitness between the two groups, suggesting that poor fitness is not the main reason ME/CFS patients struggle with exercise.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Psychiatric morbidity and illness experience of primary care patients with chronic fatigue in Hong Kong.

Lee, S, Yu, H, Wing, Y et al.·The American journal of psychiatry·2000

This study looked at 100 people in Hong Kong who had severe tiredness lasting at least 6 months to understand how common mental health conditions like depression and anxiety were in this group. Researchers found that over half of these patients had experienced depression or anxiety at some point in their lives, and about a quarter had these conditions at the time of the study. Interestingly, patients' main complaints were often pain, sleep problems, and worry—not just fatigue—and most believed their illness started from stressful life events.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Strength and physiological response to exercise in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Fulcher, K Y, White, P D·Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry·2000

This study compared muscle strength and exercise capacity in people with ME/CFS to healthy sedentary people and people with depression. Researchers found that ME/CFS patients were weaker and could not exercise as long, even though they were as physically deconditioned as the sedentary controls. After exercise therapy, patients improved—mainly by having lower heart rate responses during activity—suggesting that rebuilding physical fitness can help restore function.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredLongitudinal

The course of severe chronic fatigue syndrome in childhood.

Rangel, L, Garralda, M E, Levin, M et al.·Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine·2000

This study followed 25 children with severe chronic fatigue syndrome for about 3.5 years after their illness began. Most children (two-thirds) eventually recovered and returned to normal activities, though the illness caused serious problems during its worst phases, including extended time out of school. The researchers found that children who had a clear physical trigger for their illness, started feeling sick in the autumn, or came from higher-income families were more likely to recover.

E2 ModerateDiagnosticPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Fatigue rating scales: an empirical comparison.

Taylor, R R, Jason, L A, Torres, A·Psychological medicine·2000

This study compared two popular questionnaires that doctors use to measure fatigue in ME/CFS patients: the Fatigue Scale and the Fatigue Severity Scale. Researchers tested both tools on people with varying levels of fatigue, including those with ME/CFS-like symptoms and healthy people. The study found that while both tools are useful, the Fatigue Severity Scale better captures how fatigue affects daily functioning and quality of life in people with ME/CFS.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCase-Control

Dysautonomia in chronic fatigue syndrome vs. fibromyalgia.

Rosner, I, Rozenbaum, M, Naschitz, J E et al.·The Israel Medical Association journal : IMAJ·2000

This study compared how the nervous systems of people with ME/CFS and fibromyalgia function differently, focusing on dysautonomia—problems with the automatic nervous system that controls heart rate, blood pressure, and other body functions. Researchers used a case-control design to examine whether these two conditions show distinct patterns of autonomic dysfunction. The findings help clarify whether ME/CFS and fibromyalgia are separate conditions with different underlying nervous system problems.

Autonomic Nervous System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

General practitioners' beliefs, attitudes and reported actions towards chronic fatigue syndrome.

Steven, I D, McGrath, B, Qureshi, F et al.·Australian family physician·2000

This study surveyed Australian doctors about what they think and do regarding ME/CFS. Most doctors who diagnose ME/CFS agreed on six key symptoms, including long-lasting fatigue that doesn't improve with rest and exhaustion after minor activity. However, nearly one-third of doctors didn't believe ME/CFS was a real condition and thought depression was the actual cause instead.

Diagnostics

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Chronic fatigue syndrome: sociodemographic subtypes in a community-based sample.

Jason, L A, Taylor, R R, Kennedy, C L et al.·Evaluation & the health professions·2000

This study looked at people with ME/CFS living in Chicago to understand how their backgrounds affected their illness. Researchers found that women, people of color, and those unable to work experienced more severe symptoms, greater disability, and more emotional stress than men, white patients, and those who could still work. This suggests that social factors and circumstances may play a role in how badly ME/CFS affects different groups of people.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy and morphometry of the hippocampus in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Brooks, J C, Roberts, N, Whitehouse, G et al.·The British journal of radiology·2000

This study used brain imaging to examine a part of the brain called the hippocampus in people with ME/CFS and healthy controls. While the size of the hippocampus was normal in ME/CFS patients, a specific chemical marker called N-acetylaspartate was significantly lower in the right side of the hippocampus compared to healthy people. This suggests there may be subtle differences in how brain cells are functioning in ME/CFS, even when the brain structure looks normal.

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

The genetic aetiology of somatic distress.

Gillespie, N A, Zhu, G, Heath, A C et al.·Psychological medicine·2000

This study looked at whether the physical and mental exhaustion seen in chronic fatigue syndrome runs in families and whether it's genetically distinct from depression and anxiety. Researchers surveyed nearly 3,500 Australian twins and found that about one-third of the genetic factors affecting somatic distress (physical symptoms and fatigue) are unique to those symptoms and not shared with depression or anxiety, suggesting these are separate conditions with different causes.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Exercise capacity in chronic fatigue syndrome.

De Becker, P, Roeykens, J, Reynders, M et al.·Archives of internal medicine·2000

This study measured how much exercise women with ME/CFS could tolerate compared to healthy women without the condition. Patients with ME/CFS were able to exercise at only about half the capacity of healthy controls—they couldn't reach high heart rates and couldn't sustain heavy workloads. The findings show that ME/CFS significantly limits physical ability in ways that can be objectively measured.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Human herpesviruses 6 and 7 in chronic fatigue syndrome: a case-control study.

Reeves, W C, Stamey, F R, Black, J B et al.·Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America·2000

Researchers tested whether three common viruses (HHV-6A, HHV-6B, and HHV-7) might be linked to ME/CFS. They compared blood samples from 26 ME/CFS patients with 52 healthy people and looked for signs of active or dormant virus infection. The study found no meaningful differences between the two groups, suggesting these particular viruses are not associated with ME/CFS.

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Significant other responses are associated with fatigue and functional status among patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Schmaling, K B, Smith, W R, Buchwald, D S·Psychosomatic medicine·2000

This study looked at how partners' responses to ME/CFS symptoms affect patients' outcomes. Researchers found that when partners were very helpful and supportive (called 'solicitous' responses), patients actually reported worse fatigue and disability—especially in relationships that were otherwise satisfying. The study couldn't determine whether supportive partners inadvertently discourage activity, or whether sicker patients simply receive more support.

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Couples' perceptions of wives' CFS symptoms, symptom change, and impact on the marital relationship.

Goodwin, S S·Issues in mental health nursing·2000

This study looked at how 131 couples with wives who have ME/CFS perceived the illness differently. Wives reported more severe physical symptoms (like fatigue, brain fog, and muscle pain) than their husbands noticed, while husbands were more concerned about mood changes. When symptoms got worse, both partners reported more relationship conflict and less emotional support from each other.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Odor perception: multiple chemical sensitivities, chronic fatigue, and asthma.

Caccappolo, E, Kipen, H, Kelly-McNeil, K et al.·Journal of occupational and environmental medicine·2000

This study tested whether people with chemical sensitivities, chronic fatigue, and asthma have unusually sensitive noses. Researchers measured how well different groups could smell odors and identify them. While people with chemical sensitivities didn't actually detect odors at lower levels than others, they did report feeling more physical symptoms and found certain smells more unpleasant than other groups did.

Pain and Sensitization

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Evidence browser

Antiviral pathway activation in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome and acute infection.

Lack of association between HLA genotype and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Urinary free cortisol in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Clinicopathological findings consistent with primary Sjögren's syndrome in a subset of patients diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome: preliminary observations.

Neurobehavioral deficits associated with chronic fatigue syndrome in veterans with Gulf War unexplained illnesses.

Is physical deconditioning a perpetuating factor in chronic fatigue syndrome? A controlled study on maximal exercise performance and relations with fatigue, impairment and physical activity.

Psychiatric morbidity and illness experience of primary care patients with chronic fatigue in Hong Kong.

Strength and physiological response to exercise in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

The course of severe chronic fatigue syndrome in childhood.

Fatigue rating scales: an empirical comparison.

Dysautonomia in chronic fatigue syndrome vs. fibromyalgia.

General practitioners' beliefs, attitudes and reported actions towards chronic fatigue syndrome.

Chronic fatigue syndrome: sociodemographic subtypes in a community-based sample.

Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy and morphometry of the hippocampus in chronic fatigue syndrome.

The genetic aetiology of somatic distress.

Exercise capacity in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Human herpesviruses 6 and 7 in chronic fatigue syndrome: a case-control study.

Significant other responses are associated with fatigue and functional status among patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Couples' perceptions of wives' CFS symptoms, symptom change, and impact on the marital relationship.

Odor perception: multiple chemical sensitivities, chronic fatigue, and asthma.

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