ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

2808 studies

2561–2580 of 2,808 studies

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Chronic fatigue, chronic fatigue syndrome, and fibromyalgia. Disability and health-care use.

Bombardier, C H, Buchwald, D·Medical care·1996

This study compared people with different types of long-term fatigue conditions—including ME/CFS, fibromyalgia, and chronic fatigue without a specific diagnosis—to understand how much these conditions affect daily life and work. Researchers found that all groups struggled with unemployment and visited many doctors, but people with both ME/CFS and fibromyalgia together had the hardest time staying employed. The results show that these conditions cause serious disruption to people's lives and lead to significant healthcare costs.

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Hypochondriasis influences quality-of-life outcomes in patients with chronic fatigue.

Manu, P, Affleck, G, Tennen, H et al.·Psychotherapy and psychosomatics·1996

This study looked at 71 people with chronic fatigue to understand how anxiety about health (hypochondriasis) affects their quality of life. The researchers found that people who worried more about their health and had more physical symptoms reported worse quality of life, especially those diagnosed with ME/CFS. Depression also played a role in this relationship.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Postinfectious chronic fatigue: a distinct syndrome?

Buchwald, D, Umali, J, Pearlman, T et al.·Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America·1996

Researchers studied 717 people with chronic fatigue to see if those whose illness started after a viral infection were different from those whose illness began differently. They found that people with post-viral onset reported more flu-like symptoms (fever, chills, sore throat, swollen lymph nodes) and had worse day-to-day functioning, but blood tests and other markers of inflammation or ongoing viral infection did not show clear differences between the two groups.

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

A controlled comparison of multiple chemical sensitivities and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Fiedler, N, Kipen, H M, DeLuca, J et al.·Psychosomatic medicine·1996

This study compared people with multiple chemical sensitivities (MCS), chemical sensitivities without a clear trigger (CS), and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) to healthy controls. Researchers found that chemically sensitive patients reported more lifestyle disruption and avoided more substances than CFS patients, but all three patient groups had higher rates of psychiatric conditions and unexplained physical symptoms compared to healthy people. Interestingly, standard memory and thinking tests did not show significant differences between groups, suggesting that cognitive problems in these conditions may not show up on typical office-based tests.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

The measurement of fatigue in patients with multiple sclerosis. A multidimensional comparison with patients with chronic fatigue syndrome and healthy subjects.

Vercoulen, J H, Hommes, O R, Swanink, C M et al.·Archives of neurology·1996

This study compared fatigue in three groups: people with MS, people with ME/CFS, and healthy people. The researchers found that both MS and ME/CFS patients experienced severe fatigue that affected their daily life. Interestingly, psychological factors like how much someone focuses on their body sensations and whether they feel in control of their symptoms seemed to influence fatigue severity in both diseases.

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCase-Control

Psychological symptoms, somatic symptoms, and psychiatric disorder in chronic fatigue and chronic fatigue syndrome: a prospective study in the primary care setting.

Wessely, S, Chalder, T, Hirsch, S et al.·The American journal of psychiatry·1996

This study followed over 1,900 people in primary care and found that most individuals with ME/CFS also had a current mental health condition like depression or anxiety. The researchers discovered that people with chronic fatigue were much more likely to have psychiatric disorders (60-78%) compared to those without fatigue (19-31%). While the study suggests a strong link between psychiatric conditions and ME/CFS, it does not explain whether one causes the other.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Preliminary determination of the association between symptom expression and urinary metabolites in subjects with chronic fatigue syndrome.

McGregor, N R, Dunstan, R H, Zerbes, M et al.·Biochemical and molecular medicine·1996

Researchers found that ME/CFS patients have a distinctive substance in their urine called CFSUM1 that is rarely found in healthy people. This study examined whether certain chemicals in urine could be linked to the different symptoms ME/CFS patients experience, such as fatigue, cognitive problems, muscle pain, and digestive issues. They discovered that two specific urine metabolites—CFSUM1 and beta-alanine—were strongly associated with symptom severity, suggesting these could eventually be used as biological markers for diagnosing ME/CFS.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Chronic fatigue complaints in primary care: incidence and diagnostic patterns.

Ward, M H, DeLisle, H, Shores, J H et al.·The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association·1996

This study looked at how doctors in a primary care clinic evaluate patients who complain of chronic fatigue. Researchers reviewed 425 patient charts and found that when patients mentioned chronic fatigue, doctors often did not perform complete evaluations—skipping important tests, mental health screening, and sleep history questions. Most doctors diagnosed patients with depression or general fatigue rather than investigating the chronic fatigue complaint thoroughly.

Diagnostics

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Metabolic and cardiovascular effects of a progressive exercise test in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Sisto, S A, LaManca, J, Cordero, D L et al.·The American journal of medicine·1996

Researchers tested how well women with ME/CFS could exercise compared to healthy controls by having them walk on a treadmill until exhaustion. Women with ME/CFS had lower aerobic fitness levels than healthy controls, but their hearts and lungs appeared to work normally. Importantly, the maximal exercise test did not cause a major flare-up of fatigue or other ME/CFS symptoms.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredLongitudinal

Changing epidemiology of Ross River virus disease in South Australia.

Selden, S M, Cameron, A S·The Medical journal of Australia·1996

This study followed people in South Australia who had Ross River virus (RRV) infections to see how long symptoms lasted. Researchers found that more than half of patients still had joint pain and tiredness 15 months after infection, with similar patterns continuing for 30 months. The symptoms were very disabling for many people and resembled chronic fatigue syndrome.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Viral serologies in patients with chronic fatigue and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Buchwald, D, Ashley, R L, Pearlman, T et al.·Journal of medical virology·1996

Researchers tested 548 people with chronic fatigue to see if they had unusually high levels of antibodies to 13 common viruses, since ME/CFS often starts suddenly after a viral illness. They compared antibody levels in patients with chronic fatigue to healthy controls and found no consistent differences between the groups, suggesting these particular virus tests are not helpful in diagnosing or understanding chronic fatigue.

Immune System

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM unclearObservational

Does the stressed patient with chronic fatigue syndrome hyperventilate?

Lavietes, M H, Natelson, B H, Cordero, D L et al.·International journal of behavioral medicine·1996

This study investigated whether people with ME/CFS tend to breathe too quickly or shallowly when under stress, a condition called hyperventilation. Researchers observed patients with ME/CFS and measured their breathing patterns to see if stress triggered abnormal breathing that might contribute to their symptoms. The study helps clarify whether breathing problems are part of what causes ME/CFS symptoms.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Fatigue in multiple sclerosis compared with chronic fatigue syndrome: A quantitative assessment.

Djaldetti, R, Ziv, I, Achiron, A et al.·Neurology·1996

Researchers developed a test to measure fatigue by checking how quickly a person's muscle strength drops during repeated effort. They tested this in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), people with ME/CFS, and healthy volunteers. People with MS showed more muscle fatigue than those with ME/CFS or no illness, especially if their MS affected movement control.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Periodic K-alpha sleep EEG activity and periodic limb movements during sleep: comparisons of clinical features and sleep parameters.

MacFarlane, J G, Shahal, B, Mously, C et al.·Sleep·1996

This study examined a specific brain wave pattern during sleep called K-alpha activity and compared it to periodic leg movements during sleep. Researchers found that patients with K-alpha activity were predominantly women, younger, and more likely to have fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome, while also experiencing unrefreshing sleep, stomach problems, and muscle pain.

Sleep

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCase-Control

Psychosocial risk factors for chronic fatigue and chronic fatigue syndrome following presumed viral illness: a case-control study.

Cope, H, Mann, A, Pelosi, A et al.·Psychological medicine·1996

This study looked at 64 people who either developed lasting fatigue or didn't after a viral illness, examining their mental health, stress levels, and coping strategies. The researchers found that people who developed chronic fatigue were more likely to have had past mental health problems and used avoidance-based coping methods. Interestingly, those who met the full criteria for ME/CFS had severe fatigue but didn't necessarily have more psychiatric issues than others with chronic fatigue.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Cognitive functioning in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Michiels, V, Cluydts, R, Fischler, B et al.·Journal of clinical and experimental neuropsychology·1996

This study found that people with ME/CFS performed worse than healthy controls on thinking and memory tests. Patients showed slower processing speed, difficulty concentrating, and trouble learning and remembering new information. However, the researchers noted that cognitive problems varied widely between patients, so not everyone with ME/CFS experiences the same level of difficulty.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearObservational

'Too tired to go to the support group': a health needs assessment of myalgic encephalomyelitis.

Sutton, G C·Journal of public health medicine·1996

This 1996 study examined what healthcare services people with ME actually need in one English region. Researchers found that ME patients wanted four main things: a clear medical diagnosis, time to rest, specific treatments, and social support. However, the study found that there was no agreement among doctors and experts about what ME is, making it very difficult for the health system to plan appropriate care.

Diagnostics

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

A case-control study to assess possible triggers and cofactors in chronic fatigue syndrome.

MacDonald, K L, Osterholm, M T, LeDell, K H et al.·The American journal of medicine·1996

This study compared 47 people with ME/CFS to 47 matched healthy controls to identify what might trigger or contribute to the illness. Researchers found that people with ME/CFS were more likely to have exercised regularly before getting sick, and women with ME/CFS were more likely to have never had children. Depression was more common after ME/CFS developed, though it wasn't more common before illness onset.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredObservational

The influence of age on transfer factor treatment of cellular immunodeficiency, chronic fatigue syndrome and/or chronic viral infections.

Hana, I, Vrubel, J, Pekarek, J et al.·Biotherapy (Dordrecht, Netherlands)·1996

This study looked at 222 patients with weak immune systems, many of whom also had ME/CFS and/or chronic viral infections (EBV or CMV). They were treated with transfer factor, a type of immune-boosting therapy, given as injections over 8 weeks. The researchers found that younger patients improved more often than older patients, with failure rates rising significantly in those over 54 years old.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not required

Interferon-alpha versus somatostatin or the combination of both in gastro-enteropancreatic tumours.

Oberg, K·Digestion·1996

This 1996 study tested two medications—interferon-alpha and somatostatin—for treating neuroendocrine tumors (hormone-producing cancers). Interferon-alpha was found to cause fatigue and flu-like symptoms in patients, and in some cases led to low-grade chronic fatigue syndrome. When the two drugs were combined, they worked better together, improved symptoms, and were better tolerated than interferon alone.

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Chronic fatigue, chronic fatigue syndrome, and fibromyalgia. Disability and health-care use.

Hypochondriasis influences quality-of-life outcomes in patients with chronic fatigue.

Postinfectious chronic fatigue: a distinct syndrome?

A controlled comparison of multiple chemical sensitivities and chronic fatigue syndrome.

The measurement of fatigue in patients with multiple sclerosis. A multidimensional comparison with patients with chronic fatigue syndrome and healthy subjects.

Psychological symptoms, somatic symptoms, and psychiatric disorder in chronic fatigue and chronic fatigue syndrome: a prospective study in the primary care setting.

Preliminary determination of the association between symptom expression and urinary metabolites in subjects with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Chronic fatigue complaints in primary care: incidence and diagnostic patterns.

Metabolic and cardiovascular effects of a progressive exercise test in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Changing epidemiology of Ross River virus disease in South Australia.

Viral serologies in patients with chronic fatigue and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Does the stressed patient with chronic fatigue syndrome hyperventilate?

Fatigue in multiple sclerosis compared with chronic fatigue syndrome: A quantitative assessment.

Periodic K-alpha sleep EEG activity and periodic limb movements during sleep: comparisons of clinical features and sleep parameters.

Psychosocial risk factors for chronic fatigue and chronic fatigue syndrome following presumed viral illness: a case-control study.

Cognitive functioning in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

'Too tired to go to the support group': a health needs assessment of myalgic encephalomyelitis.

A case-control study to assess possible triggers and cofactors in chronic fatigue syndrome.

The influence of age on transfer factor treatment of cellular immunodeficiency, chronic fatigue syndrome and/or chronic viral infections.

Interferon-alpha versus somatostatin or the combination of both in gastro-enteropancreatic tumours.

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