Evidence browser

Silicone breast implant--associated musculoskeletal manifestations.

Cuellar, M L, Gluck, O, Molina, J F et al.·Clinical rheumatology·1995

This study looked at 300 women with silicone breast implants who came to a rheumatology clinic with muscle and joint pain. The researchers found that over 80% of these women had signs of connective tissue disease, and more than half met criteria for fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome. When some women had their implants removed, over 70% reported improvement in their overall symptoms.

Serum levels of carnitine in chronic fatigue syndrome: clinical correlates.

Plioplys, A V, Plioplys, S·Neuropsychobiology·1995

This study looked at carnitine, a substance that helps cells produce energy. Researchers found that people with ME/CFS have lower levels of carnitine in their blood compared to what would be expected. They also discovered that patients with higher carnitine levels reported better ability to function in daily life, suggesting a link between this energy-related chemical and symptom severity.

Energy Metabolism

Diagnosis in chronic illness: disabling or enabling--the case of chronic fatigue syndrome.

Woodward, R V, Broom, D H, Legge, D G·Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine·1995

This study looked at whether giving someone a CFS diagnosis helps or hurts them. Researchers interviewed 20 doctors and 50 CFS patients over 2 years. Most doctors were reluctant to diagnose CFS because they worried it might make patients feel worse, but patients actually found the diagnosis helpful because it finally explained what was wrong with them.

Diagnostics

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredObservational

The practice of infectious diseases in the 1990s: the Canadian experience.

Schlech, W F·Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America·1995

This study surveyed Canadian infectious disease doctors in 1990 to see what kinds of infections they were treating. The researchers found that bacterial infections were more common in hospitalized patients, while viral infections were more common in office visits. Interestingly, the survey included mentions of chronic fatigue syndrome alongside other infectious diseases, suggesting doctors were considering it in their practice at that time.

A clinical study of chronic fatigue syndrome.

Shanks, M F, Ho-Yen, D O·The British journal of psychiatry : the journal of mental science·1995

This study looked at 64 ME/CFS patients to understand whether psychiatric conditions (like depression or anxiety) are part of ME/CFS itself or develop separately. Researchers found that patients without pre-existing psychiatric disorders had milder illness overall, suggesting that ME/CFS can occur on its own. Most patients improved with counseling and by staying within their energy limits.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Reducing heterogeneity in chronic fatigue syndrome: a comparison with depression and multiple sclerosis.

Natelson, B H, Johnson, S K, DeLuca, J et al.·Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America·1995

This study examined whether ME/CFS becomes simpler to understand when researchers focus on patients who did not have mental health conditions before getting sick. The researchers found that when they excluded patients with prior psychiatric problems, ME/CFS patients resembled those with mild multiple sclerosis more than those with depression, suggesting the illness may have a physical cause like an infection or immune system problem.

Cell-mediated immune function and the outcome of chronic fatigue syndrome.

Wilson, A, Hickie, I, Lloyd, A et al.·International journal of immunopharmacology·1995

Researchers followed 103 ME/CFS patients for an average of 3.2 years to see if their immune system function predicted how well they would recover. Most patients improved over time, but about one-third remained unable to work. The study found that immune cell measurements taken at the start did not seem to predict who would get better or worse.

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredObservational

Life-events and the course of chronic fatigue syndrome.

Ray, C, Jefferies, S, Weir, W R·The British journal of medical psychology·1995

This study looked at whether major life events affect how ME/CFS progresses in patients. Researchers asked 130 patients about positive and negative events they experienced over a year and compared these to their fatigue, disability, anxiety, and depression levels. They found that positive life events were linked to less fatigue and better emotional wellbeing, while negative events were mainly associated with increased anxiety.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

A preliminary investigation of chlorinated hydrocarbons and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Dunstan, R H, Donohoe, M, Taylor, W et al.·The Medical journal of Australia·1995

Researchers measured levels of chlorinated hydrocarbons—chemicals that persist in the environment and accumulate in the body—in the blood of people with ME/CFS and compared them to healthy controls. People with ME/CFS had significantly higher levels of these chemicals, particularly a pesticide byproduct called HCB, suggesting that long-term exposure to these substances might play a role in developing the illness.

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Chronic fatigue and the chronic fatigue syndrome: prevalence in a Pacific Northwest health care system.

Buchwald, D, Umali, P, Umali, J et al.·Annals of internal medicine·1995

This study surveyed over 3,000 people in a Seattle health plan to find out how common ME/CFS and chronic fatigue are in the community. Researchers found that about 19% of people reported chronic fatigue, but only a tiny fraction actually met the strict diagnostic criteria for ME/CFS. Those with ME/CFS or chronic fatigue had worse physical health, more difficulty with daily activities, and more emotional stress compared to healthy people without fatigue.

Diagnostics

Does high 'action-proneness' make people more vulnerable to chronic fatigue syndrome? A controlled psychometric study.

Van Houdenhove, B, Onghena, P, Neerinckx, E et al.·Journal of psychosomatic research·1995

This study asked whether people who are naturally very active and driven before getting sick might be more likely to develop ME/CFS. Researchers compared 35 ME/CFS patients with three other groups (pain patients, patients with other chronic conditions, and people with anxiety) and found that ME/CFS patients reported being significantly more active and action-oriented before their illness began. This suggests that having a naturally 'busy' or hyperactive lifestyle before becoming ill might play a role in developing ME/CFS.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredLongitudinal

Gait abnormalities in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Boda, W L, Natelson, B H, Sisto, S A et al.·Journal of the neurological sciences·1995

Researchers filmed how people with ME/CFS walked at different speeds and compared them to sedentary (non-exercising) healthy people. They found that people with ME/CFS walked differently—they moved their hips differently, bent their knees less, and took shorter steps relative to their leg length. People with ME/CFS also ran much more slowly than the comparison group.

Parvovirus B19 infection--persistence and genetic variation.

Kerr, J R, Curran, M D, Moore, J E et al.·Scandinavian journal of infectious diseases·1995

Researchers followed 53 people who had acute parvovirus B19 infection (a virus that causes rash and joint pain) for several years. They found that 7 people, all women, still had the virus detectable in their blood years later. Of these 7, one person developed chronic fatigue syndrome along with persistent joint pain, suggesting that B19 infection might sometimes persist in the body and potentially trigger long-term symptoms.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

High incidence of antibodies to 5-hydroxytryptamine, gangliosides and phospholipids in patients with chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia syndrome and their relatives: evidence for a clinical entity of both disorders.

Klein, R, Berg, P A·European journal of medical research·1995

Researchers found that patients with ME/CFS and fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) often have similar antibodies in their blood—proteins the immune system produces that may attack the body's own tissues. About 62% of ME/CFS patients and 73% of FMS patients had antibodies against serotonin, a chemical important for mood and pain regulation. Interestingly, these antibodies were also found in family members of affected patients, suggesting a genetic component may play a role.

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM unclearLongitudinal

Outcome and prognosis of patients with chronic fatigue vs chronic fatigue syndrome.

Bombardier, C H, Buchwald, D·Archives of internal medicine·1995

This study followed 445 patients with chronic fatigue or chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) for about 1.5 years to see how they recovered. While 64% of patients improved overall, only 2% felt completely better. Patients diagnosed with CFS had more severe symptoms and lower functioning than those with simple chronic fatigue, and depression made recovery less likely.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Contrasting neuroendocrine responses in depression and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Cleare, A J, Bearn, J, Allain, T et al.·Journal of affective disorders·1995

This study compared hormone levels and brain chemistry in people with ME/CFS, people with depression, and healthy controls. The researchers found that people with ME/CFS had lower cortisol (a stress hormone) and higher responses to a serotonin-related chemical, which is the opposite pattern seen in depression. This suggests ME/CFS and depression are biologically different conditions despite sometimes sharing similar symptoms like fatigue.

Endocrine Disruption

[Viral infection and fibromyalgia].

Branco, J C, Tavares, V, Abreu, I et al.·Acta medica portuguesa·1994

This study looked at whether a common virus called parvovirus B19 might be responsible for fibromyalgia, a condition similar to ME/CFS that causes widespread pain and fatigue. Researchers compared blood antibodies (which show past infection) in 52 fibromyalgia patients versus 39 healthy people. They found slightly higher rates of past parvovirus infection in fibromyalgia patients, but the difference was too small to be meaningful, so they concluded the virus is probably not the cause of fibromyalgia.