ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

2768 studies

861–880 of 2,768 studies

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Orthostatic intolerance in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Garner, Richard, Baraniuk, James N·Journal of translational medicine·2019

This study looked at dizziness and lightheadedness symptoms in ME/CFS patients when lying down versus standing up. Researchers found that these symptoms were very common in ME/CFS (occurring in 72% of patients when standing) and that they often happened even while lying down—something doctors don't usually check for. Importantly, these symptoms weren't simply caused by a rapid heart rate, suggesting a different mechanism is at play in ME/CFS.

Autonomic Nervous System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

The proportion of women with central sensitivity syndrome in gynecology outpatient clinics (GOPDs).

Vij, Monika, Davies, Anthony, Dua, Anu et al.·International urogynecology journal·2019

This study looked at women visiting gynecology clinics whose symptoms didn't match what doctors could see on physical exams or tests. Researchers gave these women a questionnaire about pain sensitivity and related symptoms. They found that 37% of the women screened positive for central sensitization—a condition where the nervous system becomes more sensitive to pain and other sensations. Many of these women also had other conditions like migraine, depression, anxiety, IBS, and ME/CFS.

Pain and Sensitization

E2 ModerateCohortPEM requiredCross-Sectional

Impaired Health-Related Quality of Life in Adolescent Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: The Impact of Core Symptoms.

Roma, Maria, Marden, Colleen L, Flaherty, Marissa A K et al.·Frontiers in pediatrics·2019

This study looked at how ME/CFS affects the daily lives and well-being of teenagers and young adults compared to healthy peers. Young people with ME/CFS reported much worse quality of life across all areas tested, and the study found that post-exertional malaise (feeling much worse after activity) was the strongest predictor of this reduced quality of life. The findings confirm that ME/CFS in young people is as serious as or more serious than other chronic childhood illnesses like asthma, diabetes, and cystic fibrosis.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearObservational

Open Trial of Vitamin B12 Nasal Drops in Adults With Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Comparison of Responders and Non-Responders.

van Campen, C Linda Mc, Riepma, Klaas, Visser, Frans C·Frontiers in pharmacology·2019

This study tested whether vitamin B12 nasal drops could help people with ME/CFS. Fifty-one patients used the nasal drops for 3 months, and about two-thirds reported feeling better. Those who improved showed increases in their activity levels, better fatigue scores, and significantly higher vitamin B12 levels in their blood. The nasal drops appear to be a practical alternative to vitamin B12 injections for some patients.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Evidence for similarity in symptoms and mechanism: The extra-pulmonary symptoms of severe asthma and the polysymptomatic presentation of fibromyalgia.

Hyland, Michael E, Lanario, Joseph W, Wei, Yinghui et al.·Immunity, inflammation and disease·2019

This study found that people with severe asthma report many symptoms beyond breathing problems—such as fatigue, pain, and digestive issues—that are very similar to symptoms seen in fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome. The researchers compared symptom patterns between asthma patients and people with various functional disorders, finding that asthma and fibromyalgia symptoms were 75% similar in type and pattern. This suggests these conditions may share common underlying mechanisms related to how the body's systems interact.

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCase-Control

Depressive symptoms in adolescents with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS): Are rates higher than in controls and do depressive symptoms affect outcome?

Loades, Maria Elizabeth, Rimes, Katharine A, Ali, Sheila et al.·Clinical child psychology and psychiatry·2019

This study compared depression symptoms in adolescents with ME/CFS to healthy teenagers and teenagers with asthma. Young people with ME/CFS had significantly higher depression scores than both groups. While depression symptoms were linked to some worsening of fatigue over time, they were a stronger predictor of future depression itself, suggesting depression may be a separate concern that needs its own treatment approach.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Cytokine profiles in patients with Q fever fatigue syndrome.

Raijmakers, Ruud P H, Koeken, Valerie A C M, Jansen, Anne F M et al.·The Journal of infection·2019

This study looked at inflammatory markers in people who developed prolonged fatigue after Q fever infection. Researchers compared blood samples from patients with Q fever fatigue syndrome, chronic fatigue syndrome patients, people who had Q fever but recovered, and healthy controls. They found that Q fever fatigue syndrome patients had higher levels of specific inflammation proteins, suggesting chronic inflammation may be driving their ongoing fatigue.

Immune System

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Could disease labelling have positive effects? An experimental study exploring the effect of the chronic fatigue syndrome label on intended social support.

Noble, Samara, Bonner, Carissa, Hersch, Jolyn et al.·Patient education and counseling·2019

This study asked university students how they would respond to a close friend who has ME/CFS, comparing situations where the condition was labeled as 'chronic fatigue syndrome' versus unlabeled. When the CFS label was used, students reported they would be more sympathetic, less rejecting, and more supportive of medical treatment for their friend. This suggests that having a recognized disease name might actually help people with ME/CFS receive better social support from their friends.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM requiredCross-Sectional

Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS): Investigating care practices pointed out to disparities in diagnosis and treatment across European Union.

Strand, Elin B, Nacul, Luis, Mengshoel, Anne Marit et al.·PloS one·2019

This study looked at how ME/CFS is diagnosed and treated across 17 European countries by surveying doctors and health organizations. The researchers found that different countries use different diagnostic tests and treatment approaches, with no standard way of doing things across Europe. The study shows that there is confusion and inconsistency in how ME/CFS patients are evaluated and cared for, which suggests that Europe needs to agree on common guidelines.

Diagnostics

E2 ModerateCohortPEM requiredObservational

Abnormal blood lactate accumulation during repeated exercise testing in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Lien, Katarina, Johansen, Bjørn, Veierød, Marit B et al.·Physiological reports·2019

This study looked at how the bodies of ME/CFS patients handle repeated exercise tests done 24 hours apart. Researchers measured how much oxygen patients used and tracked a substance called lactate in their blood during exercise. They found that ME/CFS patients performed worse on the second test and had higher lactate levels, opposite to what happened in healthy people, whose bodies actually recovered better the second time.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearObservational

Unexplained exertional intolerance associated with impaired systemic oxygen extraction.

Melamed, Kathryn H, Santos, Mário, Oliveira, Rudolf K F et al.·European journal of applied physiology·2019

This study examined 313 patients with unexplained exercise intolerance using specialized heart and lung testing. Researchers found that about 12.5% of these patients have trouble exercising because their muscles cannot extract and use oxygen properly from the bloodstream, rather than having heart or lung problems. In these patients, the blood remained less acidic during exercise and had higher oxygen levels than expected, suggesting the muscles simply weren't using the available oxygen efficiently.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Prevalence and characteristics of chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) in Poland: a cross-sectional study.

Słomko, Joanna, Newton, Julia L, Kujawski, Sławomir et al.·BMJ open·2019

Researchers in Poland studied 1,400 people who reported feeling very tired to understand how common ME/CFS really is. They found that 69 people actually had ME/CFS based on standard diagnostic criteria. These patients experienced severe fatigue that lasted years, had trouble staying awake during the day, problems with dizziness when standing up, anxiety, and depression—all of which seriously affected their quality of life.

Sleep

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredLongitudinal

Increased risk of chronic fatigue syndrome in patients with inflammatory bowel disease: a population-based retrospective cohort study.

Tsai, Shin-Yi, Chen, Hsuan-Ju, Lio, Chon-Fu et al.·Journal of translational medicine·2019

This study found that people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are more than twice as likely to develop ME/CFS compared to people without IBD. The researchers looked at medical records from Taiwan and followed patients over time to see who developed ME/CFS. The increased risk was especially high in men and older adults with IBD who didn't have other chronic conditions.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearLongitudinal

Long Term Follow up of Young People With Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Attending a Pediatric Outpatient Service.

Rowe, Katherine S·Frontiers in pediatrics·2019

This study followed 784 young people with ME/CFS for an average of 8 years to understand how the illness progresses over time. About half of the young people reported recovery within 5 years, and by 10 years, 68% reported feeling recovered. Most young people improved in their ability to function daily, though a small group (5%) remained very unwell. Having supportive doctors, staying involved in school with flexible accommodations, and developing personal management plans were all important for long-term improvement.

Autonomic Nervous System

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCase-Control

Cognitive and behavioural responses to symptoms in adolescents with chronic fatigue syndrome: A case-control study nested within a cohort.

Loades, Maria Elizabeth, Rimes, Katharine, Lievesley, Kate et al.·Clinical child psychology and psychiatry·2019

This study looked at how adolescents with ME/CFS think about and respond to their symptoms, compared to teenagers with asthma. Researchers found that young people with ME/CFS tend to have unhelpful thought patterns—like believing symptoms cause permanent damage—and unhelpful behaviors like pushing through activity or avoiding it completely. These unhelpful patterns were linked to more fatigue and disability over a 3-month follow-up period.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Neuropsychological dysfunction in chronic fatigue syndrome and the relation between objective and subjective findings.

Rasouli, Omid, Gotaas, Merethe Eide, Stensdotter, Ann-Katrin et al.·Neuropsychology·2019

This study tested whether people with ME/CFS who report having trouble thinking and remembering actually show problems on objective cognitive tests. Researchers gave 236 patients questionnaires about memory difficulties and gave them various thinking tests. They found that patients' own reports of cognitive problems didn't strongly match their actual test results, but those with higher fatigue, pain, and depression tended to report more thinking difficulties. The actual cognitive problems found on testing were mainly in speed of thinking and attention.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

MicroRNAs as Biomarkers of Pain Intensity in Patients With Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Al-Rawaf, Hadeel A, Alghadir, Ahmad H, Gabr, Sami A·Pain practice : the official journal of World Institute of Pain·2019

This study looked at tiny molecules called microRNAs in the blood of adolescents with ME/CFS to see if they could help explain why these patients experience pain. Researchers found that five specific microRNAs were lower in ME/CFS patients compared to healthy teens, and these changes were linked to higher levels of inflammatory chemicals that are known to cause pain. Interestingly, girls with ME/CFS had even lower microRNA levels and higher inflammation markers than boys with the condition.

BiomarkersImmune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Impairments in cognitive performance in chronic fatigue syndrome are common, not related to co-morbid depression but do associate with autonomic dysfunction.

Robinson, Lucy J, Gallagher, Peter, Watson, Stuart et al.·PloS one·2019

This study found that people with ME/CFS often experience slowing in thinking speed and processing information, particularly in tasks requiring quick reactions. Importantly, these cognitive difficulties are not caused by depression—even patients without depression showed the same thinking problems. The researchers discovered that problems with heart rate regulation (how the body's autonomic nervous system works) were linked to these cognitive difficulties.

Autonomic Nervous SystemCognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Pain is associated with reduced quality of life and functional status in patients with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Strand, Elin Bolle, Mengshoel, Anne Marit, Sandvik, Leiv et al.·Scandinavian journal of pain·2019

This study compared 87 ME/CFS patients with 94 healthy people to understand how pain affects quality of life. Researchers found that ME/CFS patients experience significantly more pain, anxiety, and depression, and have lower quality of life than healthy controls. Within the ME/CFS group, pain was strongly linked to reduced physical functioning and overall quality of life, suggesting that managing pain could help improve how well patients function daily.

Pain and Sensitization

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredObservational

How fair is our service? Evaluating access to specialist paediatric care.

Neale, Francesca K, Armstrong, Edward J, Cohen, Jonathan M et al.·Archives of disease in childhood·2019

This study looked at whether all children, regardless of their family's income level, had equal access to specialist hospital clinics in one UK hospital between 2007 and 2018. Researchers found that local outpatient clinics (like those for asthma and chronic fatigue syndrome) served children from all income levels fairly equally, but specialist tertiary clinics served more children from wealthier families. This suggests that some children may have better access to specialized care depending on where they live and their family's economic situation.

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Orthostatic intolerance in chronic fatigue syndrome.

The proportion of women with central sensitivity syndrome in gynecology outpatient clinics (GOPDs).

Impaired Health-Related Quality of Life in Adolescent Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: The Impact of Core Symptoms.

Open Trial of Vitamin B12 Nasal Drops in Adults With Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Comparison of Responders and Non-Responders.

Evidence for similarity in symptoms and mechanism: The extra-pulmonary symptoms of severe asthma and the polysymptomatic presentation of fibromyalgia.

Depressive symptoms in adolescents with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS): Are rates higher than in controls and do depressive symptoms affect outcome?

Cytokine profiles in patients with Q fever fatigue syndrome.

Could disease labelling have positive effects? An experimental study exploring the effect of the chronic fatigue syndrome label on intended social support.

Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS): Investigating care practices pointed out to disparities in diagnosis and treatment across European Union.

Abnormal blood lactate accumulation during repeated exercise testing in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Unexplained exertional intolerance associated with impaired systemic oxygen extraction.

Prevalence and characteristics of chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) in Poland: a cross-sectional study.

Increased risk of chronic fatigue syndrome in patients with inflammatory bowel disease: a population-based retrospective cohort study.

Long Term Follow up of Young People With Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Attending a Pediatric Outpatient Service.

Cognitive and behavioural responses to symptoms in adolescents with chronic fatigue syndrome: A case-control study nested within a cohort.

Neuropsychological dysfunction in chronic fatigue syndrome and the relation between objective and subjective findings.

MicroRNAs as Biomarkers of Pain Intensity in Patients With Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Impairments in cognitive performance in chronic fatigue syndrome are common, not related to co-morbid depression but do associate with autonomic dysfunction.

Pain is associated with reduced quality of life and functional status in patients with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

How fair is our service? Evaluating access to specialist paediatric care.

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