ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

2784 studies

881–900 of 2,784 studies

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Diagnostic sensitivity of 2-day cardiopulmonary exercise testing in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Nelson, Maximillian J, Buckley, Jonathan D, Thomson, Rebecca L et al.·Journal of translational medicine·2019

Researchers tested whether a simple exercise test could help diagnose ME/CFS. They had patients and healthy people exercise on a stationary bike on two consecutive days and measured how their performance changed. ME/CFS patients showed a larger drop in exercise capacity on the second day compared to healthy people, suggesting this difference might be a useful diagnostic tool.

Post-Exertional Malaise

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 requiredCross-Sectional

Deconstructing post-exertional malaise: An exploratory factor analysis.

McManimen, Stephanie L, Sunnquist, Madison L, Jason, Leonard A·Journal of health psychology·2019

This study looked at post-exertional malaise (PEM)—the worsening of symptoms that happens after physical activity in ME/CFS—to understand whether it is one unified experience or two different types. The researchers found that PEM actually consists of two separate experiences: a whole-body fatigue and a muscle-specific fatigue. This suggests that PEM is more complex than previously thought and may need to be understood as having distinct components.

Post-Exertional Malaise

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 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 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 not requiredObservational

Associations between clinical symptoms, plasma norepinephrine and deregulated immune gene networks in subgroups of adolescent with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Nguyen, Chinh Bkrong, Kumar, Surendra, Zucknick, Manuela et al.·Brain, behavior, and immunity·2019

This study looked at blood samples from teenagers with ME/CFS to understand how their immune systems and stress-response chemicals differ from healthy teenagers. Researchers found two distinct subgroups of ME/CFS patients based on immune activity and a stress hormone called norepinephrine. Patients with lower norepinephrine levels had more severe fatigue, while those with higher levels showed different patterns of immune dysfunction.

BiomarkersImmune System

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 unclearCross-Sectional

HOW PSYCHIATRIC REFERRALS INFLUENCE STIGMATIZATION IN PATIENTS WITH MYALGIC ENCEPHALOMYELITIS AND CHRONIC FATIGUE SYNDROME: AN EXAMINATION OF AMERICAN AND BRITISH MODELS.

Terman, Julia M, Cotler, Joseph, Jason, Leonard A·Community psychology in global perspective·2019

This study looked at how ME/CFS patients feel when their doctors refer them to psychiatrists or psychologists. Researchers found that patients who received these referrals were more likely to feel stigmatized (judged or looked down upon) and to feel isolated from others. The experience was different in the United States and United Kingdom, suggesting that healthcare systems and culture play a role in how these referrals affect patients.

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 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 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

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 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 unclearObservational

Relationship Between Exercise-induced Oxidative Stress Changes and Parasympathetic Activity in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: An Observational Study in Patients and Healthy Subjects.

Polli, Andrea, Van Oosterwijck, Jessica, Nijs, Jo et al.·Clinical therapeutics·2019

This study looked at whether oxidative stress (cellular damage from normal metabolism) is related to pain in ME/CFS patients, and how it connects to the vagus nerve, which helps control the body's relaxation response. Researchers had ME/CFS patients and healthy people do a mild exercise test and measured their pain, oxidative stress levels, and nerve activity before and after. They found that oxidative stress was linked to pain in ME/CFS patients, but unlike healthy people, ME/CFS patients didn't show improvements in pain or oxidative stress after exercise.

Pain and SensitizationAutonomic Nervous System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearObservational

MtDNA population variation in Myalgic encephalomyelitis/Chronic fatigue syndrome in two populations: a study of mildly deleterious variants.

Venter, Marianne, Tomas, Cara, Pienaar, Ilse S et al.·Scientific reports·2019

This study looked at mitochondrial DNA (the genetic material in the energy-producing parts of our cells) in people with ME/CFS to see if differences in this DNA might help explain the condition. Researchers compared DNA samples from ME/CFS patients in the UK and South Africa to look for variations. Interestingly, they found that ME/CFS patients were less likely to have certain common genetic variations that most people carry, but they did not find any confirmed disease-causing mutations.

Energy Metabolism

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Diagnostic sensitivity of 2-day cardiopulmonary exercise testing in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

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

Deconstructing post-exertional malaise: An exploratory factor analysis.

Orthostatic intolerance in chronic fatigue syndrome.

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

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.

Associations between clinical symptoms, plasma norepinephrine and deregulated immune gene networks in subgroups of adolescent with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

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.

HOW PSYCHIATRIC REFERRALS INFLUENCE STIGMATIZATION IN PATIENTS WITH MYALGIC ENCEPHALOMYELITIS AND CHRONIC FATIGUE SYNDROME: AN EXAMINATION OF AMERICAN AND BRITISH MODELS.

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

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

Unexplained exertional intolerance associated with impaired systemic oxygen extraction.

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.

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

Relationship Between Exercise-induced Oxidative Stress Changes and Parasympathetic Activity in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: An Observational Study in Patients and Healthy Subjects.

MtDNA population variation in Myalgic encephalomyelitis/Chronic fatigue syndrome in two populations: a study of mildly deleterious variants.

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