ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

2423 studies

1021–1040 of 2,423 studies

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Oral Colostrum Macrophage-activating Factor for Serious Infection and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Three Case Reports.

Inui, Toshio, Kubo, Kentaro, Kuchiike, Daisuke et al.·Anticancer research·2015

This study looked at whether a substance called macrophage-activating factor (MAF), derived from cow colostrum (first milk after birth), could help three patients with chronic fatigue syndrome and serious infections. The researchers found that patients who took oral MAF experienced improvements in fatigue and infection symptoms without serious side effects. While these are promising early observations, the study is very small and would need much larger testing to know if this treatment truly works.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

[Research progress of fecal microbiota transplantation].

Dai, Ting, Tang, Tongyu·Zhonghua wei chang wai ke za zhi = Chinese journal of gastrointestinal surgery·2015

This review discusses fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT), a procedure where healthy bacteria from donor stool are transferred to patients to restore a damaged gut microbiome. The gut bacteria can be damaged by antibiotics or disease, leading to infections and other health problems. Researchers are exploring whether FMT might help treat several conditions, including chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), but it is not yet standard medical treatment because many doctors and patients are hesitant about the approach.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

Fibromyalgia: A Critical and Comprehensive Review.

Borchers, Andrea T, Gershwin, M Eric·Clinical reviews in allergy & immunology·2015

Fibromyalgia is a condition that causes widespread pain, fatigue, and sleep problems, and it shares many symptoms with other conditions that are hard to diagnose. This review explains that while some people think fibromyalgia might be caused by infection, inflammation, or injury, there is not strong evidence supporting these ideas. The authors recommend that treatment should focus on education, exercise, physical therapy, and approved medications rather than opioids.

Pain and SensitizationSleepDiagnostics

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Nutrition facts in multiple sclerosis.

Riccio, Paolo, Rossano, Rocco·ASN neuro·2015

This review article examines how diet and exercise may influence multiple sclerosis (MS) symptoms by affecting inflammation in the body. Western-style diets high in salt, sugar, and processed foods can increase inflammation and harm gut bacteria, while healthier diets rich in vegetables, fruits, and fish—combined with regular exercise—may reduce inflammation and support beneficial gut bacteria. The authors suggest that better nutrition might help reduce side effects from MS medications and improve chronic fatigue symptoms.

E3 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM requiredMethods-Paper

Problems in defining post-exertional malaise.

Jason, Leonard A, Evans, Meredyth, So, Suzanna et al.·Journal of prevention & intervention in the community·2015

This study looked at how post-exertional malaise (PEM)—the characteristic worsening of symptoms after physical or mental effort—is measured in ME/CFS patients. Researchers asked 32 people with CFS to answer survey questions about PEM and found that small changes in how questions are worded can change whether someone is diagnosed with PEM. This suggests that the current ways of diagnosing this condition may not be reliable or consistent.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM unclearMethods-Paper

The use of mixed methods in studying a chronic illness.

Jason, Leonard A, Reed, Jordan·Health psychology and behavioral medicine·2015

This study explains how researchers can better understand ME/CFS by combining two research approaches: collecting personal stories and experiences from patients (qualitative methods) alongside measuring data with numbers and statistics (quantitative methods). When researchers used both methods together, they gained a fuller picture of ME/CFS—including how the disease spreads, what people think about the illness name, and which treatments work—than they would have using just one approach alone.

Interventions

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Beyond Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Redefining an Illness.

Military medicine·2015

This review article examines how ME/CFS is currently defined and proposes that our understanding of the illness needs to be updated. The authors, writing in a military medicine context, suggest that the condition extends beyond what the traditional name 'Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome' captures. The paper calls for a broader perspective on how this serious illness should be recognized and understood.

Diagnostics

E3 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM not requiredMethods-Paper

Hybrid facial image feature extraction and recognition for non-invasive chronic fatigue syndrome diagnosis.

Chen, Yunhua, Liu, Weijian, Zhang, Ling et al.·Computers in biology and medicine·2015

Researchers developed a computer program that analyzes facial features—such as forehead wrinkles, under-eye puffiness, skin color, and mouth shape—to help diagnose ME/CFS. The program was trained using photographs of Chinese patients and achieved about 88% accuracy in identifying who had the condition. This approach could potentially help doctors diagnose ME/CFS more objectively without needing blood tests or other invasive procedures.

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Consulting patients in setting priorities in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (M.E.) research: findings from a national on-line survey.

Childs, Nicola, Robinson, Lisa, Chowdhury, Sonya et al.·Research involvement and engagement·2015

Researchers asked over 1,100 people affected by ME/CFS what they thought should be the most important areas for future research. The top priorities were understanding what causes ME/CFS, developing better treatments, and improving how quickly and accurately doctors can diagnose the illness. This study shows that patients have strong, clear opinions about what research funding should focus on.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredMechanistic

Fluorescent nanodiamonds as a relevant tag for the assessment of alum adjuvant particle biodisposition.

Eidi, Housam, David, Marie-Odile, Crépeaux, Guillemette et al.·BMC medicine·2015

This study developed a new technology using tiny fluorescent diamonds to track where aluminum adjuvants (a component in vaccines) travel in the body and how long they stay there. Researchers found that these aluminum particles, which are used to boost immune response in vaccines, can move from the injection site to lymph nodes, the spleen, liver, and brain, where they accumulate over time. This tracking technology could help scientists better understand whether long-term exposure to these particles might cause health problems.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredMechanistic

Evidence for sensitized fatigue pathways in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Staud, Roland, Mokthech, Meriem, Price, Donald D et al.·Pain·2015

This study tested whether ME/CFS patients have unusually sensitive "fatigue pathways" in their muscles and nerves that overreact to exercise. Researchers had patients and healthy controls do hand exercises, then briefly cut off blood flow to the forearm to trap muscle chemicals in the tissues. ME/CFS patients reported increased fatigue during the blood flow cutoff, while healthy people's fatigue actually decreased—suggesting their muscles and nerves are sending stronger fatigue signals.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryCommentaryPEM not requiredEditorial

[The theorotical basis for chronic fatigue syndrome from bladder meridian of foot-taiyang].

Yao, Fei, Zhao, Yi, Jiang, Shichao et al.·Zhongguo zhen jiu = Chinese acupuncture & moxibustion·2015

This study explores traditional Chinese medicine (acupuncture) theory to understand chronic fatigue syndrome. The researchers examined how the bladder meridian—a pathway used in acupuncture treatment—may relate to fatigue, sleep problems, and organ function. They propose that treating this meridian might help reduce both physical and mental exhaustion in ME/CFS patients.

Sleep

E3 PreliminaryCommentaryPEM unclearEditorial

Fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome: management issues.

Bourke, Julius·Advances in psychosomatic medicine·2015

This article discusses how fibromyalgia and ME/CFS are common conditions that were previously dismissed or not taken seriously by doctors, causing patients significant suffering. Recent scientific discoveries have improved our understanding of how these conditions work in the body and what treatments may help. While complete recovery is not common, moderate improvements in symptoms and quality of life are achievable with proper management.

Diagnostics

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Mitochondrial Myopathy in Follow-up of a Patient With Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Galán, Fernando, de Lavera, Isabel, Cotán, David et al.·Journal of investigative medicine high impact case reports·2015

This case study describes a patient who was initially diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) but was later found to have a different condition called mitochondrial myopathy—a disease affecting the energy-producing structures in muscle cells. Testing showed the patient had severe deficiencies in certain components of these energy-producing structures, and genetic analysis revealed mutations inherited from the mother. The patient and family members improved significantly with high-dose vitamins B1 and B2.

Diagnostics

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Understanding medical students' views of chronic fatigue syndrome: a qualitative study.

Stenhoff, Alexandra Laura, Sadreddini, Shireen, Peters, Sarah et al.·Journal of health psychology·2015

This study asked 21 UK medical students about their knowledge and attitudes toward ME/CFS. Most students had learned little about the condition in their medical training and picked up information informally instead. The researchers found that students struggled to understand ME/CFS using traditional medical thinking and suggested that better teaching—one that considers both physical and psychological factors—could help future doctors develop more helpful attitudes toward the illness.

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredMechanistic

Immunomodulating and antioxidant effects of polysaccharide conjugates from the fruits of Ziziphus Jujube on Chronic Fatigue Syndrome rats.

Chi, Aiping, Kang, Chenzhe, Zhang, Yan et al.·Carbohydrate polymers·2015

Researchers tested whether jujube fruit extract could help rats with an artificially induced chronic fatigue condition. The extract appeared to reduce oxidative stress (cellular damage) and boost immune function in these rats, including improving the activity of natural killer cells that help fight infections. While these results are encouraging, this is animal research and much more work is needed to determine if similar benefits would occur in people with ME/CFS.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Less efficient and costly processes of frontal cortex in childhood chronic fatigue syndrome.

Mizuno, Kei, Tanaka, Masaaki, Tanabe, Hiroki C et al.·NeuroImage. Clinical·2015

This study looked at how children with ME/CFS use their brains when doing challenging thinking tasks. When performing two tasks at once (like sorting letters while reading a story), children with ME/CFS had to activate much larger areas of their brains compared to healthy children. This suggests their brains work harder and less efficiently to accomplish the same tasks, which may contribute to the exhaustion they experience.

Cognitive Impairment

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredMechanistic

Protracted effects of chronic stress on serotonin-dependent thermoregulation.

Natarajan, Reka, Northrop, Nicole A, Yamamoto, Bryan K·Stress (Amsterdam, Netherlands)·2015

When the body experiences prolonged stress, it can damage the system that controls body temperature through a chemical messenger in the brain called serotonin. This study found that stressed animals had trouble warming up when exposed to cold—the opposite of what healthy animals normally do—and this problem persisted even after stress ended. By blocking stress hormones during the stressful period, researchers could prevent these temperature control problems, suggesting stress-related damage to thermoregulation might be reversible.

E3 PreliminaryBehavioralPEM not requiredCase-Control

The Cognitive Behavioral Treatment of Depression and Low Self-Esteem in the Context of Pediatric Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS/ME): A Case Study.

Loades, Maria·Journal of child and adolescent psychiatric nursing : official publication of the Association of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Nurses, Inc·2015

This study describes treating a 16-year-old girl with ME/CFS who also had depression and low self-esteem using cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), a talking treatment that helps change unhelpful thinking patterns. While the therapy successfully improved her mood and self-esteem, her ME/CFS symptoms got worse during treatment. This suggests that mood treatments for people with ME/CFS need to be carefully designed to avoid making fatigue symptoms worse.

E3 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM unclearMethods-Paper

What matters to children with CFS/ME? A conceptual model as the first stage in developing a PROM.

Parslow, Roxanne, Patel, Aarti, Beasant, Lucy et al.·Archives of disease in childhood·2015

Researchers interviewed 25 children with ME/CFS to understand what matters most to them about their illness and lives. Children described four main areas that are affected: their symptoms (which change unpredictably), their ability to be physically active, their social life with friends and family, and their emotional well-being. The study found that support from both doctors and schools is really important in helping children manage their condition.

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Oral Colostrum Macrophage-activating Factor for Serious Infection and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Three Case Reports.

[Research progress of fecal microbiota transplantation].

Fibromyalgia: A Critical and Comprehensive Review.

Nutrition facts in multiple sclerosis.

Problems in defining post-exertional malaise.

The use of mixed methods in studying a chronic illness.

Beyond Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Redefining an Illness.

Hybrid facial image feature extraction and recognition for non-invasive chronic fatigue syndrome diagnosis.

Consulting patients in setting priorities in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (M.E.) research: findings from a national on-line survey.

Fluorescent nanodiamonds as a relevant tag for the assessment of alum adjuvant particle biodisposition.

Evidence for sensitized fatigue pathways in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

[The theorotical basis for chronic fatigue syndrome from bladder meridian of foot-taiyang].

Fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome: management issues.

Mitochondrial Myopathy in Follow-up of a Patient With Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Understanding medical students' views of chronic fatigue syndrome: a qualitative study.

Immunomodulating and antioxidant effects of polysaccharide conjugates from the fruits of Ziziphus Jujube on Chronic Fatigue Syndrome rats.

Less efficient and costly processes of frontal cortex in childhood chronic fatigue syndrome.

Protracted effects of chronic stress on serotonin-dependent thermoregulation.

The Cognitive Behavioral Treatment of Depression and Low Self-Esteem in the Context of Pediatric Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS/ME): A Case Study.

What matters to children with CFS/ME? A conceptual model as the first stage in developing a PROM.

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