ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

2420 studies

1041–1060 of 2,420 studies

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

Postural Tachycardia Syndrome: Beyond Orthostatic Intolerance.

Garland, Emily M, Celedonio, Jorge E, Raj, Satish R·Current neurology and neuroscience reports·2015

This review explains postural tachycardia syndrome (POTS), a condition where your heart rate increases excessively when you stand up, often causing dizziness, fatigue, and other symptoms that improve when lying down. POTS can result from several different underlying problems—such as low blood volume, overactive stress nerves, or problems with small nerves in the legs—and may overlap with other conditions like ME/CFS. Treatment typically involves a combination of lifestyle changes, structured exercise, and sometimes medications.

Autonomic Nervous System

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM requiredReview-Narrative

Review of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: an evidence-based approach to diagnosis and management by clinicians.

Bested, Alison C, Marshall, Lynn M·Reviews on environmental health·2015

This review helps doctors understand ME/CFS better by explaining what it is, how to diagnose it, and how to treat it. ME/CFS is a serious illness that causes extreme tiredness, brain fog, pain, and sleep problems that get worse after physical activity. The review emphasizes that pacing activities—carefully balancing rest with gentle exercise—is one of the most important strategies patients can use to manage their symptoms and avoid crashes.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue: the underlying biology and related theoretical issues.

Romano, Graziella F, Tomassi, Simona, Russell, Alice et al.·Advances in psychosomatic medicine·2015

This review examines what scientists have learned about the biological causes of ME/CFS and fibromyalgia. Researchers have found that three main systems in the body appear to go wrong: inflammation (the body's immune response), oxidative stress (cellular damage from harmful molecules), and problems with hormones that control stress responses. These abnormalities may explain why patients experience fatigue, pain, memory problems, and mood changes.

Energy Metabolism

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 PreliminaryCohortPEM not requiredObservational

A prospective, proof-of-concept investigation of KPAX002 in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Kaiser, Jon D·International journal of clinical and experimental medicine·2015

This small study tested a combination treatment called KPAX002, which pairs a stimulant medication (methylphenidate) with nutrients thought to support energy production in cells. Fifteen people with ME/CFS took this combination for 12 weeks, and researchers measured changes in fatigue and concentration problems using standard questionnaires. Most participants (87%) showed meaningful improvement in fatigue, and the treatment was generally safe and well tolerated.

Cognitive Impairment

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

Gray matter volumes in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Tang, Le-Wei, Zheng, Hui, Chen, Liang et al.·Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM·2015

This review examines brain imaging studies that found smaller brain regions in people with ME/CFS. The researchers looked at how other conditions—like chronic pain, stress, sleep problems, and depression—might affect these brain changes and make it harder to understand what's really happening in ME/CFS. By separating out these overlapping factors, scientists hope to better understand the true brain mechanisms behind ME/CFS.

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 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM unclearMethods-Paper

Variability in Symptoms Complicates Utility of Case Definitions.

McManimen, Stephanie L, Jason, Leonard A, Williams, Yolonda J·Fatigue : biomedicine, health & behavior·2015

This study looked at how ME/CFS is defined and diagnosed across different research centers. Researchers found that when different studies measure key symptoms like post-exertional malaise (feeling worse after activity), unrefreshing sleep, and brain fog, they get very different numbers—suggesting that either different patients are being studied, or researchers are asking questions in different ways. The study concluded that ME/CFS research needs more standardized, consistent methods for measuring symptoms so findings can be compared fairly.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Are stamina and fatigue polar opposites? A case study.

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

This study looked at whether fatigue and stamina are opposite sides of the same coin in ME/CFS. The researchers found that some people with ME/CFS have low fatigue but still cannot do much physically, while others have high fatigue that stops them from being active. This suggests that fatigue and stamina may be separate issues, and current diagnostic criteria that focus mainly on fatigue might miss people who have low energy and endurance but don't report severe fatigue.

Post-Exertional Malaise

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 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM requiredMethods-Paper

Accurate diagnosis of myalgic encephalomyelitis and chronic fatigue syndrome based upon objective test methods for characteristic symptoms.

Twisk, Frank Nm·World journal of methodology·2015

ME and CFS are often treated as the same condition, but they are actually different illnesses with some overlapping symptoms. ME has specific features like muscle weakness, brain fog, heart and circulation problems, and especially a distinctive symptom called post-exertional malaise—where patients feel much worse after even small amounts of activity. Because many ME/CFS symptoms feel subjective, some doctors have questioned whether they are real physical problems, but this article argues that objective medical tests can measure key symptoms and help doctors diagnose these conditions more accurately.

Cognitive ImpairmentPost-Exertional Malaise

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 PreliminaryCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Evaluating Interactive Fatigue Management Workshops for Occupational Health Professionals in the United Kingdom.

Ali, Sheila, Chalder, Trudie, Madan, Ira·Safety and health at work·2014

This study tested whether one-day training workshops could help occupational health professionals (doctors and nurses who work with employers) better understand and manage fatigue and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). After the training, these professionals knew more about fatigue and felt more confident diagnosing and treating it in working people, with improvements that lasted at least 4 months.

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Valacyclovir treatment of chronic fatigue in adolescents.

Henderson, Theodore A·Advances in mind-body medicine·2014

This study looked at 15 young people who were referred for treatment-resistant depression but were found to have ME/CFS instead. When treated with an antiviral medication called valacyclovir, 93% of them improved significantly, with fatigue scores dropping substantially. The study suggests that some cases of depression in teenagers may actually be undiagnosed ME/CFS caused by chronic viral infections.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Orthostatic responses in adolescent chronic fatigue syndrome: contributions from expectancies as well as gravity.

Wyller, Vegard Bruun, Fagermoen, Even, Sulheim, Dag et al.·BioPsychoSocial medicine·2014

When people with ME/CFS stand up or imagine standing, their body's nervous system responds differently than in healthy people. This study found that teenagers with ME/CFS have higher resting heart rate and blood pressure, and their nervous system shows stronger stress responses when they think about standing upright, even though their actual physical response to tilting was similar to healthy peers. This suggests that both the physical challenge of gravity and a person's expectations or anxiety about standing may contribute to the symptoms they experience.

Autonomic Nervous System

E3 PreliminaryBehavioralPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Couples' experiences of interacting with outside others in chronic fatigue syndrome: a qualitative study.

Brooks, Joanna, King, Nigel, Wearden, Alison·Chronic illness·2014

This study looked at how ME/CFS affects not just patients, but also their spouses or partners who live with them. Researchers interviewed two couples to understand their experiences, focusing on how they interact with doctors and people outside their home. The key finding was that both patients and their partners struggle with how others—whether healthcare providers or friends—understand and respond to ME/CFS, and these outside interactions significantly affect how couples cope together.

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredMechanistic

A Study of the Protective Effect of Triticum aestivum L. in an Experimental Animal Model of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Borah, Mukundam, Sarma, Phulen, Das, Swarnamoni·Pharmacognosy research·2014

Researchers tested whether wheat leaf extract could help mice recover from exhaustion caused by repeated stress. The stressed mice that received the extract showed improved activity levels and reduced anxiety compared to untreated stressed mice, and their brain chemistry improved. This suggests the extract's antioxidant properties may help protect against some effects of chronic fatigue.

E3 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM not requiredMethods-Paper

Validating a measure of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome symptomatology.

Brown, Abigail A, Jason, Leonard A·Fatigue : biomedicine, health & behavior·2014

This study tested whether a questionnaire called the DePaul Symptom Questionnaire (DSQ) accurately measures the symptoms people with ME/CFS experience. Researchers found that ME/CFS symptoms naturally group into three main categories: problems with the nervous system and immune system, problems with thinking and memory, and a worsening of symptoms after physical activity. The questionnaire was shown to be a reliable tool for identifying and measuring these symptom patterns in ME/CFS patients.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredMechanistic

Induction of interleukin-1β by activated microglia is a prerequisite for immunologically induced fatigue.

Ifuku, Masataka, Hossain, Shamim M, Noda, Mami et al.·The European journal of neuroscience·2014

This study used rats to understand how an immune trigger (a synthetic viral mimic) causes prolonged fatigue. Researchers found that when this trigger activates immune cells in the brain called microglia, they release a chemical messenger called IL-1β that affects how the brain handles serotonin, leading to reduced activity and fatigue-like behavior.

NeuroinflammationImmune System

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Evidence browser

Postural Tachycardia Syndrome: Beyond Orthostatic Intolerance.

Review of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: an evidence-based approach to diagnosis and management by clinicians.

Fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue: the underlying biology and related theoretical issues.

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

A prospective, proof-of-concept investigation of KPAX002 in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Gray matter volumes in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

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.

Variability in Symptoms Complicates Utility of Case Definitions.

Are stamina and fatigue polar opposites? A case study.

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

Accurate diagnosis of myalgic encephalomyelitis and chronic fatigue syndrome based upon objective test methods for characteristic symptoms.

Protracted effects of chronic stress on serotonin-dependent thermoregulation.

Evaluating Interactive Fatigue Management Workshops for Occupational Health Professionals in the United Kingdom.

Valacyclovir treatment of chronic fatigue in adolescents.

Orthostatic responses in adolescent chronic fatigue syndrome: contributions from expectancies as well as gravity.

Couples' experiences of interacting with outside others in chronic fatigue syndrome: a qualitative study.

A Study of the Protective Effect of Triticum aestivum L. in an Experimental Animal Model of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Validating a measure of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome symptomatology.

Induction of interleukin-1β by activated microglia is a prerequisite for immunologically induced fatigue.

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