ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

2420 studies

1141–1160 of 2,420 studies

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM unclearMechanistic

Exercise and sleep deprivation do not change cytokine expression levels in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Nakamura, Toru, Schwander, Stephan, Donnelly, Robert et al.·Clinical and vaccine immunology : CVI·2013

Researchers tested whether exercise and sleep loss could trigger increased inflammatory markers in the blood of ME/CFS patients, since many people report that physical activity and poor sleep make their symptoms worse. They found that neither exercise nor sleep deprivation caused the expected increases in inflammatory proteins in people with ME/CFS compared to healthy controls. This suggests that immune activation from these stressors may not be the main reason symptoms worsen with exertion or sleep loss.

Immune SystemPost-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM unclearMechanistic

A metagenomic approach to investigate the microbial causes of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome: moving beyond XMRV.

Miller, Ruth R, Gardy, Jennifer L, Tang, Patrick et al.·Fatigue : biomedicine, health & behavior·2013

This study used advanced genetic sequencing techniques to search for microorganisms (bacteria, viruses, and fungi) that might cause ME/CFS. Rather than looking for one specific virus, the researchers cast a wider net to detect any microbes present in patient samples. This approach moved beyond previous unsuccessful searches for a single virus, offering a more comprehensive way to understand whether infections play a role in ME/CFS.

Gut Microbiome

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM unclearMechanistic

The effects of exercise on dynamic sleep morphology in healthy controls and patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Kishi, Akifumi, Togo, Fumiharu, Cook, Dane B et al.·Physiological reports·2013

This study looked at how sleep changes after exercise in healthy people versus those with ME/CFS. Researchers found that while exercise helped healthy people sleep more deeply and continuously, people with ME/CFS showed different sleep patterns—specifically more disruptions when moving from REM sleep (dream sleep) back to wakefulness. Importantly, these REM sleep disruptions in ME/CFS patients were linked to increased fatigue, pain, and sleepiness the next day.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

Caught in the thickness of brain fog: exploring the cognitive symptoms of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Ocon, Anthony J·Frontiers in physiology·2013

ME/CFS causes cognitive difficulties that patients often describe as "brain fog"—a feeling of foggy thinking, slow mental processing, and trouble concentrating. This review suggests brain fog may result from reduced blood flow to the brain combined with the physical stress of standing (which worsens symptoms in many patients), plus the extra mental effort required to complete tasks. Understanding these overlapping factors could help explain why cognitive symptoms feel so exhausting.

Autonomic Nervous SystemCognitive Impairment

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

Molecular mechanisms underpinning laser printer and photocopier induced symptoms, including chronic fatigue syndrome and respiratory tract hyperresponsiveness: pharmacological treatment with cinnamon and hydrogen.

Lucas, Kurt, Maes, Michael·Neuro endocrinology letters·2013

This review examines how emissions from laser printers and photocopiers might trigger symptoms in sensitive people, including fatigue, breathing problems, and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). The study suggests that particles and chemicals released during printing can trigger inflammation and oxidative stress in the body. The authors propose that two substances—cinnamon and hydrogen—might help reduce these symptoms by reducing inflammation.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryBehavioralPEM not requiredMechanistic

Anti depressant activity of Mamsyadi Kwatha: An Ayurvedic compound formulation.

Shreevathsa, M, Ravishankar, B, Dwivedi, Rambabu·Ayu·2013

Researchers tested an Ayurvedic herbal mixture called Mamsyadi Kwatha to see if it could help with depression and fatigue-like symptoms in mice. The mixture contains three plant ingredients and showed some ability to reduce signs of depression and fatigue in animal tests, suggesting it might have antidepressant properties.

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM unclearMechanistic

Immunostimulation in the treatment for chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis.

Proal, Amy D, Albert, Paul J, Marshall, Trevor G et al.·Immunologic research·2013

This study suggests that ME/CFS may be caused by multiple germs (bacteria, viruses, and fungi) working together in the body, rather than a single pathogen. The researchers proposed that these microbes interfere with how our genes are expressed, and developed an immunostimulatory treatment that showed promise in improving both how patients feel and measurable health markers.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM unclearMechanistic

Plasmacytoid dendritic cells in the duodenum of individuals diagnosed with myalgic encephalomyelitis are uniquely immunoreactive to antibodies to human endogenous retroviral proteins.

De Meirleir, Kenny L, Khaiboullina, Svetlana F, Frémont, Marc et al.·In vivo (Athens, Greece)·2013

Researchers found that a specific type of immune cell in the gut (called plasmacytoid dendritic cells) reacts to remnants of ancient viral DNA in 8 out of 12 ME/CFS patients, but not in healthy controls. These cells appear to be displaying signs of viral proteins on their surface, which suggests the gut may be involved in triggering immune problems seen in ME/CFS.

NeuroinflammationImmune System

E3 PreliminaryCommentaryPEM unclearEditorial

New developments in the diagnosis and treatment of chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome.

Pontari, Michel, Giusto, Laura·Current opinion in urology·2013

This article discusses how chronic prostatitis and chronic pelvic pain syndrome in men can present differently—some men have pain localized to the pelvic area, while others experience widespread body symptoms similar to other chronic conditions. The authors review new treatment options including physical therapy, acupuncture, psychological support, and medications, and note that these conditions often occur alongside other chronic pain disorders like fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Neuroinflammation

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

[Conditions, controversies and contradictions between Central Sensitivity Syndrome and Depressive Disorders].

Maresca, Tomás, Covini, Elvira, Mato, Andrea Márquez López·Vertex (Buenos Aires, Argentina)·2013

This review article explains Central Sensitivity Syndrome (CSS), a condition where the nervous system becomes overly sensitive to pain and other stimuli, and how it relates to ME/CFS and fibromyalgia. The authors describe how CSS differs from depression, even though people with CSS often experience depression as well, by comparing how the body's stress hormones, sleep patterns, and immune systems function differently in each condition.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryBehavioralPEM not requiredCase-Control

A case of chronic fatigue syndrome improved by traditional Korean medicine.

Son, Chang-Gue·Integrative medicine research·2013

This report describes one woman with ME/CFS who experienced significant improvement in her fatigue after receiving traditional Korean medicine treatments, including herbal medicine, acupuncture, and moxibustion over three months. Her fatigue severity scores were cut roughly in half during treatment. While this single case suggests these treatments may help some people, it does not prove they work for everyone with ME/CFS.

E3 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM unclearMethods-Paper

Method Issues in Epidemiological Studies of Medically Unexplained Symptom-based Conditions in Veterans.

Coughlin, Steven S, McNeil, Rebecca B, Provenzale, Dawn T et al.·Journal of military and veterans' health·2013

This study examined how researchers diagnose ME/CFS and related conditions in veterans, particularly those who served in the 1990-1991 Gulf War. The researchers found that many veterans had other medical conditions that could complicate or mask ME/CFS diagnosis. The study highlights that how doctors define and diagnose these conditions matters a lot, and different approaches can lead to very different results.

Diagnostics

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Lumbar puncture, chronic fatigue syndrome and idiopathic intracranial hypertension: a cross-sectional study.

Higgins, Nicholas, Pickard, John, Lever, Andrew·JRSM short reports·2013

This study looked at whether some people with ME/CFS might actually have a condition called idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH), which involves increased pressure around the brain and spinal cord. The researchers performed lumbar punctures (spinal taps) on ME/CFS patients with headaches and measured the fluid pressure around their spinal cord. They found that some patients improved after the procedure, suggesting a possible link between the two conditions.

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Thiamine and fatigue in inflammatory bowel diseases: an open-label pilot study.

Costantini, Antonio, Pala, Maria Immacolata·Journal of alternative and complementary medicine (New York, N.Y.)·2013

This small study tested whether high-dose vitamin B1 (thiamine) could help fatigue in people with inflammatory bowel disease. Twelve patients took large amounts of thiamine for 20 days, and ten of them reported their fatigue almost completely went away. The researchers suggest that fatigue in these patients may come from cells not absorbing thiamine properly, rather than from actual vitamin deficiency in the blood.

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Role of reactive oxygen species and antioxidants in atopic dermatitis.

Sivaranjani, N, Rao, S Venkata, Rajeev, G·Journal of clinical and diagnostic research : JCDR·2013

This study looked at whether skin damage from harmful molecules called reactive oxygen species plays a role in atopic dermatitis (eczema). Researchers compared 25 people with atopic dermatitis to 25 healthy people and measured levels of damaging molecules and protective antioxidants in their bodies. They found that people with eczema had more damage and lower levels of natural protective substances, suggesting that antioxidants might help treat the condition.

E3 PreliminaryBehavioralPEM unclear

[Moxibustion at Yongquan (KI 1) for sleep disorders of chronic fatigue syndrome].

Chen, Xiao-Qin, Gang, Zhi-Xiu, Xu, Zhi-Peng·Zhongguo zhen jiu = Chinese acupuncture & moxibustion·2013

This study explored whether moxibustion—a traditional Chinese medicine technique involving burning herbs near the skin—might help improve sleep problems in people with ME/CFS. The treatment focused on a specific acupuncture point on the sole of the foot called Yongquan (KI 1). While the study suggests this approach may have helped some patients sleep better, the research quality is limited and more rigorous testing is needed.

Sleep

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

Inflammatory and oxidative and nitrosative stress cascades as new drug targets in myalgic encephalomyelitis and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Maes, Michael·Modern trends in pharmacopsychiatry·2013

This study suggests that ME/CFS involves several overlapping biological problems: inflammation, oxidative stress (cellular damage), and activation of certain immune pathways. The researchers found that ME (characterized by post-exertional malaise) is more severe than CFS, and both conditions have higher levels of inflammatory markers than regular chronic fatigue. Understanding these biological mechanisms may help develop new targeted treatments.

Immune SystemPost-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM requiredMethods-Paper

Case definitions and diagnostic criteria for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis and Chronic fatigue Syndrome: from clinical-consensus to evidence-based case definitions.

Morris, Gerwyn, Maes, Michael·Neuro endocrinology letters·2013

Over the past 50+ years, doctors have created many different definitions and diagnostic criteria for ME/CFS, but these criteria were often based on expert opinion rather than scientific evidence. This paper examines why so many different definitions exist and argues that future diagnostic criteria should be built on objective test results (like blood work and brain imaging) rather than just symptoms alone, to better distinguish between ME and CFS as two related but separate conditions.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredMechanistic

Modulation of the axon-reflex response to local heat by reactive oxygen species in subjects with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Medow, Marvin S, Aggarwal, Arun, Baugham, Ila et al.·Journal of applied physiology (Bethesda, Md. : 1985)·2013

When skin is heated, blood vessels normally dilate to increase blood flow. This study found that people with ME/CFS have lower baseline blood flow in their skin compared to healthy people. When researchers used drugs to reduce harmful molecules called reactive oxygen species (particularly hydrogen peroxide), blood flow improved and the initial blood vessel response to heat increased in ME/CFS patients but not in healthy controls.

Pain and SensitizationAutonomic Nervous System

E3 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM not requiredMethods-Paper

Self-regulatory fatigue in chronic multisymptom illnesses: scale development, fatigue, and self-control.

Nes, Lise Solberg, Ehlers, Shawna L, Whipple, Mary O et al.·Journal of pain research·2013

This study created a new questionnaire to measure a specific type of mental tiredness called self-regulatory fatigue—the exhaustion that comes from having to constantly manage your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. Researchers gave this 18-question test to nearly 300 people with chronic illnesses like fibromyalgia and ME/CFS, along with standard fatigue and self-control tests. They found that this mental tiredness is related to, but distinct from, physical fatigue—suggesting it's a separate problem worth measuring and understanding.

Cognitive Impairment

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Evidence Atlas

Evidence browser

Exercise and sleep deprivation do not change cytokine expression levels in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

A metagenomic approach to investigate the microbial causes of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome: moving beyond XMRV.

The effects of exercise on dynamic sleep morphology in healthy controls and patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Caught in the thickness of brain fog: exploring the cognitive symptoms of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Molecular mechanisms underpinning laser printer and photocopier induced symptoms, including chronic fatigue syndrome and respiratory tract hyperresponsiveness: pharmacological treatment with cinnamon and hydrogen.

Anti depressant activity of Mamsyadi Kwatha: An Ayurvedic compound formulation.

Immunostimulation in the treatment for chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis.

Plasmacytoid dendritic cells in the duodenum of individuals diagnosed with myalgic encephalomyelitis are uniquely immunoreactive to antibodies to human endogenous retroviral proteins.

New developments in the diagnosis and treatment of chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome.

[Conditions, controversies and contradictions between Central Sensitivity Syndrome and Depressive Disorders].

A case of chronic fatigue syndrome improved by traditional Korean medicine.

Method Issues in Epidemiological Studies of Medically Unexplained Symptom-based Conditions in Veterans.

Lumbar puncture, chronic fatigue syndrome and idiopathic intracranial hypertension: a cross-sectional study.

Thiamine and fatigue in inflammatory bowel diseases: an open-label pilot study.

Role of reactive oxygen species and antioxidants in atopic dermatitis.

[Moxibustion at Yongquan (KI 1) for sleep disorders of chronic fatigue syndrome].

Inflammatory and oxidative and nitrosative stress cascades as new drug targets in myalgic encephalomyelitis and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Case definitions and diagnostic criteria for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis and Chronic fatigue Syndrome: from clinical-consensus to evidence-based case definitions.

Modulation of the axon-reflex response to local heat by reactive oxygen species in subjects with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Self-regulatory fatigue in chronic multisymptom illnesses: scale development, fatigue, and self-control.

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