Evidence browser

The sick building syndrome as a part of the autoimmune (auto-inflammatory) syndrome induced by adjuvants.

Israeli, Eitan, Pardo, Asher·Modern rheumatology·2011

This review paper proposes that sick building syndrome—a collection of unexplained symptoms people develop from spending time in certain buildings—may be part of a larger group of related conditions. The authors suggest that sick building syndrome shares many symptoms with other post-exposure illnesses like Gulf War syndrome and chronic fatigue syndrome, and may all stem from similar immune system problems triggered by specific substances.

Severe restriction of xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus replication and spread in cultured human peripheral blood mononuclear cells.

Chaipan, Chawaree, Dilley, Kari A, Paprotka, Tobias et al.·Journal of virology·2011

This study investigated how XMRV, a virus found in some CFS patients, behaves when it infects human immune cells called PBMCs. Researchers discovered that human immune cells have natural defenses (proteins called APOBEC3G and APOBEC3F) that can damage the virus's genetic material and prevent it from spreading effectively. Although the virus could technically survive in these cells, it could not replicate well—suggesting the body has built-in brakes that limit XMRV's ability to cause ongoing infection.

NF-kappaB activation stimulates transcription and replication of retrovirus XMRV in human B-lineage and prostate carcinoma cells.

Sakakibara, Shuhei, Sakakibara, Kaori, Tosato, Giovanna·Journal of virology·2011

This study examined how inflammation in the body can affect a virus called XMRV. Researchers found that when inflammatory signals (like TNF-α) are activated in cells, they can turn up the volume on XMRV production. This suggests that conditions causing inflammation or certain viral infections might help XMRV spread in the body.

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Sympathetic neural hyperalgesia edema syndrome, a frequent cause of pelvic pain in women, mistaken for Lyme disease with chronic fatigue.

Check, J H, Cohen, R·Clinical and experimental obstetrics & gynecology·2011

This study describes a woman who was diagnosed with Lyme disease and treated with antibiotics for chronic fatigue, but her symptoms didn't improve. Doctors then tested her ability to excrete water from her body and found it was impaired, suggesting a problem with her sympathetic nervous system (the part that controls automatic body functions). When she was treated with a stimulant medication instead, she improved significantly.

Diagnostics

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

Sleep disorders, medical conditions, and road accident risk.

Smolensky, Michael H, Di Milia, Lee, Ohayon, Maurice M et al.·Accident; analysis and prevention·2011

This review examined how sleep disorders and medical conditions—including ME/CFS, sleep apnea, insomnia, and others—may increase the risk of car accidents caused by drowsiness and fatigue. The authors found that while these conditions clearly cause tiredness and poor sleep, very few studies have actually looked at whether they make people more likely to have driving accidents. They call for better research to understand this connection and test whether treating these conditions reduces crash risk.

Sleep

E3 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM not requiredMethods-Paper

Resveratrol improves hippocampal atrophy in chronic fatigue mice by enhancing neurogenesis and inhibiting apoptosis of granular cells.

Moriya, Junji, Chen, Rui, Yamakawa, Jun-ichi et al.·Biological & pharmaceutical bulletin·2011

Researchers created mice with chronic fatigue by repeatedly exposing them to a bacterial antigen, which caused them to move less and their brains to shrink in a region called the hippocampus. When they gave these mice resveratrol (a compound found in red grapes), the mice became more active and their hippocampus enlarged. The treatment appeared to work by reducing brain cell death and promoting the growth of new brain cells.

Neuroinflammation

Investigation of xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus (XMRV) in human and other cell lines.

Williams, Dhanya K, Galvin, Teresa A, Ma, Hailun et al.·Biologicals : journal of the International Association of Biological Standardization·2011

Researchers tested several types of cells commonly used in laboratories and vaccine development to see if they contained XMRV, a virus that had been suggested as a possible cause of ME/CFS. Using sensitive detection methods, they found no evidence of XMRV in any of the cell lines they tested, which is reassuring for the safety of biological products made from these cells.

Antibody responses against xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus envelope in a murine model.

Makarova, Natalia, Zhao, Chunxia, Zhang, Yuanyuan et al.·PloS one·2011

Researchers created a vaccine to test whether the body can develop antibodies (immune proteins) against XMRV, a virus that was proposed to be associated with ME/CFS. Mice given the vaccine did produce antibodies against the virus, but these antibodies disappeared quickly—within three weeks. This short-lived immune response might help explain why different studies have found different rates of XMRV in ME/CFS patients.

E3 PreliminaryCommentaryPEM not requiredEditorial

Kynurenine pathway Hypothesis: The nature of the chronic Fatigue syndrome (cFs) Revisited.

Blankfield, Adele·International journal of tryptophan research : IJTR·2011

This study examines a theory that ME/CFS might be related to problems with how the body processes an amino acid called tryptophan. The body normally breaks down tryptophan through a pathway called the kynurenine pathway, and the researchers suggest that abnormalities in this process could contribute to the symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome.

Energy Metabolism

Will vitamin D supplementation ameliorate diseases characterized by chronic inflammation and fatigue?

Hoeck, Anna Dorothea, Pall, Martin L·Medical hypotheses·2011

This paper proposes that low vitamin D levels may contribute to ME/CFS by allowing harmful inflammatory processes to continue unchecked in the body. Vitamin D normally acts as a brake on inflammation, but only when levels are adequate. The authors suggest that fixing vitamin D deficiency through supplementation might help reduce fatigue and inflammation in ME/CFS, though they acknowledge this theory needs to be tested in actual clinical trials.

Heterologous immunity: immunopathology, autoimmunity and protection during viral infections.

Selin, Liisa K, Wlodarczyk, Myriam F, Kraft, Anke R et al.·Autoimmunity·2011

When your body fights off infections, your immune system sometimes creates responses that can cross-react with other pathogens or even your own tissues. Most of the time this is helpful and protects you, but in some people it can trigger harmful immune reactions. This review explores how repeated infections with different viruses and bacteria might cause the immune system to become dysregulated, potentially contributing to conditions like chronic fatigue syndrome.

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM unclearMechanistic

Treatment of central sensitization in patients with 'unexplained' chronic pain: what options do we have?

Nijs, Jo, Meeus, Mira, Van Oosterwijck, Jessica et al.·Expert opinion on pharmacotherapy·2011

This review examines how the nervous system can become overly sensitive to pain signals, a condition called central sensitization that occurs in many chronic pain disorders including ME/CFS. The authors summarize different treatment approaches—including medications, physical therapy, brain stimulation, and stress management—that may help calm down an overactive pain processing system in the brain and spinal cord.

Pain and Sensitization

An Etiological Model for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Jason, Leonard A, Sorenson, Matthew, Porter, Nicole et al.·Neuroscience and medicine·2011

This study proposes that ME/CFS may develop through a process called 'kindling,' where the brain becomes increasingly sensitive to stress after repeated infections or injuries. Think of it like a fire alarm that has been triggered so many times it stays in an oversensitive state. Once this happens, the brain's stress system stays highly activated even without new triggers, which could explain why ME/CFS patients have such persistent symptoms.

Neuroinflammation

E3 PreliminaryBehavioralPEM unclear

Challenges of nurse delivery of psychological interventions for long-term conditions in primary care: a qualitative exploration of the case of chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalitis.

Peters, Sarah, Wearden, Alison, Morriss, Richard et al.·Implementation science : IS·2011

This study looked at what happens when nurses without specialist psychology training deliver talking therapies to ME/CFS patients in regular doctor's offices. Researchers interviewed nurses, their supervisors, and 46 patients to understand the challenges that came up. They found four main problems: nurses were new to doing therapy work, patients were sometimes reluctant to engage with the treatment approach, nurses struggled with managing emotional conversations, and the primary care setting itself created complications.

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredCase-Control

Polymorphisms of adrenergic cardiovascular control genes are associated with adolescent chronic fatigue syndrome.

Sommerfeldt, Line, Portilla, Helene, Jacobsen, Line et al.·Acta paediatrica (Oslo, Norway : 1992)·2011

This study looked at genetic differences in genes that control how the body responds to stress and manages heart rate and blood pressure in teenagers with ME/CFS. Researchers found that people with ME/CFS were more likely to have certain genetic variations in two specific genes (COMT and the β₂-adrenergic receptor) compared to healthy people. These genetic differences may affect how well the body's autonomic nervous system (which controls automatic body functions) works during physical stress.

Autonomic Nervous System

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Beyond the serotonin hypothesis: mitochondria, inflammation and neurodegeneration in major depression and affective spectrum disorders.

Gardner, Ann, Boles, Richard G·Progress in neuro-psychopharmacology & biological psychiatry·2011

For decades, doctors believed depression was caused by low serotonin levels in the brain, but research hasn't proven this is true. This review proposes that depression and related conditions like ME/CFS, fibromyalgia, and IBS may actually stem from problems with how cells produce energy (mitochondrial dysfunction) combined with inflammation in the body. The authors suggest that common depression medications work through multiple pathways—not just serotonin—and that targeting mitochondrial health might help treat these overlapping conditions.

Energy Metabolism

Blood pressure variability and closed-loop baroreflex assessment in adolescent chronic fatigue syndrome during supine rest and orthostatic stress.

Wyller, Vegard Bruun, Barbieri, Riccardo, Saul, J Philip·European journal of applied physiology·2011

This study looked at how the nervous system controls heart rate and blood pressure in teenagers with ME/CFS compared to healthy peers. Researchers found that teenagers with ME/CFS had less flexible blood pressure responses and their bodies shifted more toward 'fight or flight' nervous system activation when standing or experiencing mild stress, suggesting their autonomic nervous system (which controls these functions automatically) may not work as efficiently.

Autonomic Nervous System

E3 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM unclearMethods-Paper

DNA extraction columns contaminated with murine sequences.

Erlwein, Otto, Robinson, Mark J, Dustan, Simon et al.·PloS one·2011

Researchers discovered that the plastic columns used to extract and purify DNA in laboratory tests were contaminated with mouse DNA sequences. When they used these contaminated columns and ran sensitive DNA detection tests, they got false positive results that looked like they had found viral sequences (XMRV) when they actually hadn't. This is important because some earlier studies claimed to find XMRV in ME/CFS patients, but this contamination problem means those results may have been unreliable.