ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

2423 studies

1441–1460 of 2,423 studies

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

A gene signature for post-infectious chronic fatigue syndrome.

Gow, John W, Hagan, Suzanne, Herzyk, Pawel et al.·BMC medical genomics·2009

This study looked at whether certain genes are turned on or off differently in people with ME/CFS compared to healthy people. Researchers examined blood cells from 8 men with post-infectious ME/CFS and 7 healthy men, testing the activity of nearly 39,000 genes. They found that 366 genes were expressed differently between the two groups, particularly in areas related to immune function, oxidative stress, and cell death.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

Does hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis hypofunction in chronic fatigue syndrome reflect a 'crash' in the stress system?

Van Houdenhove, Boudewijn, Van Den Eede, Filip, Luyten, Patrick·Medical hypotheses·2009

This study explores why many ME/CFS patients have problems with their stress hormone system, particularly a gland in the brain called the hypothalamus. The researchers suggest that ME/CFS might involve a breakdown in how the body normally responds to stress, leading to an imbalance that triggers excessive inflammation and sickness symptoms like exhaustion and pain sensitivity.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryBehavioralPEM not requiredObservational

Can pacing self-management alter physical behavior and symptom severity in chronic fatigue syndrome? A case series.

Nijs, Jo, van Eupen, Inge, Vandecauter, Jo et al.·Journal of rehabilitation research and development·2009

This small study looked at whether a strategy called "pacing" — learning to balance activity and rest — could help people with ME/CFS feel better and do more. Seven patients received three sessions teaching pacing techniques, and researchers measured their activity levels and symptoms before and after. Patients reported improvements in their ability to do daily tasks and some symptoms like muscle weakness and concentration problems got better, though the changes were modest.

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

A role for the body burden of aluminium in vaccine-associated macrophagic myofasciitis and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Exley, Christopher, Swarbrick, Louise, Gherardi, Rhomain K et al.·Medical hypotheses·2009

This study describes one patient who developed both chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) and a muscle condition called macrophagic myofasciitis after receiving vaccines containing aluminum adjuvants, and who also had high levels of aluminum in their body. The researchers propose that aluminum accumulation from vaccines might trigger immune system problems that lead to these conditions. This is a single case report rather than a broad study of many patients.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Why myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) may kill you: disorders in the inflammatory and oxidative and nitrosative stress (IO&NS) pathways may explain cardiovascular disorders in ME/CFS.

Maes, Michael, Twisk, Frank Nm·Neuro endocrinology letters·2009

This review examines why people with ME/CFS may develop heart problems earlier than others. The researchers found that ME/CFS involves abnormal inflammation and oxidative stress (damage from harmful molecules in the body), along with low levels of protective antioxidants. These biological changes can damage the heart and blood vessels, potentially explaining why some ME/CFS patients experience heart failure at much younger ages than the general population.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Chronic fatigue syndrome: a hormonal origin? A rare case of dysmenorrhea membranacea.

Veldman, Joan, Van Houdenhove, Boudewijn, Verguts, Jasper·Archives of gynecology and obstetrics·2009

This case describes a woman with chronic fatigue syndrome who developed a rare condition called membranous dysmenorrhea (where the uterine lining sheds in one piece) after starting a hormonal birth control pill. Interestingly, when she stopped the medication and the tissue was expelled, her fatigue symptoms completely disappeared and she was able to return to work. While this is just one patient's experience, it raises the possibility that hormone imbalances might contribute to chronic fatigue in some cases.

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

Can sustained arousal explain the Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?

Wyller, Vegard B, Eriksen, Hege R, Malterud, Kirsti·Behavioral and brain functions : BBF·2009

This study proposes that ME/CFS may be caused by the body getting stuck in a constant state of high alert, similar to being continuously stressed. This sustained arousal could develop after infections or emotional stress, especially in people with certain genetic traits or personality types. The researchers suggest this constant activation creates harmful cycles affecting the immune system, hormones, muscles, and thinking—ultimately leading to the overwhelming fatigue that defines ME/CFS.

Autonomic Nervous SystemImmune System

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Memory and attention problems in children with chronic fatigue syndrome or myalgic encephalopathy.

Haig-Ferguson, A, Tucker, P, Eaton, N et al.·Archives of disease in childhood·2009

This study looked at 20 children with ME/CFS who had memory and attention problems. Researchers asked the children, their parents, and teachers about these difficulties, and then gave the children a series of tests to measure how well they could focus, remember things, and process information. The children's test scores showed they had real difficulties with attention and memory compared to healthy children their age.

Cognitive Impairment

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

The potential toxicity of artificial sweeteners.

Whitehouse, Christina R, Boullata, Joseph, McCauley, Linda A·AAOHN journal : official journal of the American Association of Occupational Health Nurses·2008

This article reviews what we know about artificial sweeteners—sugar substitutes used in diet drinks and other products. Scientists have debated whether these sweeteners are safe, and some have suggested links to various diseases including chronic fatigue syndrome, though the evidence is mixed. The authors provide an overview of different types of sweeteners, how they work in the body, and what research shows so far.

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM unclearMechanistic

Differential heat shock protein responses to strenuous standardized exercise in chronic fatigue syndrome patients and matched healthy controls.

Thambirajah, Anita A, Sleigh, Kenna, Stiver, H Grant et al.·Clinical and investigative medicine. Medecine clinique et experimentale·2008

This study looked at special protective proteins called heat shock proteins (HSPs) in the blood cells of ME/CFS patients and healthy people before and after exercise. The researchers found that ME/CFS patients had higher levels of these proteins at rest, but their levels dropped after exercise and stayed low for a week. In contrast, healthy people's HSP levels stayed stable or increased after exercise. This difference suggests ME/CFS patients may have trouble recovering from physical stress.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

An extended concept of altered self: chronic fatigue and post-infection syndromes.

Jones, James F·Psychoneuroendocrinology·2008

This paper proposes that ME/CFS and post-infection fatigue may develop when the brain's ability to sense and respond to the body becomes stuck in a protective 'sickness mode' even after the infection has cleared. Rather than being a true ongoing disease, the authors suggest it may be an altered state where the brain continues to trigger immune and stress responses as if the body is still fighting an infection, causing ongoing fatigue and other symptoms.

E3 PreliminaryBehavioralPEM not requiredObservational

Clinical observation on the effects of Bo's abdominal acupuncture in 40 cases of chronic fatigue syndrome.

Huang, Yong, Liao, Xiao-ming, Li, Xiao-xi et al.·Journal of traditional Chinese medicine = Chung i tsa chih ying wen pan·2008

This study looked at whether a traditional Chinese acupuncture technique called Bo's abdominal acupuncture could help 40 people with chronic fatigue syndrome. Patients received acupuncture treatments once daily for 2 weeks, and researchers measured their symptoms and fatigue levels before and after treatment. The results showed that patients reported improvements in fatigue, loss of appetite, sleep problems, memory issues, diarrhea, and general pain.

Interventions

E3 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM not requiredMethods-Paper

A train-the-trainer education and promotion program: chronic fatigue syndrome--a diagnostic and management challenge.

Brimmer, Dana J, McCleary, K Kimberly, Lupton, Teresa A et al.·BMC medical education·2008

This study tested whether training primary care doctors about ME/CFS could help more patients get diagnosed and treated. Researchers trained 79 doctors and nurse practitioners to recognize and manage ME/CFS, and these trained providers then taught over 2,000 other healthcare workers. The training improved doctors' knowledge and confidence in diagnosing ME/CFS, showing that education programs can help address the problem of missed diagnoses.

Diagnostics

E3 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM not requiredMethods-Paper

Integrated weighted gene co-expression network analysis with an application to chronic fatigue syndrome.

Presson, Angela P, Sobel, Eric M, Papp, Jeanette C et al.·BMC systems biology·2008

Researchers used a computer-based approach to analyze genes from ME/CFS patients to understand which genes are involved in the illness and how severely they affect people. They identified a group of 299 genes that work together and are linked to how severe someone's ME/CFS symptoms are. By using genetic information alongside gene activity data, they were able to figure out which genes might actually be causing the problem versus just responding to it.

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Hypothesis: the chaos and complexity theory may help our understanding of fibromyalgia and similar maladies.

Martinez-Lavin, Manuel, Infante, Oscar, Lerma, Claudia·Seminars in arthritis and rheumatism·2008

This article proposes a new way to understand fibromyalgia, ME/CFS, and similar conditions by applying complexity theory—the study of how complex systems work. Instead of looking for a single cause or structural damage, the authors suggest these illnesses result from the body's systems losing their ability to adapt flexibly to stress. This perspective could help explain why these conditions involve so many different symptoms affecting different body systems.

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

[Contentious diseases--a medico-social phenomenon from an insurance medicine perspective].

Regenauer, A·Versicherungsmedizin·2008

This article examines a group of conditions—including ME/CFS, fibromyalgia, and others—that are difficult to diagnose with standard medical tests and have become controversial in healthcare and insurance systems. The author explores why these illnesses are questioned by insurers, what they have in common, and why cases are increasing in Western societies. The paper aims to help insurance companies better understand these conditions rather than dismiss them as imaginary.

Diagnostics

E3 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM not requiredMethods-Paper

Bayesian biomarker identification based on marker-expression proteomics data.

Bhattacharjee, M, Botting, C H, Sillanpää, M J·Genomics·2008

This study developed statistical methods to find biological markers (biomarkers) that could help identify and diagnose ME/CFS. The researchers used blood protein measurements and genetic information from ME/CFS patients to find which markers are most closely linked to the disease. Finding these biomarkers is important because ME/CFS is currently hard to diagnose and measure, and having reliable biological tests could change that.

Diagnostics

E3 PreliminaryPEM unclear

Individuals' experience of chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis: an interpretative phenomenological analysis.

Arroll, Megan A, Senior, Victoria·Psychology & health·2008

This study asked eight people with ME/CFS to describe their personal experience of the illness through telephone interviews. Researchers found that patients experience their symptoms in complex ways, with fatigue, pain, and other problems affecting their daily lives in varying patterns. An important discovery was that receiving a diagnosis, while helpful, didn't necessarily make the journey easier—patients continued to struggle with understanding and managing their condition.

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

Possible links between behavioral and physiological indices of tiredness, fatigue, and exhaustion in advanced cancer.

Olson, Karin, Turner, A Robert, Courneya, Kerry S et al.·Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer·2008

This paper proposes a new framework for understanding tiredness and fatigue in advanced cancer patients. The researchers suggest that cancer and its treatments stress the body, which then affects four key systems: thinking ability, sleep quality, nutrition, and muscle strength. They propose that problems in all four of these areas together—not just one alone—are what cause severe fatigue, and that studying how these systems interact could lead to better treatments.

SleepCognitive Impairment

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

Chronic fatigue syndrome: implications for women and their health care providers during the childbearing years.

Allen, Peggy Rosati·Journal of midwifery & women's health·2008

This review examines what happens to women with ME/CFS when they become pregnant, give birth, and recover after having a baby. The authors looked at existing research and expert knowledge to understand how ME/CFS affects pregnancy and provide guidance for doctors and midwives caring for these women. The study highlights that very little research has been done on this important topic, even though millions of women with ME/CFS may experience pregnancy.

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Evidence Atlas

Evidence browser

A gene signature for post-infectious chronic fatigue syndrome.

Does hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis hypofunction in chronic fatigue syndrome reflect a 'crash' in the stress system?

Can pacing self-management alter physical behavior and symptom severity in chronic fatigue syndrome? A case series.

A role for the body burden of aluminium in vaccine-associated macrophagic myofasciitis and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Why myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) may kill you: disorders in the inflammatory and oxidative and nitrosative stress (IO&NS) pathways may explain cardiovascular disorders in ME/CFS.

Chronic fatigue syndrome: a hormonal origin? A rare case of dysmenorrhea membranacea.

Can sustained arousal explain the Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?

Memory and attention problems in children with chronic fatigue syndrome or myalgic encephalopathy.

The potential toxicity of artificial sweeteners.

Differential heat shock protein responses to strenuous standardized exercise in chronic fatigue syndrome patients and matched healthy controls.

An extended concept of altered self: chronic fatigue and post-infection syndromes.

Clinical observation on the effects of Bo's abdominal acupuncture in 40 cases of chronic fatigue syndrome.

A train-the-trainer education and promotion program: chronic fatigue syndrome--a diagnostic and management challenge.

Integrated weighted gene co-expression network analysis with an application to chronic fatigue syndrome.

Hypothesis: the chaos and complexity theory may help our understanding of fibromyalgia and similar maladies.

[Contentious diseases--a medico-social phenomenon from an insurance medicine perspective].

Bayesian biomarker identification based on marker-expression proteomics data.

Individuals' experience of chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis: an interpretative phenomenological analysis.

Possible links between behavioral and physiological indices of tiredness, fatigue, and exhaustion in advanced cancer.

Chronic fatigue syndrome: implications for women and their health care providers during the childbearing years.

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