ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

2422 studies

1741–1760 of 2,422 studies

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Case reports and review of Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia syndrome (POTS).

Carothers, Becky, Schmidt, Lori, Puri, Vinay·The Journal of the Kentucky Medical Association·2003

POTS is a condition where your heart rate increases too much when you stand up, and less blood flows to your brain, causing dizziness and fainting. This paper describes two patients with POTS who needed different levels of treatment—one managed at home and one needing hospital care. The authors point out that POTS is probably more common than doctors realize and is sometimes mistaken for chronic fatigue syndrome or other conditions.

Autonomic Nervous System

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredMechanistic

Small adrenal glands in cats with feline interstitial cystitis.

Westropp, Jodi L, Welk, Kristin A, Buffington, C A Tony·The Journal of urology·2003

This study found that cats with a painful bladder condition called feline interstitial cystitis had smaller adrenal glands (organs that make stress hormones) and produced less cortisol when stimulated compared to healthy cats. The researchers suggest this might indicate a mild form of adrenal insufficiency, similar to what has been observed in some people with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Endocrine Disruption

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredMechanistic

Chronic fatigue syndrome: new evidence for a central fatigue disorder.

Georgiades, Evelina, Behan, Wilhelmina M H, Kilduff, Liam P et al.·Clinical science (London, England : 1979)·2003

This study investigated whether ME/CFS involves problems with how the brain regulates energy and effort perception. Researchers compared 12 ME/CFS patients and 11 healthy controls during exercise, measuring chemicals in the blood that help the brain function. ME/CFS patients felt more exhausted at every stage and had different levels of brain chemicals, particularly those related to serotonin and dopamine—systems that regulate mood, motivation, and perception of effort.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryBehavioralPEM not required

Clinical assessment, management and outcomes of a group of adolescents presenting with complex medico-psychosocial conditions.

Szyndler, J E, Towns, S, Hoffman, R C et al.·Annals of the Academy of Medicine, Singapore·2003

This study looked at 38 teenagers with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) or similar complex conditions that involve both physical symptoms and emotional/social factors. Doctors used a team-based approach to help these young people and found that about half improved with treatment. The study showed that having family members with similar symptoms and missing school were linked to worse outcomes.

E3 PreliminaryBehavioralPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Ideal versus reality: physicians perspectives on patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and fibromyalgia.

Asbring, Pia, Närvänen, Anna-Liisa·Social science & medicine (1982)·2003

This study asked 26 Swedish doctors about their experiences caring for patients with ME/CFS and fibromyalgia. The researchers found that many doctors feel uncertain and uncomfortable treating these conditions, partly because they're not fully understood. Some doctors were skeptical about whether these illnesses were real, and patients often weren't treated with the same respect as those with clearly defined diseases.

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

[Fibromyalgia syndrome].

Siegmeth, Walter·Wiener medizinische Wochenschrift (1946)·2003

Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is a real medical condition that causes widespread pain and should be diagnosed using clear, established criteria. Research suggests it may involve problems with the nervous system, hormonal systems, and pain control pathways in the brain. Treatment works best when it combines information and education, physical therapy, and sometimes medication, rather than relying on drugs alone.

Sleep

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Q fever as a biological weapon.

Kagawa, Frank T, Wehner, John H, Mohindra, Vibha·Seminars in respiratory infections·2003

Q fever is a rare bacterial infection that can be caught from animals and is highly contagious. Most people who catch it have no symptoms or mild flu-like illness, but some develop serious complications like pneumonia or inflammation of the heart. Importantly, a small number of people develop chronic Q fever, which can cause long-term fatigue similar to ME/CFS.

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredObservational

The effect of granisetron, a 5-HT3 receptor antagonist, in the treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome patients--a pilot study.

The, G K H, Prins, J, Bleijenberg, G et al.·The Netherlands journal of medicine·2003

Researchers tested whether a medication called granisetron, which affects a brain chemical involved in nausea and other functions, might help ME/CFS patients feel less fatigued. Five women with ME/CFS took the medication for one month and reported significant improvements in how tired they felt and how much they could do. However, this was a very small study without a comparison group, so much more research is needed to confirm these results.

Interventions

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

Cytokines in parvovirus B19 infection as an aid to understanding chronic fatigue syndrome.

Kerr, Jonathan R, Tyrrell, David A J·Current pain and headache reports·2003

This study examined how parvovirus B19 (a common virus) can trigger ME/CFS in some people. The researchers found that patients who developed ME/CFS after B19 infection had abnormal levels of immune signaling chemicals in their blood (specifically TNF-alpha, interferon-gamma, and MCP-1). Importantly, some patients improved when treated with intravenous immunoglobulin therapy, suggesting B19-triggered ME/CFS may be treatable.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Chronic fatigue syndrome. An overview of current concepts.

Aktan, Nadine M·Advance for nurse practitioners·2003

This is an overview article that explains what doctors and nurses understand about chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) based on current medical knowledge. The article reviews existing concepts and ideas about the condition rather than presenting new research data. It was written to help healthcare providers, particularly nurse practitioners, better understand and care for patients with ME/CFS.

Diagnostics

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

The radicalized self: the impact on the self of the contested nature of the diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome.

Clarke, Juanne N, James, Susan·Social science & medicine (1982)·2003

This study explores how people with ME/CFS cope with the challenge that their illness is not universally accepted by doctors and society. Patients experience both the physical burden of the disease and the emotional strain of having their condition disputed or questioned. The research found that people with ME/CFS often develop new ways of understanding themselves and their identity as a way to cope with this lack of recognition.

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredMechanistic

Integration of gene expression, clinical, and epidemiologic data to characterize Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Whistler, Toni, Unger, Elizabeth R, Nisenbaum, Rosane et al.·Journal of translational medicine·2003

This study looked at blood samples from people with ME/CFS to see if the disease might actually be several different conditions rather than one. Researchers found that when they grouped patients by how their illness started, certain genes were turned on or off differently. These genes are involved in how the body produces energy, particularly through breaking down sugars and other molecules. This suggests that ME/CFS patients may have different underlying problems with their body's energy production systems.

Energy Metabolism

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Assessment of cortisol response with low-dose and high-dose ACTH in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome and healthy comparison subjects.

Gaab, Jens, Hüster, D, Peisen, R et al.·Psychosomatics·2003

This study tested whether ME/CFS patients have problems with cortisol, a stress hormone made by the adrenal glands. Researchers gave 18 ME/CFS patients and 18 healthy people a hormone called ACTH (in both low and high doses) to stimulate cortisol production. The results showed no difference between the two groups, suggesting that ME/CFS is unlikely caused by faulty adrenal glands.

Endocrine Disruption

E3 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM not requiredMethods-Paper

Psychometric properties of the Dutch Chronic Fatigue Syndrome--Activities and Participation Questionnaire (CFS-APQ).

Nijs, Jo, Vaes, Peter, McGregor, Neil et al.·Physical therapy·2003

Researchers tested a questionnaire designed to measure how ME/CFS affects daily activities and participation in normal life. The Dutch version of this questionnaire was given to people with ME/CFS, and the researchers found it reliably measured activity limitations and correlated well with patients' reports of pain and fatigue. This suggests the questionnaire is a useful tool for tracking how the disease impacts everyday functioning.

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

[Lessons from macrophagic myofasciitis: towards definition of a vaccine adjuvant-related syndrome].

Gherardi, R K·Revue neurologique·2003

This review examines macrophagic myofasciitis, a condition where aluminum from vaccine adjuvants persists in muscle tissue and may trigger long-lasting immune activation. About half of patients develop fatigue and muscle pain that meet ME/CFS criteria, and some develop autoimmune diseases. The authors suggest that persistent immune stimulation from the aluminum depot could explain both this vaccine-related condition and possibly other forms of ME/CFS.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Efficacy of a half dose of oral pyridostigmine in the treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome: three case reports.

Kawamura, Yasuo, Kihara, Mikihiro, Nishimoto, Kazuhiro et al.·Pathophysiology : the official journal of the International Society for Pathophysiology·2003

This small study looked at three ME/CFS patients who had problems with both nerve-muscle communication and autonomic nervous system dysfunction (how the body regulates heart rate, sweating, and other automatic functions). All three patients improved significantly when given low doses of a medication called pyridostigmine, which helps acetylcholine (a chemical messenger in the nervous system) work better. The authors suggest that some ME/CFS fatigue might be caused by a combination of these two problems working together.

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredLongitudinal

Deficit in motor performance correlates with changed corticospinal excitability in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Davey, N J, Puri, B K, Catley, M et al.·International journal of clinical practice·2003

This study looked at whether the slowness people with ME/CFS experience in reacting and moving is connected to changes in how their brain controls muscles. Researchers tested 10 ME/CFS patients twice over up to two years, measuring reaction times, movement speed, and brain signals using magnetic stimulation. They found that when patients' symptoms changed, their brain's ability to control movements changed in a similar way, suggesting the slowness has a real physical basis in the brain rather than being purely psychological.

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredMechanistic

Isoprenoid pathway dysfunction in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Kurup, Ravi Kumar, Kurup, Parameswara Achutha·Acta neuropsychiatrica·2003

This study looked at a set of chemical processes in the body called the isoprenoid pathway in 15 people with ME/CFS. Researchers found that several key molecules and minerals were out of balance in ME/CFS patients compared to expected levels, including low magnesium, low energy-producing compounds in cells, and imbalanced brain chemicals. These patterns were associated with increased oxidative stress (cellular damage from unstable molecules) and problems with how the immune system presents viral antigens.

Energy Metabolism

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Chronic diffuse musculoskeletal pain, fibromyalgia and co-morbid unexplained clinical conditions.

Aaron, Leslie A, Buchwald, Dedra·Best practice & research. Clinical rheumatology·2003

Many people with fibromyalgia also experience other chronic conditions like ME/CFS, irritable bowel syndrome, and jaw pain. This review examines how often these conditions occur together and suggests that doctors should check for multiple conditions when treating fibromyalgia patients. Treatment works better when it addresses all of a patient's overlapping symptoms, not just one condition.

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Atypical depression spectrum disorder - neurobiology and treatment.

Murck, Harald·Acta neuropsychiatrica·2003

This article explores a type of depression with unusual symptoms—like eating more and sleeping more instead of less—that is often overlooked in standard depression assessments. The author suggests this pattern of depression shares biological similarities with chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, and other related conditions, and that all of these may involve a common problem with how the body regulates stress hormones. Different medications may work better for this type of depression than those typically used for other forms.

Interventions

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Case reports and review of Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia syndrome (POTS).

Small adrenal glands in cats with feline interstitial cystitis.

Chronic fatigue syndrome: new evidence for a central fatigue disorder.

Clinical assessment, management and outcomes of a group of adolescents presenting with complex medico-psychosocial conditions.

Ideal versus reality: physicians perspectives on patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and fibromyalgia.

[Fibromyalgia syndrome].

Q fever as a biological weapon.

The effect of granisetron, a 5-HT3 receptor antagonist, in the treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome patients--a pilot study.

Cytokines in parvovirus B19 infection as an aid to understanding chronic fatigue syndrome.

Chronic fatigue syndrome. An overview of current concepts.

The radicalized self: the impact on the self of the contested nature of the diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome.

Integration of gene expression, clinical, and epidemiologic data to characterize Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Assessment of cortisol response with low-dose and high-dose ACTH in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome and healthy comparison subjects.

Psychometric properties of the Dutch Chronic Fatigue Syndrome--Activities and Participation Questionnaire (CFS-APQ).

[Lessons from macrophagic myofasciitis: towards definition of a vaccine adjuvant-related syndrome].

Efficacy of a half dose of oral pyridostigmine in the treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome: three case reports.

Deficit in motor performance correlates with changed corticospinal excitability in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Isoprenoid pathway dysfunction in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Chronic diffuse musculoskeletal pain, fibromyalgia and co-morbid unexplained clinical conditions.

Atypical depression spectrum disorder - neurobiology and treatment.

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