ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

2422 studies

1941–1960 of 2,422 studies

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

The role of tryptophan in fatigue in different conditions of stress.

Castell, L M, Yamamoto, T, Phoenix, J et al.·Advances in experimental medicine and biology·1999

This study looks at tryptophan, a building block the brain uses to make serotonin, a chemical involved in fatigue and sleep. The researchers measured tryptophan levels in ME/CFS patients and people recovering from surgery, comparing how their bodies handled tryptophan differently than healthy controls. They found that ME/CFS patients had unusually high tryptophan levels that didn't change with exercise, which might help explain why they feel persistently tired.

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM not requiredObservational

A pilot study employing Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) in the treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome.

Himmel, P B, Seligman, T M·Journal of clinical rheumatology : practical reports on rheumatic & musculoskeletal diseases·1999

This study tested whether giving DHEA (a hormone supplement) could help ME/CFS patients who had low DHEA levels. Researchers found that 23 women taking DHEA for 6 months experienced improvements in pain, fatigue, anxiety, memory, and thinking. However, this was a small, uncontrolled study, so larger, more rigorous trials are needed to confirm these results.

Endocrine Disruption

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

Immunity Impairment as a Result of Neurohormonal Disorders.

Artsimovich, Nelli G., Galushina, Tatyana S., Matvienko, Marina A. et al.·Russian journal of immunology : RJI : official journal of Russian Society of Immunology·1999

This study explores how the brain, hormones, and immune system are connected in ME/CFS. Researchers propose that immune cells communicate with the brain through special chemical messengers, and that problems in this communication system may contribute to ME/CFS symptoms. The study reviews evidence that people with ME/CFS have abnormal levels of certain immune markers and hormones.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredMechanistic

Impaired oxygen delivery to muscle in chronic fatigue syndrome.

McCully, K K, Natelson, B H·Clinical science (London, England : 1979)·1999

This study found that muscles in people with ME/CFS are not receiving oxygen as quickly and efficiently as they should after exercise or when blood flow is temporarily stopped. The researchers measured how fast oxygen returns to calf muscles and found it took significantly longer in ME/CFS patients compared to healthy people. They also found that the muscles' ability to use oxygen for energy was reduced by about 20% in ME/CFS patients.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM unclearObservational

Demonstration of delayed recovery from fatiguing exercise in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Paul, L, Wood, L, Behan, W M et al.·European journal of neurology·1999

This study tested whether people with ME/CFS recover more slowly from exercise than healthy people. Researchers had both patients and control subjects perform intense leg muscle contractions, then measured how quickly their muscle strength returned to normal. The results confirmed that while both groups got tired similarly during exercise, people with ME/CFS took much longer to recover their muscle strength afterward—even 24 hours later.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Corticomotor excitability and perception of effort during sustained exercise in the chronic fatigue syndrome.

Sacco, P, Hope, P A, Thickbroom, G W et al.·Clinical neurophysiology : official journal of the International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology·1999

This study examined whether the fatigue and exercise difficulty in ME/CFS comes from the brain and nervous system rather than just muscle weakness. Researchers used magnetic stimulation to measure how the motor cortex (the brain region controlling movement) responds during sustained muscle contractions in ME/CFS patients and healthy controls. They found that people with ME/CFS had shorter exercise endurance, felt more exhausted during effort, and showed different patterns of brain-to-muscle signaling compared to healthy people.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM not requiredCase-Control

Chronic fatigue syndrome: assessing symptoms and activity level.

Jason, L A, King, C P, Frankenberry, E L et al.·Journal of clinical psychology·1999

This study looked at better ways to measure ME/CFS by tracking both symptoms and daily activity over time. Instead of just asking whether someone has symptoms, the researchers used rating scales and special devices to measure how severe symptoms are and how they change day-to-day. Two detailed case examples showed that this combined approach reveals important patterns that standard symptom checklists miss.

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM not requiredObservational

Chronic fatigue syndrome among overseas development workers: A qualitative study.

Lovell, D M·Journal of travel medicine·1999

This study interviewed 12 overseas development workers who developed ME/CFS while working abroad or shortly after visiting projects. Most felt they had been very healthy before getting sick, and they described typical ME/CFS symptoms like fatigue and pain. The researchers found that participants believed their illness was caused by a combination of overwork, stress, and infections—not depression.

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Borna disease virus infection in two family clusters of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Nakaya, T, Takahashi, H, Nakamur, Y et al.·Microbiology and immunology·1999

This study examined two families where multiple members had ME/CFS and looked for evidence of Borna disease virus (BDV) infection. Researchers found that family members diagnosed with ME/CFS had signs of BDV infection (antibodies and viral RNA), while most healthy family members did not. This suggests a possible link between this virus and ME/CFS, and raises the question of whether the virus might spread within families.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM unclearMechanistic

Chronic fatigue syndrome and/or fibromyalgia as a variation of antiphospholipid antibody syndrome: an explanatory model and approach to laboratory diagnosis.

Berg, D, Berg, L H, Couvaras, J et al.·Blood coagulation & fibrinolysis : an international journal in haemostasis and thrombosis·1999

This study proposes that ME/CFS and fibromyalgia may be caused by low-level blood clotting activation triggered by certain antibodies in the immune system. Researchers used five specific blood tests to detect signs of abnormal clotting in patients with these conditions. If confirmed, this finding could help doctors diagnose these diseases and monitor treatment with blood-thinning medications.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryBehavioralPEM not requiredObservational

Toward a model of social course in chronic illness: the example of chronic fatigue syndrome.

Ware, N C·Culture, medicine and psychiatry·1999

This study looked at how ME/CFS affects people's social lives by collecting personal stories from patients. The researchers found that ME/CFS can push people to the margins of their social worlds through processes like losing roles, being doubted or not believed, becoming isolated, and losing opportunities. However, patients also fight back and try to stay connected to their communities. The study shows that people's place in society moves back and forth depending on whether these isolating forces or connection efforts are stronger at any given time.

E3 PreliminaryBehavioralPEM not requiredCase-Control

Nefazodone for patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Hickie, I·The Australian and New Zealand journal of psychiatry·1999

This small study looked at whether a medication called nefazodone could help ME/CFS patients feel better. Ten patients took the drug and also received advice about sleep and behavioral strategies. Most patients reported some improvement in tiredness, sleep problems, and mood, and half were able to return to work or their normal activities.

Sleep

E3 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM not requiredMethods-Paper

DISCERN: an instrument for judging the quality of written consumer health information on treatment choices.

Charnock, D, Shepperd, S, Needham, G et al.·Journal of epidemiology and community health·1999

This study created DISCERN, a tool that helps patients and healthcare providers evaluate whether written information about medical treatments is accurate and trustworthy. Researchers tested the tool on health information about three conditions, including chronic fatigue syndrome (now called ME/CFS), to see if different people using it would reach similar conclusions about quality. The tool consists of 15 questions and works best when used by people with training or experience in healthcare information.

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Clinical features and IgG subclass distribution of anti-p80 coilin antibodies.

Onouchi, H, Muro, Y, Tomita, Y·Journal of autoimmunity·1999

Researchers tested blood samples from 365 Japanese patients and found 11 with unusual antibodies called anti-p80-coilin antibodies. All 11 were young women experiencing fatigue, joint pain, headaches, and other symptoms similar to ME/CFS. The study found that these antibodies come in different types, and one type (IgG2) might be a marker for autoimmune disease.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Small adrenal glands in chronic fatigue syndrome: a preliminary computer tomography study.

Scott, L V, Teh, J, Reznek, R et al.·Psychoneuroendocrinology·1999

This study looked at whether the adrenal glands (small organs that help manage stress and energy) are physically smaller in people with ME/CFS. Researchers used CT scans to measure adrenal gland size in 8 ME/CFS patients who showed signs of adrenal underfunction and compared them to 55 healthy people. They found that the adrenal glands in ME/CFS patients were about 50% smaller than in healthy controls, suggesting that adrenal shrinkage may occur in some ME/CFS patients.

Endocrine Disruption

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

Chronic fatigue syndrome: a hypothesis focusing on the autonomic nervous system.

Pagani, M, Lucini, D·Clinical science (London, England : 1979)·1999

This study looked at whether ME/CFS might be caused by problems with the autonomic nervous system—the part of your nervous system that controls automatic functions like heart rate and blood pressure. The researchers measured how the heart's electrical activity varied in ME/CFS patients and found signs suggesting their nervous systems were stuck in a 'revved up' state at rest but didn't respond normally to challenges.

Autonomic Nervous System

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Misunderstood illnesses: fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Robertson, T J·Alberta RN·1999

This article discusses how fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) are often misunderstood by healthcare providers and the public. The author explains the key characteristics of both conditions and why they are frequently confused with other illnesses or dismissed as not being 'real' diseases. The article aims to help people better understand these complex conditions.

Diagnostics

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredMechanistic

Acute phase responses and cytokine secretion in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Cannon, J G, Angel, J B, Ball, R W et al.·Journal of clinical immunology·1999

This study tested whether people with ME/CFS have abnormal levels of immune signaling molecules called cytokines, which could explain their symptoms. Researchers compared 10 ME/CFS patients with 11 healthy controls at rest and after 15 minutes of stepping exercise, measuring immune markers in their blood. They found that ME/CFS patients had higher baseline levels of certain inflammatory markers, but exercise responses were similar between groups.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Monitoring and assessing symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome: use of time series regression.

Jason, L A, Tryon, W W, Taylor, R R et al.·Psychological reports·1999

This study asked one person with ME/CFS to track their symptoms hourly and daily to understand what makes fatigue better or worse. Researchers found that energy levels, physical activity, and mental effort were closely connected to how tired the person felt. This detailed tracking method could help doctors and researchers better understand ME/CFS patterns.

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredCase-Control

Interferon-induced proteins are elevated in blood samples of patients with chemically or virally induced chronic fatigue syndrome.

Vojdani, A, Lapp, C W·Immunopharmacology and immunotoxicology·1999

This study found that certain immune proteins called 2-5A and PKR are elevated in the blood of ME/CFS patients, whether their illness was triggered by a viral infection or chemical exposure. The researchers discovered that these two triggers activate these proteins through different biological pathways—viruses primarily use an immune signaling molecule called interferon-beta, while chemicals activate them mainly through heat shock proteins.

BiomarkersImmune System

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The role of tryptophan in fatigue in different conditions of stress.

A pilot study employing Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) in the treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome.

Immunity Impairment as a Result of Neurohormonal Disorders.

Impaired oxygen delivery to muscle in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Demonstration of delayed recovery from fatiguing exercise in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Corticomotor excitability and perception of effort during sustained exercise in the chronic fatigue syndrome.

Chronic fatigue syndrome: assessing symptoms and activity level.

Chronic fatigue syndrome among overseas development workers: A qualitative study.

Borna disease virus infection in two family clusters of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Chronic fatigue syndrome and/or fibromyalgia as a variation of antiphospholipid antibody syndrome: an explanatory model and approach to laboratory diagnosis.

Toward a model of social course in chronic illness: the example of chronic fatigue syndrome.

Nefazodone for patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

DISCERN: an instrument for judging the quality of written consumer health information on treatment choices.

Clinical features and IgG subclass distribution of anti-p80 coilin antibodies.

Small adrenal glands in chronic fatigue syndrome: a preliminary computer tomography study.

Chronic fatigue syndrome: a hypothesis focusing on the autonomic nervous system.

Misunderstood illnesses: fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Acute phase responses and cytokine secretion in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Monitoring and assessing symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome: use of time series regression.

Interferon-induced proteins are elevated in blood samples of patients with chemically or virally induced chronic fatigue syndrome.

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