ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

2420 studies

1961–1980 of 2,420 studies

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 PreliminaryCohortPEM unclearCase-Control

Detailed description of a pregnancy associated with severe chronic fatigue syndrome.

Jha, R R, Masson, E A, Lindow, S W·Journal of obstetrics and gynaecology : the journal of the Institute of Obstetrics and Gynaecology·1999

This is a detailed case report describing one woman's experience with severe ME/CFS during pregnancy. The report documents how her condition changed during pregnancy and what medical care she received. While this is just one person's story rather than a study comparing many patients, it provides valuable insight into what pregnancy can be like for someone with severe ME/CFS.

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 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 PreliminaryCohortPEM not requiredObservational

Acute effects of thirty minutes of light-intensity, intermittent exercise on patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Clapp, L L, Richardson, M T, Smith, J F et al.·Physical therapy·1999

This study looked at whether 30 minutes of light, on-and-off walking on a treadmill would make symptoms worse in people with ME/CFS. Ten participants did 10 short 3-minute walks with 3-minute rest breaks in between. The researchers found that this type of gentle, intermittent exercise did not worsen symptoms immediately or up to a week afterward.

Post-Exertional Malaise

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 PreliminaryPEM not required

Fatigue that doesn't go away.

Propsner, N M·New Jersey medicine : the journal of the Medical Society of New Jersey·1999

This article describes chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), a condition where people experience extreme tiredness that doesn't improve with rest. The fatigue often begins after a viral infection and is more commonly seen in middle-aged women. While current treatments can help manage symptoms, researchers are working to better understand the condition and develop more effective approaches.

Interventions

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 PreliminaryCohortPEM unclearCase-Control

[Autoimmune fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia syndrome].

Itoh, Y, Igarashi, T, Tatsuma, N et al.·Nihon Ika Daigaku zasshi·1999

This study looked at two patients who were initially thought to have autoimmune fatigue syndrome (a condition where the immune system may attack the body and cause tiredness) but were later found to have fibromyalgia (widespread muscle pain and tender points). The researchers wondered if these two conditions might be related, so they checked how many tender points fibromyalgia patients had and looked at their immune markers. They found that patients with certain immune patterns had more tender points, suggesting autoimmunity might play a role in both conditions.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) response to i.v. ACTH in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

De Becker, P, De Meirleir, K, Joos, E et al.·Hormone and metabolic research = Hormon- und Stoffwechselforschung = Hormones et metabolisme·1999

This study tested how the adrenal glands respond to a hormone signal in ME/CFS patients compared to healthy people. Researchers gave a hormone called ACTH to 22 ME/CFS patients and 14 healthy controls, then measured DHEA levels over an hour. While starting DHEA levels were normal, ME/CFS patients showed a weaker increase in DHEA after the hormone injection compared to healthy controls.

Immune System

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

E3 PreliminaryGuidelinePEM not requiredGuideline

Investigating fatigue of less than 6 months' duration. Guidelines for family physicians.

Godwin, M, Delva, D, Miller, K et al.·Canadian family physician Medecin de famille canadien·1999

This guideline helps family doctors systematically evaluate adults who come to them complaining of fatigue lasting less than 6 months. Rather than ordering many expensive tests, the guidelines recommend doctors first talk with patients about their symptoms and do a physical exam, paying special attention to psychological and social factors that might cause tiredness. The guideline then tells doctors which tests to consider based on what they find.

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 PreliminaryPEM not requiredRegistry-Resource

The Chronic Fatigue Twin Registry: method of construction, composition, and zygosity assignment.

Buchwald, D, Herrell, R, Ashton, S et al.·Twin research : the official journal of the International Society for Twin Studies·1999

Researchers created a registry of twin pairs where at least one person had chronic fatigue to better understand the condition. They recruited 204 twin pairs through support groups, doctors, and other sources, and had 177 complete their detailed questionnaires and phone interviews. This registry was designed to help scientists study what causes chronic fatigue and whether genetics or life circumstances play a bigger role.

Diagnostics

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 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 PreliminaryCommentaryPEM unclearEditorial

[Fibromyalgia syndrome].

Matsumoto, Y·Nihon rinsho. Japanese journal of clinical medicine·1999

This paper discusses fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS), a condition characterized by widespread pain, fatigue, sleep problems, and mood changes without visible inflammation or damage on tests. The author explains that while fibromyalgia is recognized as real, some doctors still debate whether it is truly distinct from other conditions. Many people with ME/CFS also meet the criteria for fibromyalgia, but there are some differences between the two conditions—such as signs of viral triggers and low blood chemical levels found in ME/CFS but not usually in fibromyalgia.

Pain and SensitizationSleep

E3 PreliminaryBehavioralPEM not requiredCase-Control

Cognitive behavior therapy for chronic fatigue syndrome: a case study.

Prins, J B, Bleijenberg, G·Journal of behavior therapy and experimental psychiatry·1999

This study followed one 26-year-old woman with ME/CFS who received cognitive behavior therapy (CBT)—a type of talk therapy focused on changing unhelpful thinking patterns and behaviors. Over 33 months, she worked with therapists on topics like building a sense of control, managing physical activity carefully, and reducing worry about her body. By the end, her fatigue and ability to function improved significantly, moving from very severe to levels similar to healthy people.

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 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredMechanistic

Stealth adaptation of an African green monkey simian cytomegalovirus.

Martin, W J·Experimental and molecular pathology·1999

Researchers found genetic material from a virus in a patient with chronic fatigue syndrome that resembles human cytomegalovirus (a common virus). Interestingly, the virus was missing genes that the immune system normally recognizes and attacks, which might allow it to hide from immune defenses. Genetic analysis showed this virus actually came from African green monkeys, not humans.

Immune System

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Evidence browser

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

Detailed description of a pregnancy associated with severe chronic fatigue syndrome.

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

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

Acute effects of thirty minutes of light-intensity, intermittent exercise on patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Acute phase responses and cytokine secretion in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Fatigue that doesn't go away.

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

[Autoimmune fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia syndrome].

Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) response to i.v. ACTH in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

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

Investigating fatigue of less than 6 months' duration. Guidelines for family physicians.

Impaired oxygen delivery to muscle in chronic fatigue syndrome.

The Chronic Fatigue Twin Registry: method of construction, composition, and zygosity assignment.

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

Chronic fatigue syndrome: assessing symptoms and activity level.

[Fibromyalgia syndrome].

Cognitive behavior therapy for chronic fatigue syndrome: a case study.

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

Stealth adaptation of an African green monkey simian cytomegalovirus.

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Biomarkers

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