Evidence browser

The myalgic encephalomyelitis syndrome.

Murdoch, J C·Family practice·1988

This review examines myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), a relapsing illness that primarily affects young women and causes severe muscle pain and exhaustion. The authors looked at research from the United Kingdom, United States, and New Zealand over 40 years to understand what might cause this condition. They discuss how difficult it is to treat patients when doctors don't know what's causing the illness, and suggest renaming it 'myalgic exhaustion syndrome.'

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM unclearCase-Control

Chronic fatigue syndrome: possible effective treatment with nifedipine.

Adolphe, A B·The American journal of medicine·1988

This 1988 study explored whether nifedipine, a blood pressure medication, might help people with chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). The researchers compared a small group of patients who received the treatment with a control group to see if it made a difference in their symptoms. While the study suggested nifedipine could be worth investigating further, it was very preliminary and limited in scope.

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM unclearObservational

Chronic fatigue syndrome: a manifestation of Epstein-Barr virus infection?

Schooley, R T·Current clinical topics in infectious diseases·1988

This 1988 editorial discusses whether Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), a common virus that causes mononucleosis, might be responsible for causing chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). The author examines the connection between EBV infection and the development of long-lasting fatigue and other symptoms that characterize this illness.

Postviral fatigue syndrome: persistence of enterovirus RNA in muscle and elevated creatine kinase.

Archard, L C, Bowles, N E, Behan, P O et al.·Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine·1988

Researchers looked for traces of enterovirus (a common virus) in muscle tissue from 96 ME/CFS patients who had been ill for up to 20 years. They found viral genetic material in muscle samples from about 20% of patients, but not in healthy controls. This suggests that in some people, the virus may persist in muscles long after the initial infection and could play a role in causing the disease.

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

Postviral fatigue syndrome.

Behan, P O, Behan, W M·Critical reviews in neurobiology·1988

This review examines ME/CFS, a condition that causes severe exhaustion, muscle pain, and cognitive difficulties, sometimes appearing in outbreaks and sometimes in individual cases. Researchers note that patients often experience emotional changes, memory problems, and depression alongside the physical symptoms. The authors suggest that a lingering viral infection may trigger a metabolic problem in the body, which could explain why people feel so severely fatigued.

Energy Metabolism

Chronic fatigue syndrome--a diagnosis for consideration.

Portwood, M F·The Nurse practitioner·1988

This article helps doctors recognize ME/CFS by describing its many symptoms, which can range from mild tiredness to severe disability. Patients often report feeling exhausted, achy, and unable to concentrate, yet standard medical tests often appear normal. The article emphasizes that doctors should take these symptoms seriously and help patients manage their condition, even though there is currently no cure.

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Antibodies to Epstein-Barr virus-specific DNase and DNA polymerase in the chronic fatigue syndrome.

Jones, J F, Williams, M, Schooley, R T et al.·Archives of internal medicine·1988

This 1988 study tested whether people with ME/CFS had unusual antibody patterns against Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), a common virus that causes mononucleosis. Researchers measured antibodies against viral enzymes that are only produced when EBV is actively replicating. A small group of ME/CFS patients with very high EBV antibody levels did show these unusual enzyme antibodies, similar to patterns seen in people with nasopharyngeal cancer.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Phenotypic and functional deficiency of natural killer cells in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Caligiuri, M, Murray, C, Buchwald, D et al.·Journal of immunology (Baltimore, Md. : 1950)·1987

This study examined immune cells called natural killer cells in people with ME/CFS and compared them to healthy controls. Researchers found that ME/CFS patients had fewer of a specific type of natural killer cell and that these cells were less effective at fighting virus-infected cells, even after being stimulated to work harder. This suggests a potential immune system dysfunction in ME/CFS.

Immune System

The post-viral syndrome: a review.

Archer, M I·The Journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners·1987

This 1987 review examines post-viral syndrome (now often called ME/CFS), a condition that develops after viral infections. The author discusses whether the illness is caused by ongoing viral infection, psychological factors, or a combination of both. The review notes that different doctors diagnosed the condition at very different rates, and that many patients struggled to accept psychiatric support as part of their treatment.

E3 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Routine use of mu-antibody-capture ELISA for the serological diagnosis of Coxsackie B virus infections.

McCartney, R A, Banatvala, J E, Bell, E J·Journal of medical virology·1986

This study tested a new blood test (mu-antibody-capture ELISA) to detect recent Coxsackie B virus infections by looking for IgM antibodies, which indicate fresh infection. Researchers tested 760 patients with various conditions including chest pain, heart inflammation, and myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), plus 304 healthy controls, and found that this IgM test could reliably identify recent Coxsackie B infections without the confusion caused by old antibodies from past infections.

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM unclearCase-Control

Chronic relapsing myalgia (? Post viral): clinical, histological, and biochemical studies.

Byrne, E, Trounce, I, Dennett, X·Australian and New Zealand journal of medicine·1985

This study examined two patients with ongoing muscle pain that started after a viral-like illness and came and went unpredictably. Doctors found the patients had weak muscle fibers and signs that their muscles weren't producing energy as efficiently as they should. The findings suggest these patients may have a mild form of ME/CFS, and importantly, their muscle problems were real biological issues rather than caused by psychological factors.

Energy Metabolism

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Cutaneous reflex responses recorded in children with various neurological disorders.

Rowlandson, P H, Stephens, J A·Developmental medicine and child neurology·1985

Researchers tested a simple reflex response in the skin and muscles of children with various nervous system conditions, including ME/CFS. By measuring how muscles respond to light touch stimulation on the skin, they found that different neurological conditions produced different patterns of responses. The study suggests this type of testing might be a useful tool to help doctors diagnose difficult neurological problems in children.

E3 PreliminaryCommentaryPEM unclearEditorial

Raphe nucleus encephalopathy (myalgic encephalomyelitis, epidemic neuromyasthenia).

Maurizi, C P·Medical hypotheses·1985

This 1985 paper proposes that ME/CFS may be caused by damage to a specific brain region called the dorsal raphe nucleus, potentially triggered by Coxsackie B viruses. The symptoms of ME/CFS match what doctors would expect to see if serotonin levels were too low in this area of the brain. The authors suggest that stress and nutritional deficiencies in tryptophan (a building block for serotonin) may make the condition more likely to develop.

Neuroinflammation

Coxsackie B infection in a Scottish general practice.

Calder, B D, Warnock, P J·The Journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners·1984

This 1984 study from Scotland examined 38 patients with a prolonged illness involving multiple body system symptoms. Blood tests showed that nearly half of the patients tested had high levels of antibodies to Coxsackie B viruses, suggesting recent infection. The illness's pattern resembled ME/CFS, though the cases appeared gradually over four years rather than in sudden clusters.

Sporadic myalgic encephalomyelitis in a rural practice.

Keighley, B D, Bell, E J·The Journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners·1983

This study from 1983 examined 20 patients in a rural area who had long-lasting, hard-to-define illnesses. Researchers tested their blood for viral infections and found that 16 of these patients had high levels of Coxsackie B virus antibodies. Thirteen of these patients appeared to have myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), while three had mainly heart-related symptoms. The findings suggest that a viral infection might be connected to ME, though the exact cause remains unclear.

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM unclear

Epidemic myalgic encephalomyelitis.

Bishop, J·The Medical journal of Australia·1980

This 1980 observational study by Bishop documented cases of epidemic myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), a condition causing muscle pain, brain inflammation, and extreme fatigue. The study describes patterns observed during outbreaks of ME, helping early researchers understand how the illness affects groups of people.

Myalgic encephalomyelitis "an obscene cosmic joke"?

Church, A J·The Medical journal of Australia·1980

This 1980 case-control study examined patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME/CFS) to better understand the condition. While the full details are limited, the study represents an early medical investigation into a disease that was not well understood at the time and was often dismissed by the medical community.

Post-infectious encephalomyelitis: some aetiological mechanisms.

Behan, P O·Postgraduate medical journal·1978

This 1978 study explores whether two different neurological conditions—acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) and epidemic myalgic encephalomyelitis (a historical name for ME/CFS outbreaks)—might develop through similar biological mechanisms. The researcher identified multiple features these two diseases share and suggests that studying ADEM could help us better understand ME/CFS.