ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

2423 studies

921–940 of 2,423 studies

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Implementing resources to support the diagnosis and management of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) in primary care: A qualitative study.

Bayliss, Kerin, Riste, Lisa, Band, Rebecca et al.·BMC family practice·2016

This study looked at whether special training and information resources for GPs could help them better diagnose and manage ME/CFS. Researchers interviewed patients and doctors in North West England and found that while the resources were helpful when used properly, most GPs didn't actually use them—either because they were too busy, didn't see enough ME/CFS patients to remember the training, or thought the condition should only be managed by specialists.

Diagnostics

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM unclearCase-Control

[Fibromyalgia and myalgic encephalomyelitis: The oxygen clue].

Beretta, Pablo·Vertex (Buenos Aires, Argentina)·2016

This study suggests that people with fibromyalgia and ME/CFS may have problems with how their muscles use oxygen. The authors found that patients' symptoms worsened in low-oxygen environments (like high altitudes or low air pressure) and improved with treatments that increase oxygen availability, including hyperbaric oxygen therapy and coenzyme Q10 supplements. Based on three patient cases that improved with medical oxygen treatment, the authors propose that oxygen therapy might help people experiencing severe symptom flare-ups.

E3 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM unclearObservational

"I Always Vet Things": Navigating Privacy and the Presentation of Self on Health Discussion Boards Among Individuals with Long-Term Conditions.

Brady, Ellen, Segar, Julia, Sanders, Caroline·Journal of medical Internet research·2016

This study asked 20 people with ME/CFS and 21 people with diabetes about how they share information on online health forums and what privacy means to them. The researchers found that people carefully decide what personal details to share online, changing their approach depending on the situation and who they're talking to. Rather than having simple rules about what's private or public, people make complex, individual decisions about how much of themselves to reveal.

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

The Many Neuroprogressive Actions of Tryptophan Catabolites (TRYCATs) that may be Associated with the Pathophysiology of Neuro-Immune Disorders.

Morris, Gerwyn, Carvalho, André F, Anderson, George et al.·Current pharmaceutical design·2016

When the body has chronic inflammation and immune activation, it breaks down an amino acid called tryptophan differently than usual, creating byproducts called TRYCATs. Some of these byproducts can damage nerve cells and mitochondria (the energy factories in cells), while others may protect the brain but at the cost of causing brain fog and emotional problems. This review examines how this abnormal tryptophan breakdown might contribute to ME/CFS and other neurological conditions.

NeuroinflammationEnergy MetabolismImmune System

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredMechanistic

Elevated Energy Production in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Patients.

Lawson, Nick, Hsieh, Chung-Han, March, Dana et al.·Journal of nature and science·2016

This study examined how cells in ME/CFS patients produce energy. Surprisingly, researchers found that patients' blood cells actually produced MORE energy (ATP) than healthy controls, but much of this energy came from sources other than mitochondria (the cell's power plants). The study suggests that ME/CFS fatigue may not be caused by a lack of energy, but rather by an abnormal way the body is producing energy.

Energy Metabolism

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM unclearMechanistic

Gene Expression in Response to Exercise in Patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Pilot Study.

Keech, Andrew, Vollmer-Conna, Ute, Barry, Benjamin K et al.·Frontiers in physiology·2016

Researchers studied whether a single 25-minute exercise session changed the activity of specific genes in white blood cells of ME/CFS patients compared to healthy people. Although ME/CFS patients reported significantly worsened fatigue after exercise, the researchers found no major changes in the 19 genes they measured in either group, suggesting that post-exertional fatigue may not be caused by these particular genes switching on or off.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM unclearMechanistic

Novel identification and characterisation of Transient receptor potential melastatin 3 ion channels on Natural Killer cells and B lymphocytes: effects on cell signalling in Chronic fatigue syndrome/Myalgic encephalomyelitis patients.

Nguyen, T, Staines, D, Nilius, B et al.·Biological research·2016

This study looked at special channels called TRPM3 on immune cells (natural killer cells and B cells) that help control calcium flow inside cells. Researchers found that people with ME/CFS have fewer of these channels on certain immune cells and problems with calcium movement compared to healthy people. This suggests that broken calcium control in immune cells might play a role in ME/CFS, though much more research is needed to understand what this means for the illness.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM unclearObservational

Mortality in Patients with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

McManimen, Stephanie L, Devendorf, Andrew R, Brown, Abigail A et al.·Fatigue : biomedicine, health & behavior·2016

This study examined whether people with ME/CFS die earlier than the general population. Researchers gathered information about 56 people with ME/CFS who had passed away by asking their family members and caregivers. The findings suggest that people with ME/CFS in this group died several years earlier on average than people in the broader U.S. population, particularly from heart-related causes.

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Severity Scales for Use in Primary Health Care to Assess Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis.

Hardcastle, Sharni Lee, Brenu, Ekua Weba, Johnston, Samantha et al.·Health care for women international·2016

ME/CFS affects people very differently—some have mild symptoms while others are severely disabled. This study reviewed different tools doctors can use to measure how severe a patient's ME/CFS is based on their symptoms and ability to function physically and mentally. Using these measurement tools helps doctors and researchers identify different groups of ME/CFS patients, which could lead to better diagnosis and treatment.

Diagnostics

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredMechanistic

Moxibustion upregulates hippocampal progranulin expression.

Yi, Tao, Qi, Li, Li, Ji et al.·Neural regeneration research·2016

This study tested whether moxibustion, a traditional Chinese medicine technique using heat from burning herbs, could help rats with chronic fatigue syndrome. Researchers found that moxibustion reduced stress hormone levels and increased a protective protein in the brain called progranulin, which appeared to improve the rats' symptoms of fatigue and low mood.

Neuroinflammation

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Understanding Muscle Dysfunction in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Rutherford, Gina, Manning, Philip, Newton, Julia L·Journal of aging research·2016

This review examined research showing that people with ME/CFS may have problems with how their muscles produce and use energy. Specifically, their muscles appear to rely too heavily on a less efficient energy pathway (lactate dehydrogenase) during and after exercise, and they have difficulty clearing the acidic byproducts that build up. These muscle-level energy problems could explain why ME/CFS patients experience severe fatigue and difficulty maintaining physical activity.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryBehavioralPEM not requiredLongitudinal

Neurocognitive improvements after best-practice intervention for chronic fatigue syndrome: Preliminary evidence of divergence between objective indices and subjective perceptions.

Cvejic, Erin, Lloyd, Andrew R, Vollmer-Conna, Uté·Comprehensive psychiatry·2016

This study tested whether a 12-week program combining graded activity and cognitive training could help ME/CFS patients with thinking and memory problems. Researchers measured improvements in two ways: by asking patients how they felt, and by giving them objective tests of mental performance. They found that patients showed real, measurable improvements in processing speed and accuracy on cognitive tests, and their stress response (measured by heart rate patterns) also improved.

Cognitive Impairment

E3 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM unclearMethods-Paper

Metagenomic Investigation of Plasma in Individuals with ME/CFS Highlights the Importance of Technical Controls to Elucidate Contamination and Batch Effects.

Miller, Ruth R, Uyaguari-Diaz, Miguel, McCabe, Mark N et al.·PloS one·2016

Researchers used advanced genetic sequencing to search for viruses and bacteria in the blood of people with ME/CFS, comparing them to people with other conditions and healthy individuals. They found very little microbial material in anyone's blood, and the small differences they observed were likely caused by contamination during sample handling rather than actual differences between groups. This study teaches an important lesson: when looking for germs in blood samples, scientists must be extremely careful about how they handle samples and must use proper controls to avoid false conclusions.

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredMechanistic

Metabolic mechanism of a polysaccharide from Schisandra chinensis to relieve chronic fatigue syndrome.

Chi, Aiping, Zhang, Yang, Kang, Yijiang et al.·International journal of biological macromolecules·2016

Researchers tested whether a natural substance extracted from Schisandra chinensis (a traditional Chinese fruit) could help reduce fatigue in rats with a condition similar to ME/CFS. They found that the substance, called SCP, helped improve the rats' activity and behavior. The improvement appeared to work by fixing problems in how the rats' bodies were processing energy and certain amino acids.

Energy Metabolism

E3 PreliminaryGuidelinePEM unclearGuideline

Diagnosis and management of undifferentiated fever in children.

Long, Sarah S·The Journal of infection·2016

This medical guideline helps doctors figure out what causes unexplained fevers in children and how to treat them. The article explains that many children who come to doctors with persistent tiredness after a fever may not have a serious infection—instead, they might just be deconditioned (out of shape) and need to gradually return to normal activities like school and exercise.

E3 PreliminaryCommentaryPEM not requiredEditorial

Autoantibody pain.

Goebel, Andreas·Autoimmunity reviews·2016

Your immune system sometimes makes proteins called autoantibodies that attack your own body's tissues and nerves. This review explores how these autoantibodies might cause pain directly by interfering with nerve signals, rather than just causing inflammation. Interestingly, ME/CFS appears to involve this type of autoantibody-related pain mechanism, which could open doors to new treatments for conditions that currently don't respond well to standard pain medications.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

ILLNESS IS WORK: Revisiting the concept of illness careers and recognizing the identity work of patients with ME/CFS.

Grue, Jan·Health (London, England : 1997)·2016

This study explores how people with ME/CFS manage their identity and daily life while dealing with an illness that society doesn't fully recognize or understand. The researchers use the concept of "illness as work" to show that patients are actively doing important identity work—constantly adapting to their condition, navigating medical systems, and coping with a stigmatized illness. This framework helps validate the real effort and agency that ME/CFS patients demonstrate every day.

E3 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM requiredMethods-Paper

Assessment of ME/CFS (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome): A Case Study for Health Care Providers.

Brimmer, Dana J, Jones, James F, Boneva, Roumiana et al.·MedEdPORTAL : the journal of teaching and learning resources·2016

This study created an educational course to help medical students, physician assistants, and nursing students better understand ME/CFS and how to care for patients with this condition. The course used videos and slide presentations to teach about ME/CFS symptoms, diagnosis, and management. Students who completed the course showed improved knowledge about ME/CFS and developed more empathy for patients living with this illness.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM requiredMechanistic

Metabolic profiling indicates impaired pyruvate dehydrogenase function in myalgic encephalopathy/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Fluge, Øystein, Mella, Olav, Bruland, Ove et al.·JCI insight·2016

This study found that people with ME/CFS have abnormal patterns of amino acids (building blocks of protein) in their blood, suggesting their bodies struggle to produce energy efficiently through normal metabolic pathways. The research identified a specific problem with an enzyme called pyruvate dehydrogenase that helps convert fuel into cellular energy, and showed that cells from ME/CFS patients produce excess lactate (a byproduct of incomplete energy metabolism) when stressed. These findings help explain why ME/CFS patients experience exhaustion after exertion and poor recovery.

Energy MetabolismPost-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryTrialPEM not requiredRCT

Neuromuscular Strain Increases Symptom Intensity in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Rowe, Peter C, Fontaine, Kevin R, Lauver, Megan et al.·PloS one·2016

Researchers tested whether stretching nerves and soft tissues in the legs—by doing a simple straight leg raise test—could trigger or worsen ME/CFS symptoms. Patients with ME/CFS who received the real stretch experienced more pain, concentration problems, and lightheadedness during and 24 hours after the test, compared to those who received a fake stretch and compared to healthy people. This suggests that physical strain on nerves and tissues may be one reason why ME/CFS symptoms get worse with activity.

Post-Exertional Malaise

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Evidence browser

Implementing resources to support the diagnosis and management of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) in primary care: A qualitative study.

[Fibromyalgia and myalgic encephalomyelitis: The oxygen clue].

"I Always Vet Things": Navigating Privacy and the Presentation of Self on Health Discussion Boards Among Individuals with Long-Term Conditions.

The Many Neuroprogressive Actions of Tryptophan Catabolites (TRYCATs) that may be Associated with the Pathophysiology of Neuro-Immune Disorders.

Elevated Energy Production in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Patients.

Gene Expression in Response to Exercise in Patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Pilot Study.

Novel identification and characterisation of Transient receptor potential melastatin 3 ion channels on Natural Killer cells and B lymphocytes: effects on cell signalling in Chronic fatigue syndrome/Myalgic encephalomyelitis patients.

Mortality in Patients with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Severity Scales for Use in Primary Health Care to Assess Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis.

Moxibustion upregulates hippocampal progranulin expression.

Understanding Muscle Dysfunction in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Neurocognitive improvements after best-practice intervention for chronic fatigue syndrome: Preliminary evidence of divergence between objective indices and subjective perceptions.

Metagenomic Investigation of Plasma in Individuals with ME/CFS Highlights the Importance of Technical Controls to Elucidate Contamination and Batch Effects.

Metabolic mechanism of a polysaccharide from Schisandra chinensis to relieve chronic fatigue syndrome.

Diagnosis and management of undifferentiated fever in children.

Autoantibody pain.

ILLNESS IS WORK: Revisiting the concept of illness careers and recognizing the identity work of patients with ME/CFS.

Assessment of ME/CFS (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome): A Case Study for Health Care Providers.

Metabolic profiling indicates impaired pyruvate dehydrogenase function in myalgic encephalopathy/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Neuromuscular Strain Increases Symptom Intensity in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

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