ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

141–160 of 238 studies

E2 ModeratePEM not requiredModerate confidenceCross-SectionalEditor reviewed

Prevalence of chronic fatigue and chemical sensitivities in Gulf Registry Veterans.

Kipen, H M, Hallman, W, Kang, H et al.·Archives of environmental health·1999

This study looked at symptoms reported by Gulf War veterans to see how many experienced chronic fatigue and chemical sensitivities. Researchers found that about 16% of veterans met the standard criteria for ME/CFS, about 13% had multiple chemical sensitivities, and a small percentage had both conditions. The findings suggest these conditions were common among Gulf War veterans, though the study was based only on questionnaire responses rather than medical exams.

Pain and Sensitization

E2 ModeratePEM unclearModerate confidenceCross-SectionalEditor reviewed

The role of depression in pain, psychophysiological syndromes and medically unexplained symptoms associated with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Morriss, R K, Ahmed, M, Wearden, A J et al.·Journal of affective disorders·1999

This study looked at whether depression makes ME/CFS symptoms worse. Researchers compared three groups: ME/CFS patients without depression, ME/CFS patients with depression, and people with depression alone. They found that depression did not increase pain, headaches, or other unexplained symptoms in ME/CFS patients, but it did make their social life more difficult.

Pain and Sensitization

E2 ModeratePEM not requiredPreliminaryCross-SectionalEditor reviewed

The relationship between fibromyalgia and interstitial cystitis.

Clauw, D J, Schmidt, M, Radulovic, D et al.·Journal of psychiatric research·1997

This study compared symptom patterns in people with fibromyalgia, interstitial cystitis (a bladder pain condition), and healthy people. Researchers found that fibromyalgia and IC patients reported very similar types of symptoms beyond their primary complaints, and both groups showed increased pain sensitivity throughout their bodies—not just in the areas they typically experienced pain.

Pain and Sensitization

E2 ModeratePEM not requiredPreliminaryCross-SectionalEditor reviewed

Primary juvenile fibromyalgia syndrome and chronic fatigue syndrome in adolescents.

Bell, D S, Bell, K M, Cheney, P R·Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America·1994

This study looked at whether children diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) also had fibromyalgia, a condition involving widespread muscle pain and tender points. Researchers found that about 30% of children with CFS met the criteria for fibromyalgia, and these children experienced more muscle pain, sleep problems, and neurological symptoms than those without fibromyalgia. The study suggests that CFS and fibromyalgia in children may be closely related or even the same condition.

SleepPain and Sensitization

E2 ModeratePEM unclearPreliminaryCross-SectionalEditor reviewed

Sleep, Epstein-Barr virus infection, musculoskeletal pain, and depressive symptoms in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Whelton, C L, Salit, I, Moldofsky, H·The Journal of rheumatology·1992

This study compared sleep patterns, virus exposure, and symptoms in 14 ME/CFS patients versus 12 healthy people. Patients reported sleep that didn't feel refreshing and had unusual brain wave patterns during sleep, but didn't show excessive daytime sleepiness. The study found no evidence that a chronic Epstein-Barr virus infection was causing the illness, but patients did have more widespread pain, tender points, and depression symptoms.

SleepPain and Sensitization

E2 ModeratePEM unclearModerate confidenceCross-SectionalEditor reviewed

High frequency of fibromyalgia in patients with chronic fatigue seen in a primary care practice.

Goldenberg, D L, Simms, R W, Geiger, A et al.·Arthritis and rheumatism·1990

This study looked at whether people with chronic fatigue also have fibromyalgia, a condition involving widespread muscle pain and tender points. Researchers examined 27 patients with debilitating fatigue lasting at least 6 months and found that 70% of them had the widespread pain and tender points typical of fibromyalgia. This suggests that many people with chronic fatigue may also have fibromyalgia.

Pain and Sensitization

E3 PreliminaryPEM not requiredPreliminaryReview-NarrativeEditor reviewed

Myopraktikk (NO): A Narrative Review and Conceptual Hypothesis on Intrafasciomembranal Fluid Pressure, Biotensegrity, and Immediate Remote Myofascial Responses.

Hopen, Stig Runar, Mjøen, Tor Arne·Cureus·2025

This article proposes a new theory about muscle pain and stiffness called Myopraktikk, which focuses on fluid pressure building up in the spaces around muscles. The authors suggest that when fluid pressure increases in these areas, it can cause muscles to feel tight, knotted, and painful—similar to what happens in conditions like ME/CFS and fibromyalgia. According to their hypothesis, releasing this pressure through manual treatment may help reduce symptoms in both the treated area and elsewhere in the body.

Pain and Sensitization

E3 PreliminaryPEM unclearModerate confidenceLongitudinalEditor reviewed

Disentangling pain and fatigue in chronic fatigue syndrome: a resting state connectivity study before and after cognitive behavioral therapy.

van der Schaaf, Marieke E, Geerligs, Linda, Toni, Ivan et al.·Psychological medicine·2024

This study looked at how fatigue and pain affect different networks in the brain of ME/CFS patients by taking brain scans at rest. The researchers found that fatigue and pain involve different brain circuits, suggesting they may be caused by different mechanisms. After cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), patients who improved showed better communication between brain regions associated with movement and the brain's resting network.

Pain and Sensitization

E3 PreliminaryPEM unclearPreliminaryReview-NarrativeEditor reviewed

Current understanding of nociplastic pain.

Yoo, Yeong-Min, Kim, Kyung-Hoon·The Korean journal of pain·2024

This article explains 'nociplastic pain'—a type of chronic pain that occurs when the nervous system becomes overly sensitive to pain signals, even when there is no obvious tissue damage or nerve injury. People with ME/CFS, fibromyalgia, and similar conditions often experience this kind of pain. The article describes how doctors can recognize nociplastic pain and groups it with other conditions that share this same underlying mechanism of nervous system sensitivity.

Pain and Sensitization

E3 PreliminaryPEM not requiredPreliminaryCase-ControlEditor reviewed

Oxygen-ozone autohemotherapy in breast cancer patients suffering from fatigue and musculoskeletal pain upon aromatase inhibitors treatment: a case-series study.

Tirelli, U, Valdenassi, L, Franzini, M et al.·European review for medical and pharmacological sciences·2023

This study looked at six breast cancer patients taking a hormone therapy drug (anastrozole) who experienced severe pain, weakness, and fatigue as side effects. These patients received oxygen-ozone therapy, a treatment where blood is mixed with ozone gas and returned to the body. After treatment, patients reported significant reductions in both pain and fatigue that lasted for several months.

Pain and Sensitization

E3 PreliminaryPEM not requiredWeak / uncertainReview-NarrativeEditor reviewed

Exploring the scope of homoeopathy in combating the unfortunate consequences of post-COVID-19 survivors based on non-COVID conditions: a narrative review.

Dixit, Ashish Kumar, Giri, Nibha, Singh, Shishir·Journal of complementary & integrative medicine·2023

This review looked at whether homeopathy—a complementary medicine approach—might help people recover from long-term symptoms after COVID-19. The authors searched published research and found that homeopathy has shown some promise in treating anxiety, depression, pain, and heart problems in other conditions, and they suggest it might be worth studying for post-COVID recovery.

Pain and Sensitization

E3 PreliminaryPEM unclearPreliminaryObservationalEditor reviewed

Clinical effects of wasabi extract containing 6-MSITC on myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome: an open-label trial.

Oka, Takakazu, Yamada, Yu, Lkhagvasuren, Battuvshin et al.·BioPsychoSocial medicine·2022

Researchers tested whether wasabi extract—specifically a compound called 6-MSITC that has anti-inflammatory properties—could help people with ME/CFS. Fifteen patients took the supplement daily for 12 weeks, and many reported improvements in headaches, muscle pain, brain fog, and cognitive problems like word-finding difficulties. The study found measurable improvements in pain sensitivity and thinking speed, though overall fatigue scores did not change significantly.

Cognitive ImpairmentPain and Sensitization

E3 PreliminaryPEM unclearPreliminaryReview-NarrativeEditor reviewed

Possible Application of Melatonin in Long COVID.

Cardinali, Daniel P, Brown, Gregory M, Pandi-Perumal, Seithikurippu R·Biomolecules·2022

This review examines whether melatonin, a natural hormone that regulates sleep, might help people with long COVID who experience symptoms similar to ME/CFS—such as brain fog, fatigue, and muscle pain. Melatonin has several properties that could potentially help: it reduces inflammation, fights harmful molecules in the body, supports immune function, and protects nerve cells. The authors suggest melatonin might be worth studying further as a treatment for the lingering cognitive and pain symptoms some long COVID patients experience.

Cognitive ImpairmentSleepPain and Sensitization

E3 PreliminaryPEM unclearModerate confidenceCross-SectionalEditor reviewed

Experiences of pain in paediatric chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis: a single-centre qualitative study.

Serafimova, Teona, Ascough, Caitlin, Parslow, Roxanne Morin et al.·BMJ paediatrics open·2022

This study explored how children with ME/CFS experience pain by interviewing 13 young people (average age 15). Researchers found that pain is very common, highly varied, and significantly impacts daily life—affecting physical activity, eating, schooling, and mental health. Most importantly, the children reported that current treatments don't work well, highlighting an urgent need for better pain management options.

Pain and Sensitization

E3 PreliminaryPEM not requiredModerate confidenceReview-NarrativeEditor reviewed

[Endometriosis and chronic overlapping pain conditions].

Häuser, Winfried·Schmerz (Berlin, Germany)·2021

This review examines how endometriosis (a painful condition affecting the reproductive system) often occurs alongside other chronic pain conditions like fibromyalgia, ME/CFS, migraines, and others. The authors explain that these conditions share common underlying causes—such as childhood stress or trauma—and similar ways the nervous system processes pain signals. They recommend that doctors screen endometriosis patients for these overlapping conditions and use medications like amitriptyline or duloxetine combined with physical therapy and psychological support, rather than repeated surgeries.

Pain and Sensitization

E3 PreliminaryPEM unclearPreliminaryReview-NarrativeEditor reviewed

Migraine Is More Than Just Headache: Is the Link to Chronic Fatigue and Mood Disorders Simply Due to Shared Biological Systems?

Karsan, Nazia, Goadsby, Peter J·Frontiers in human neuroscience·2021

This review examines why migraine sufferers often experience fatigue, mood changes, and cognitive difficulties—symptoms that can occur hours or days before a headache arrives. Rather than being separate diseases, the authors suggest these symptoms may stem from shared brain chemistry problems in people with migraines, similar to what happens in ME/CFS and depression. The study proposes that migraine is fundamentally a disorder of how the brain processes sensory information, not just a headache condition.

Pain and Sensitization

E3 PreliminaryPEM not requiredModerate confidenceMechanisticEditor reviewed

Does muscular or mental fatigue have an influence on the nociceptive flexion reflex? A randomized cross-over study in healthy people.

Dhondt, Evy, Danneels, Lieven, Rijckaert, Johan et al.·European journal of pain (London, England)·2021

This study tested whether being physically or mentally tired changes how the body's spinal cord responds to pain signals. Researchers measured a reflex that happens in the spinal cord when stimulated with electrical pulses to a nerve in the leg, both before and after participants either rested, did tiring leg exercises, or completed a difficult mental task. They found that low-to-moderate levels of fatigue—whether physical or mental—did not change this spinal reflex, suggesting the body's pain-dampening systems stay stable even when tired.

Pain and Sensitization

E3 PreliminaryPEM unclearModerate confidenceCross-SectionalEditor reviewed

Orthostatic stress testing in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome patients with or without concomitant fibromyalgia: effects on pressure pain thresholds and temporal summation.

van Campen, C Linda M C, Rowe, Peter C, Verheugt, Freek W A et al.·Clinical and experimental rheumatology·2021

This study tested how standing up quickly (which can trigger ME/CFS symptoms) affects pain sensitivity in ME/CFS patients. Researchers measured how much pressure patients could tolerate on their finger and shoulder before and after a tilt test. They found that ME/CFS patients became more pain-sensitive after the tilt test, meaning their bodies responded to pain more strongly than healthy people, and this effect was even more pronounced in those who also had fibromyalgia.

Autonomic Nervous SystemPain and Sensitization

E3 PreliminaryPEM unclearPreliminaryObservationalEditor reviewed

An Open-Label, Pilot Trial of HRG80™ Red Ginseng in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, and Post-Viral Fatigue.

Teitelbaum, Jacob, Goudie, Sarah·Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)·2021

This study tested a special form of red ginseng called HRG80 in people with ME/CFS, fibromyalgia, and post-COVID fatigue. Over one month, 188 patients took daily ginseng supplements and reported their symptoms. About 60% of participants felt better, with improvements in energy, mental clarity, sleep, and stamina.

Cognitive ImpairmentSleepPain and Sensitization

E3 PreliminaryPEM unclearModerate confidenceCross-SectionalEditor reviewed

DNA Methylation and Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Expression Account for Symptoms and Widespread Hyperalgesia in Patients With Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Comorbid Fibromyalgia.

Polli, Andrea, Ghosh, Manosij, Bakusic, Jelena et al.·Arthritis & rheumatology (Hoboken, N.J.)·2020

This study found that people with ME/CFS and fibromyalgia have unusual patterns in how their genes are regulated, specifically involving a molecule called BDNF that affects pain and nerve function. Researchers measured genetic markers and protein levels in blood samples and found that changes in how BDNF genes are 'switched on and off' may explain why patients experience severe fatigue, pain, and widespread body aches.

Pain and Sensitization

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Prevalence of chronic fatigue and chemical sensitivities in Gulf Registry Veterans.

The role of depression in pain, psychophysiological syndromes and medically unexplained symptoms associated with chronic fatigue syndrome.

The relationship between fibromyalgia and interstitial cystitis.

Primary juvenile fibromyalgia syndrome and chronic fatigue syndrome in adolescents.

Sleep, Epstein-Barr virus infection, musculoskeletal pain, and depressive symptoms in chronic fatigue syndrome.

High frequency of fibromyalgia in patients with chronic fatigue seen in a primary care practice.

Myopraktikk (NO): A Narrative Review and Conceptual Hypothesis on Intrafasciomembranal Fluid Pressure, Biotensegrity, and Immediate Remote Myofascial Responses.

Disentangling pain and fatigue in chronic fatigue syndrome: a resting state connectivity study before and after cognitive behavioral therapy.

Current understanding of nociplastic pain.

Oxygen-ozone autohemotherapy in breast cancer patients suffering from fatigue and musculoskeletal pain upon aromatase inhibitors treatment: a case-series study.

Exploring the scope of homoeopathy in combating the unfortunate consequences of post-COVID-19 survivors based on non-COVID conditions: a narrative review.

Clinical effects of wasabi extract containing 6-MSITC on myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome: an open-label trial.

Possible Application of Melatonin in Long COVID.

Experiences of pain in paediatric chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis: a single-centre qualitative study.

[Endometriosis and chronic overlapping pain conditions].

Migraine Is More Than Just Headache: Is the Link to Chronic Fatigue and Mood Disorders Simply Due to Shared Biological Systems?

Does muscular or mental fatigue have an influence on the nociceptive flexion reflex? A randomized cross-over study in healthy people.

Orthostatic stress testing in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome patients with or without concomitant fibromyalgia: effects on pressure pain thresholds and temporal summation.

An Open-Label, Pilot Trial of HRG80™ Red Ginseng in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, and Post-Viral Fatigue.

DNA Methylation and Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Expression Account for Symptoms and Widespread Hyperalgesia in Patients With Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Comorbid Fibromyalgia.

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