ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

1641–1660 of 6,188 studies

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Skewing of the B cell receptor repertoire in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Sato, Wakiro, Ono, Hirohiko, Matsutani, Takaji et al.·Brain, behavior, and immunity·2021

This study looked at immune cells called B cells in people with ME/CFS and compared them to healthy people. The researchers found that ME/CFS patients have an unusual pattern of B cells—certain types are overrepresented while others are underrepresented. These abnormal B cell patterns were especially strong in patients whose ME/CFS started after an infection, suggesting the immune system may be stuck responding to something from that earlier infection.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM requiredCross-Sectional

Homebound versus Bedridden Status among Those with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Conroy, Karl, Bhatia, Shaun, Islam, Mohammed et al.·Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland)·2021

This study looked at over 2,100 people with ME/CFS to understand different levels of severity, focusing on those who are homebound (unable to leave home) and bedridden (unable to leave bed). The researchers found that people who are bedridden experience post-exertional malaise (PEM)—a worsening of symptoms after physical or mental activity—differently or more severely than those who are only homebound. This research helps doctors and patients better understand how severe ME/CFS can become.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearObservational

Sex-specific plasma lipid profiles of ME/CFS patients and their association with pain, fatigue, and cognitive symptoms.

Nkiliza, Aurore, Parks, Megan, Cseresznye, Adam et al.·Journal of translational medicine·2021

This study analyzed fatty substances in the blood of ME/CFS patients and healthy controls to see if they differ in ways that might explain symptoms. Researchers found that men and women with ME/CFS had different patterns of these blood fats compared to healthy people. Importantly, certain blood fats were connected to the severity of fatigue, headaches, and thinking difficulties, suggesting that problems with how the body processes fats may play a role in ME/CFS symptoms.

BiomarkersEnergy MetabolismImmune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredObservational

Infections in temporal proximity to HPV vaccination and adverse effects following vaccination in Denmark: A nationwide register-based cohort study and case-crossover analysis.

Krogsgaard, Lene Wulff, Petersen, Irene, Plana-Ripoll, Oleguer et al.·PLoS medicine·2021

This study examined whether having an infection around the time of HPV vaccination increases the risk of developing illness symptoms afterward in Danish women. Researchers found that women who had a treated infection within one month before or after their first HPV vaccine dose were more likely to later seek care at specialized centers for suspected vaccine side effects. The symptoms reported were similar to those seen in chronic fatigue syndrome.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Medical School Education on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis.

Muirhead, Nina, Muirhead, John, Lavery, Grace et al.·Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania)·2021

This study looked at how much medical schools in the UK teach doctors-in-training about ME/CFS. Researchers sent questionnaires to all 34 UK medical schools and found that only about half actually teach ME/CFS, and the teaching varies widely between schools. Most schools said they would welcome better teaching materials and resources about ME/CFS, suggesting doctors need more education on how to recognize and diagnose this condition.

Diagnostics

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearObservational

Shadow Burden of Undiagnosed Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) on Society: Retrospective and Prospective-In Light of COVID-19.

Araja, Diana, Berkis, Uldis, Lunga, Asja et al.·Journal of clinical medicine·2021

This study examined how many people in Latvia may have ME/CFS symptoms but have never received a diagnosis, and investigated whether COVID-19 might cause similar long-term problems. Researchers compared symptom reports from diagnosed ME/CFS patients with undiagnosed people experiencing similar symptoms, and also tracked people who had recovered from COVID-19. The research found that undiagnosed patients face a significant financial burden on the healthcare system and themselves, and that COVID-19 can trigger ME/CFS-like symptoms in some people.

DiagnosticsLong COVID Overlap

E2 ModerateCohortPEM requiredCross-Sectional

Hand grip strength and fatigability: correlation with clinical parameters and diagnostic suitability in ME/CFS.

Jäkel, Bianka, Kedor, Claudia, Grabowski, Patricia et al.·Journal of translational medicine·2021

This study tested hand grip strength in ME/CFS patients compared to healthy people and cancer patients to see if it could help diagnose the condition. Researchers found that ME/CFS patients had weaker grip strength and their muscles got tired much faster during repeated squeezing tests. Importantly, their muscles also recovered more slowly after resting for an hour, suggesting that muscle fatigue is a real, measurable feature of ME/CFS.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Subcortical brain segment volumes in Gulf War Illness and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Addiego, Florencia Martinez, Zajur, Kristina, Knack, Sarah et al.·Life sciences·2021

Researchers used brain imaging to measure the size of deep brain structures in people with ME/CFS, Gulf War Illness, and healthy controls. They found that men and women with these conditions had different patterns of brain volume changes, suggesting that sex differences play an important role in how these illnesses affect the brain. The findings suggest that previous brain imaging studies may need to be reconsidered to account for whether participants were male or female.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Associations between the gut microbiome and fatigue in cancer patients.

Hajjar, Joud, Mendoza, Tito, Zhang, Liangliang et al.·Scientific reports·2021

Researchers studied 88 cancer patients to see if the bacteria living in their gut were connected to cancer-related fatigue. They found that certain beneficial bacteria (Eubacterium hallii) were linked to lower fatigue levels, while other bacteria (Cosenzaea) were linked to higher fatigue. This suggests that the mix of gut bacteria might play a role in how tired cancer patients feel, opening the door to new treatments.

Gut Microbiome

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Virtual Consultations: Young People and Their Parents' Experience.

Proulx-Cabana, Stephanie, Segal, Terry Yvonne, Gregorowski, Anna et al.·Adolescent health, medicine and therapeutics·2021

This study asked 50 young people (ages 10-18) and their families in the UK about their experience with doctor visits done online instead of in person. Most felt prepared for the visits, found them helpful, and felt private. Many liked that they didn't have to travel and could continue seeing the same doctor, but only about one-third got to speak privately with their doctor without a parent present.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

A map of metabolic phenotypes in patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Hoel, Fredrik, Hoel, August, Pettersen, Ina Kn et al.·JCI insight·2021

This study examined the chemicals in the blood of 83 ME/CFS patients compared to 35 healthy people to understand how their bodies use energy differently. Researchers found that ME/CFS patients had common metabolic changes suggesting their bodies are working harder to produce energy and are using fats and proteins differently as fuel. Interestingly, patients also fell into different subgroups with distinct metabolic patterns, suggesting ME/CFS may involve different energy problems in different people.

Energy MetabolismPost-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCase-Control

Saliva Fatigue Biomarker Index As a Marker for Severe Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome in a Community Based Sample.

Jason, Leonard A, Kalns, John, Richarte, Alicia et al.·Fatigue : biomedicine, health & behavior·2021

Researchers tested whether a simple saliva test could help diagnose severe ME/CFS in children and teens. They measured two protein fragments in saliva from young people with ME/CFS and compared them to healthy controls. The study found that this 'Fatigue Biomarker Index' showed significant differences between those with severe ME/CFS and healthy youth, suggesting it might one day be a useful objective test to help doctors diagnose the condition.

Diagnostics

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia-like symptoms are an integral component of the phenome of schizophrenia: neuro-immune and opioid system correlates.

Mousa, Rana Fadhil, Al-Hakeim, Hussein Kadhem, Alhaideri, Amer et al.·Metabolic brain disease·2021

This study looked at whether people with schizophrenia experience fatigue and pain symptoms similar to ME/CFS and fibromyalgia. Researchers measured blood markers related to immune system function and found that specific immune proteins and opioid system changes were associated with these physiosomatic symptoms. The findings suggest that abnormal immune activity and changes in the body's natural pain-relieving systems may contribute to these exhaustion and pain symptoms in schizophrenia patients.

Immune System

E2 ModeratePEM not requiredRegistry-Resource

Sarcoidosis among US Hispanics in a Nationwide Registry.

Innabi, Ayoub, Alzghoul, Bashar N, Kalra, Saminder et al.·Respiratory medicine·2021

This study looked at how sarcoidosis (a disease that causes inflammation in the body) affects Hispanic patients in the United States compared to non-Hispanic patients. Researchers surveyed nearly 3,835 people and found that Hispanic patients with sarcoidosis experience more depression, chronic pain, sleep problems, and job loss than non-Hispanic patients. The findings suggest that doctors may need to approach treatment differently for Hispanic patients with this condition.

Pain and SensitizationSleep

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredLongitudinal

How peptic ulcer disease could potentially lead to the lifelong, debilitating effects of chronic fatigue syndrome: an insight.

Kuo, Chien-Feng, Shi, Leiyu, Lin, Cheng-Li et al.·Scientific reports·2021

This study looked at whether people who have had peptic ulcers (stomach ulcers often caused by H. pylori bacteria) are at higher risk of developing ME/CFS. Researchers compared hospital records from Taiwan for people with and without peptic ulcers over many years. They found that people with a history of peptic ulcers were about twice as likely to develop ME/CFS, with higher risk in women and older adults.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Long COVID and chronic fatigue syndrome: A survey of elderly female survivors in Egypt.

Aly, Menna A E G, Saber, Heba G·International journal of clinical practice·2021

This study looked at 115 elderly women in Egypt who had recovered from COVID-19 to see if their lingering symptoms might lead to chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). Most women reported problems like fatigue, muscle pain, and sleep trouble after COVID, and the study found that stress, sadness, and poor sleep were most strongly linked to developing CFS-like symptoms. Only one person in the study actually met full criteria for probable CFS, but the researchers suggest doctors should watch for these warning signs in long COVID patients.

SleepCognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Exercise modifies glutamate and other metabolic biomarkers in cerebrospinal fluid from Gulf War Illness and Myalgic encephalomyelitis / Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Baraniuk, James N, Kern, Grant, Narayan, Vaishnavi et al.·PloS one·2021

Researchers studied the fluid around the brain and spinal cord in people with ME/CFS and Gulf War Illness to see how exercise affects certain chemicals in the body. They found that glutamate (a brain chemical) levels changed differently depending on whether someone had exercised and how their body responded, and that some fat-related molecules were different between the two conditions. This suggests that ME/CFS and Gulf War Illness may involve different problems with how the body uses energy and processes fats.

NeuroinflammationBiomarkersPost-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Fatigue-Related Cognitive-Behavioral Factors in Survivors of Childhood Cancer: Comparison with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Survivors of Adult-Onset Cancer.

van Deuren, Sylvia, van Dulmen-den Broeder, Eline, Boonstra, Amilie et al.·Journal of adolescent and young adult oncology·2021

This study compared how fatigue affects three groups: people who had cancer as children, people with ME/CFS, and people who had cancer as adults. Researchers looked at thinking patterns and behaviors that might keep fatigue going, like how people cope, sleep habits, and beliefs about their illness. They found many similarities between the groups, but some differences in how people explained their fatigue and how much support they had.

Sleep

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Cerebral blood flow remains reduced after tilt testing in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome patients.

van Campen, C Linda M C, Rowe, Peter C, Visser, Frans C·Clinical neurophysiology practice·2021

This study looked at blood flow to the brain in ME/CFS patients during and after a tilt test (where people are tilted upright). Researchers found that when ME/CFS patients were tilted, blood flow to their brain decreased abnormally, and importantly, it did not fully recover even after returning to lying down—unlike their heart's ability to recover. The severity of this delayed blood flow recovery was directly related to how sick the patient was, with the most severely ill patients showing the slowest recovery.

Autonomic Nervous System

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM unclearObservational

Towards personalized assessment of fatigue perpetuating factors in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome using ecological momentary assessment: A pilot study.

Worm-Smeitink, Margreet, Monden, Rei, Groen, Robin Nikita et al.·Journal of psychosomatic research·2021

Researchers tracked what 50 ME/CFS patients experienced throughout their day—their thoughts, activities, and mood—five times daily using phones and activity monitors. They found that two main patterns seemed connected to fatigue: feeling psychologically uncomfortable and how much patients were moving around. However, these patterns looked different for each person, and knowing about them didn't clearly predict who would improve with cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).

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Skewing of the B cell receptor repertoire in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Homebound versus Bedridden Status among Those with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Sex-specific plasma lipid profiles of ME/CFS patients and their association with pain, fatigue, and cognitive symptoms.

Infections in temporal proximity to HPV vaccination and adverse effects following vaccination in Denmark: A nationwide register-based cohort study and case-crossover analysis.

Medical School Education on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis.

Shadow Burden of Undiagnosed Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) on Society: Retrospective and Prospective-In Light of COVID-19.

Hand grip strength and fatigability: correlation with clinical parameters and diagnostic suitability in ME/CFS.

Subcortical brain segment volumes in Gulf War Illness and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Associations between the gut microbiome and fatigue in cancer patients.

Virtual Consultations: Young People and Their Parents' Experience.

A map of metabolic phenotypes in patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Saliva Fatigue Biomarker Index As a Marker for Severe Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome in a Community Based Sample.

Chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia-like symptoms are an integral component of the phenome of schizophrenia: neuro-immune and opioid system correlates.

Sarcoidosis among US Hispanics in a Nationwide Registry.

How peptic ulcer disease could potentially lead to the lifelong, debilitating effects of chronic fatigue syndrome: an insight.

Long COVID and chronic fatigue syndrome: A survey of elderly female survivors in Egypt.

Exercise modifies glutamate and other metabolic biomarkers in cerebrospinal fluid from Gulf War Illness and Myalgic encephalomyelitis / Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Fatigue-Related Cognitive-Behavioral Factors in Survivors of Childhood Cancer: Comparison with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Survivors of Adult-Onset Cancer.

Cerebral blood flow remains reduced after tilt testing in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome patients.

Towards personalized assessment of fatigue perpetuating factors in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome using ecological momentary assessment: A pilot study.

Curated Collections

Neuroinflammation Evidence

Metabolism & Mitochondria

Biomarkers

PEM-Specific Research