ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

1701–1720 of 6,209 studies

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 unclearObservational

Effectiveness of Internet-Based Cognitive Behavior Therapy (Fatigue in Teenagers on the Internet) for Adolescents With Chronic Fatigue Syndrome in Routine Clinical Care: Observational Study.

Albers, Eline, Nijhof, Linde N, Berkelbach van der Sprenkel, Emma E et al.·Journal of medical Internet research·2021

This study tested whether an internet-based therapy program called FITNET, delivered through routine clinical care, works as well as it did in earlier controlled research. The program helps teenagers with ME/CFS through structured cognitive behavioral therapy done online. Results showed that teenagers improved significantly with similar outcomes to the original research study, and very few got worse during treatment.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Clinical Heterogeneity in ME/CFS. A Way to Understand Long-COVID19 Fatigue.

Murga, Iñigo, Aranburu, Larraitz, Gargiulo, Pascual A et al.·Frontiers in psychiatry·2021

This study examined 84 ME/CFS patients and 22 healthy controls using questionnaires to measure fatigue, pain, sleep quality, heart rate problems, thinking difficulties, mood, and other symptoms. Researchers used statistical clustering to group patients into five distinct subtypes based on their symptom patterns. The findings suggest that ME/CFS is not one-size-fits-all—some patients have high anxiety and depression without fibromyalgia, while others have fibromyalgia combined with heart rate regulation problems, hormone imbalances, or immune issues.

Immune SystemPost-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Limbic Perfusion Is Reduced in Patients with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS).

Li, Xia, Julin, Per, Li, Tie-Qiang·Tomography (Ann Arbor, Mich.)·2021

Researchers used a specialized brain imaging technique to measure blood flow in the brains of ME/CFS patients and compared it to healthy people. They found that patients with ME/CFS have reduced blood flow in several areas of the limbic system—the part of the brain that helps control emotions, automatic body functions, and memory. The amount of reduced blood flow was also linked to how severe patients' symptoms were.

Autonomic Nervous System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearObservational

Male vs. Female Differences in Responding to Oxygen-Ozone Autohemotherapy (O2-O3-AHT) in Patients with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS).

Chirumbolo, Salvatore, Valdenassi, Luigi, Franzini, Marianno et al.·Journal of clinical medicine·2021

This study looked at how well a treatment called oxygen-ozone autohemotherapy (O₂-O₃-AHT) worked for ME/CFS fatigue in men versus women. Two hundred patients received this treatment and filled out a fatigue questionnaire before and one month after. The results showed that women experienced more improvement in their fatigue than men did, especially among younger patients aged 14-29.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM requiredCross-Sectional

Patients with Persistent Polyclonal B-Cell Lymphocytosis Share the Symptomatic Criteria of Systemic Exertion Intolerance Disease.

Morizot, Romain, de Korwin, Jean-Dominique, Feugier, Pierre et al.·Journal of clinical medicine·2021

Researchers studied a rare blood condition called persistent polyclonal B-cell lymphocytosis (PPBL) and found that most patients with PPBL experience symptoms very similar to ME/CFS, including severe fatigue that doesn't improve with rest, worsening after physical activity, sleep problems, and difficulty thinking clearly. Out of 39 patients surveyed, 72% met the official criteria for ME/CFS, and nearly all reported chronic fatigue lasting more than 6 months. This finding suggests these two conditions may share common underlying features, though more research is needed to understand why.

Post-Exertional Malaise

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

Diffusion tensor imaging reveals neuronal microstructural changes in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Thapaliya, Kiran, Marshall-Gradisnik, Sonya, Staines, Donald et al.·The European journal of neuroscience·2021

This study used a specialized brain imaging technique called diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to look for structural changes in the brains of ME/CFS patients compared to healthy people. The researchers found subtle differences in how water moves through certain nerve fiber pathways in the brains of patients who met strict diagnostic criteria for ME/CFS, particularly in areas controlling movement, coordination, and breathing. These brain changes were linked to patient symptoms like difficulty processing information, fatigue, and sleep problems.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM requiredCross-Sectional

A preliminary investigation of nutritional intake and supplement use in Australians with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome and the implications on health-related quality of life.

Weigel, Breanna, Eaton-Fitch, Natalie, Passmore, Rachel et al.·Food & nutrition research·2021

This study looked at what Australian ME/CFS patients eat and what supplements they take, and whether these choices affect their quality of life. Researchers surveyed 24 ME/CFS patients online and compared their diets to the general Australian population. They found that ME/CFS patients use supplements much more often than the general public, but couldn't find a clear link between specific nutrients or supplements and how patients felt.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome in patients of orthostatic intolerance symptoms: an ambispective study.

Chouksey, Dinesh, Rathi, Pankaj, Sodani, Ajoy et al.·AIMS neuroscience·2021

This study looked at patients who experience dizziness, fainting, or heart racing when standing up—symptoms of a condition called POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome). Researchers tested 246 patients with these symptoms and confirmed POTS in 40 of them using a special tilt-table test. Most POTS patients experienced fainting, lightheadedness, and heart palpitations, and nearly half also had a related condition causing fainting.

Autonomic Nervous System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearObservational

Evaluation of Immune Dysregulation in an Austrian Patient Cohort Suffering from Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Lutz, Lena, Rohrhofer, Johanna, Zehetmayer, Sonja et al.·Biomolecules·2021

This study looked at blood test results from 262 ME/CFS patients to understand problems with their immune systems. Researchers found that nearly two-thirds of patients had low levels of certain immune proteins or cells, while about one-quarter showed signs of inflammation. These findings suggest that immune system dysfunction is a common feature of ME/CFS and could potentially be used to help diagnose or treat the condition.

BiomarkersImmune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Analysis of Gender Differences in HRV of Patients with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Using Mobile-Health Technology.

Capdevila, Lluis, Castro-Marrero, Jesús, Alegre, José et al.·Sensors (Basel, Switzerland)·2021

Researchers used a smartphone app connected to a heart monitor to measure heart rate variability (how much the time between heartbeats varies) in ME/CFS patients and healthy people. They found that women with ME/CFS showed different heart patterns than healthy women, but men with ME/CFS did not show the same clear difference. This suggests that ME/CFS may affect the heart's nervous system control differently in men versus women.

Biomarkers

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Chronic fatigue syndrome: an emerging sequela in COVID-19 survivors?

Mantovani, Elisa, Mariotto, Sara, Gabbiani, Daniele et al.·Journal of neurovirology·2021

Some people who recover from COVID-19 continue to experience symptoms that look very similar to ME/CFS, including severe tiredness, pain, and difficulty thinking clearly. This study found that about 27% of COVID-19 survivors had these ME/CFS-like symptoms, and they reported worse sleep, more fatigue, and more difficulty with basic activities compared to those who recovered normally. The researchers measured markers of nerve damage and inflammation to understand what might be causing these symptoms.

Long COVID OverlapPost-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearLongitudinal

Salivary DNA Loads for Human Herpesviruses 6 and 7 Are Correlated With Disease Phenotype in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Lee, Ji-Sook, Lacerda, Eliana M, Nacul, Luis et al.·Frontiers in medicine·2021

This study tested saliva samples from people with ME/CFS and healthy people to measure levels of common viruses that stay dormant in the body. Researchers found that two viruses (HHV-6B and HHV-7) were present at higher levels in people with ME/CFS, especially in those whose viral levels went up and down over time. Importantly, when these viral levels were higher, patients reported worse symptoms like pain, brain fog, and heart/blood pressure problems.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Sex-Based Differences in Plasma Autoantibodies to Central Nervous System Proteins in Gulf War Veterans versus Healthy and Symptomatic Controls.

Abou-Donia, Mohamed B, Krengel, Maxine H, Lapadula, Elizabeth S et al.·Brain sciences·2021

Researchers found that Gulf War veterans with Gulf War illness have abnormal immune proteins in their blood that attack brain cells, and these patterns differ between men and women. The study also found that these same immune markers can help distinguish Gulf War illness from other similar conditions like ME/CFS and IBS. This discovery is important because it offers a possible objective blood test that doctors could use to identify and diagnose these difficult-to-recognize illnesses.

BiomarkersImmune System

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 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Comparison of the finger plethysmography derived stroke volumes by Nexfin CO Trek and suprasternal aortic Doppler derived stroke volume measurements in adults with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome and in healthy controls.

van Campen, C Linda M C, Verheugt, Freek W A, Rowe, Peter C et al.·Technology and health care : official journal of the European Society for Engineering and Medicine·2021

This study compared two different ways of measuring how much blood the heart pumps with each beat during a tilt table test (where patients lie down then are tilted upright). Researchers tested 154 ME/CFS patients and 39 healthy people using finger cuff measurements and ultrasound of the heart. They found that the finger cuff method gave higher readings than ultrasound, but after adjusting the finger cuff numbers to match ultrasound values, the device became reliable enough to track changes during tilt testing.

Autonomic Nervous System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

A Comprehensive Examination of Severely Ill ME/CFS Patients.

Chang, Chia-Jung, Hung, Li-Yuan, Kogelnik, Andreas M et al.·Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland)·2021

This study examined severely ill ME/CFS patients who are mostly housebound or bedbound—a group that hasn't received much research attention. Researchers found that fatigue, pain, and thinking difficulties were the most common complaints, and patients showed distinct sleep problems and hormone imbalances. The study suggests that ME/CFS and long COVID may share similar mechanisms, meaning treatments discovered for one condition could potentially help the other.

Long COVID OverlapPost-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCase-Control

Reduced Parasympathetic Reactivation during Recovery from Exercise in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Van Oosterwijck, Jessica, Marusic, Uros, De Wandele, Inge et al.·Journal of clinical medicine·2021

This study examined how the nervous system controls heart rate and other body functions in ME/CFS patients compared to healthy people, both at rest and after exercise. Researchers found that while ME/CFS patients had normal nerve function at rest, their bodies had difficulty recovering after exercise—specifically, their parasympathetic nervous system (the 'rest and digest' system) didn't reactivate properly. This delayed recovery is concerning because similar patterns in other diseases are linked to worse health outcomes.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Clinical Profile and Aspects of Differential Diagnosis in Patients with ME/CFS from Latvia.

Krumina, Angelika, Vecvagare, Katrine, Svirskis, Simons et al.·Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania)·2021

This study looked at 65 people with ME/CFS in Latvia to understand their main symptoms and how the condition differs from simple tiredness. Researchers found that people with ME/CFS commonly experience fatigue, muscle pain, joint pain, and sleep problems—more often than people without ME/CFS. When patients had other health conditions alongside ME/CFS, their symptoms tended to be more severe.

Pain and SensitizationSleepDiagnostics

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

Effectiveness of Internet-Based Cognitive Behavior Therapy (Fatigue in Teenagers on the Internet) for Adolescents With Chronic Fatigue Syndrome in Routine Clinical Care: Observational Study.

Clinical Heterogeneity in ME/CFS. A Way to Understand Long-COVID19 Fatigue.

Limbic Perfusion Is Reduced in Patients with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS).

Male vs. Female Differences in Responding to Oxygen-Ozone Autohemotherapy (O2-O3-AHT) in Patients with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS).

Patients with Persistent Polyclonal B-Cell Lymphocytosis Share the Symptomatic Criteria of Systemic Exertion Intolerance Disease.

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

Diffusion tensor imaging reveals neuronal microstructural changes in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

A preliminary investigation of nutritional intake and supplement use in Australians with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome and the implications on health-related quality of life.

Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome in patients of orthostatic intolerance symptoms: an ambispective study.

Evaluation of Immune Dysregulation in an Austrian Patient Cohort Suffering from Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Analysis of Gender Differences in HRV of Patients with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Using Mobile-Health Technology.

Chronic fatigue syndrome: an emerging sequela in COVID-19 survivors?

Salivary DNA Loads for Human Herpesviruses 6 and 7 Are Correlated With Disease Phenotype in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Sex-Based Differences in Plasma Autoantibodies to Central Nervous System Proteins in Gulf War Veterans versus Healthy and Symptomatic Controls.

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

Comparison of the finger plethysmography derived stroke volumes by Nexfin CO Trek and suprasternal aortic Doppler derived stroke volume measurements in adults with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome and in healthy controls.

A Comprehensive Examination of Severely Ill ME/CFS Patients.

Reduced Parasympathetic Reactivation during Recovery from Exercise in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Clinical Profile and Aspects of Differential Diagnosis in Patients with ME/CFS from Latvia.

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