ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

1781–1800 of 6,160 studies

E2 ModerateCohortPEM requiredObservational

Abnormal blood lactate accumulation during repeated exercise testing in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Lien, Katarina, Johansen, Bjørn, Veierød, Marit B et al.·Physiological reports·2019

This study looked at how the bodies of ME/CFS patients handle repeated exercise tests done 24 hours apart. Researchers measured how much oxygen patients used and tracked a substance called lactate in their blood during exercise. They found that ME/CFS patients performed worse on the second test and had higher lactate levels, opposite to what happened in healthy people, whose bodies actually recovered better the second time.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCase-Control

Depressive symptoms in adolescents with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS): Are rates higher than in controls and do depressive symptoms affect outcome?

Loades, Maria Elizabeth, Rimes, Katharine A, Ali, Sheila et al.·Clinical child psychology and psychiatry·2019

This study compared depression symptoms in adolescents with ME/CFS to healthy teenagers and teenagers with asthma. Young people with ME/CFS had significantly higher depression scores than both groups. While depression symptoms were linked to some worsening of fatigue over time, they were a stronger predictor of future depression itself, suggesting depression may be a separate concern that needs its own treatment approach.

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredLongitudinal

Fatigue in Epstein-Barr virus infected adolescents and healthy controls: A prospective multifactorial association study.

Pedersen, Maria, Asprusten, Tarjei Tørre, Godang, Kristin et al.·Journal of psychosomatic research·2019

This study followed teenagers with acute Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection and compared them to healthy teenagers to understand what causes fatigue. Researchers measured 148 different factors including symptoms, quality of life, sleep, emotions, immune markers, and heart rate control at the start of infection and again six months later. They found that fatigue was consistently linked to sleep problems, negative emotions, and poor quality of life, but surprisingly, markers of active infection were not associated with how tired people felt.

SleepAutonomic Nervous System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredObservational

How fair is our service? Evaluating access to specialist paediatric care.

Neale, Francesca K, Armstrong, Edward J, Cohen, Jonathan M et al.·Archives of disease in childhood·2019

This study looked at whether all children, regardless of their family's income level, had equal access to specialist hospital clinics in one UK hospital between 2007 and 2018. Researchers found that local outpatient clinics (like those for asthma and chronic fatigue syndrome) served children from all income levels fairly equally, but specialist tertiary clinics served more children from wealthier families. This suggests that some children may have better access to specialized care depending on where they live and their family's economic situation.

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Hematological and Psychophysiological Correlates of Anomalous Information Reception in Mediums: A Preliminary Exploration.

Beischel, Julie, Tassone, Shawn, Boccuzzi, Mark·Explore (New York, N.Y.)·2019

This study looked at whether people who identify as mediums (those who report communicating with deceased individuals) experience more health problems than people who don't. Researchers found that mediums reported significantly more autoimmune diseases, sleep problems, gastrointestinal issues, and other symptoms compared to non-mediums. However, blood tests and heart rate measurements taken during mediumship sessions showed no unusual changes.

Sleep

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Illness perceptions in adolescents with chronic fatigue syndrome and other physical health conditions: Application of the common sense model.

Haines, Cara, Loades, Maria, Davis, Cara·Clinical child psychology and psychiatry·2019

This study compared how teenagers with ME/CFS view their illness compared to teenagers with diabetes or arthritis. Teenagers with ME/CFS had very different beliefs about their condition—particularly about how much control they had over it, how long it would last, and how well they understood what was happening to them. The researchers suggest that helping teenagers with ME/CFS feel more in control and understand their condition better might help them cope better.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM requiredCross-Sectional

Circulating levels of GDF15 in patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Melvin, A, Lacerda, E, Dockrell, H M et al.·Journal of translational medicine·2019

This study measured a protein called GDF15 in the blood of ME/CFS patients and compared it to healthy people. GDF15 is released by cells when they are stressed or damaged. The researchers found that patients with severe ME/CFS had higher levels of GDF15 than healthy controls, and the levels of this protein were linked to how tired patients felt. The GDF15 levels stayed relatively stable over several months, suggesting it could be a useful marker for measuring cellular stress in ME/CFS.

Biomarkers

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Changes in the transcriptome of circulating immune cells of a New Zealand cohort with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Sweetman, Eiren, Ryan, Margaret, Edgar, Christina et al.·International journal of immunopathology and pharmacology·2019

Researchers studied blood immune cells from 10 ME/CFS patients and 10 healthy people to understand what's different at the genetic level. They found that several genes related to inflammation were more active in ME/CFS patients, and genes related to energy production and circadian rhythms (your body's internal clock) showed abnormal patterns. These findings suggest ME/CFS involves multiple biological systems working incorrectly at the same time.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Metabolic features of Gulf War illness.

Naviaux, Robert K, Naviaux, Jane C, Li, Kefeng et al.·PloS one·2019

Researchers studied blood samples from Gulf War veterans with chronic illness and compared them to healthy controls. They found that veterans with Gulf War illness had abnormal levels of certain fats in their blood, particularly a type called ceramides and sphingomyelins. Interestingly, while Gulf War illness and ME/CFS share some similar symptom patterns, the chemical changes in the blood are largely opposite between the two conditions.

BiomarkersEnergy Metabolism

E2 ModerateDiagnosticPEM requiredMechanistic

A nanoelectronics-blood-based diagnostic biomarker for myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS)

Rahim Esfandyarpour, Aref Kashi, Maya Nemat-Gorgani et al.·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS)·2019·n=40

Stanford researchers developed a nanoelectronics device that detects immune cell changes using a tiny electrical sensor. When salt stress was applied to blood samples, ME/CFS patient samples showed a distinctly different electrical response compared to healthy controls. This 'nano-needle' assay could potentially serve as an objective diagnostic test.

BiomarkersDiagnostics

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredObservational

Associations between clinical symptoms, plasma norepinephrine and deregulated immune gene networks in subgroups of adolescent with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Nguyen, Chinh Bkrong, Kumar, Surendra, Zucknick, Manuela et al.·Brain, behavior, and immunity·2019

This study looked at blood samples from teenagers with ME/CFS to understand how their immune systems and stress-response chemicals differ from healthy teenagers. Researchers found two distinct subgroups of ME/CFS patients based on immune activity and a stress hormone called norepinephrine. Patients with lower norepinephrine levels had more severe fatigue, while those with higher levels showed different patterns of immune dysfunction.

BiomarkersImmune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Antibodies to Human Herpesviruses in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Patients.

Blomberg, Jonas, Rizwan, Muhammad, Böhlin-Wiener, Agnes et al.·Frontiers in immunology·2019

This study looked for evidence that common viruses called herpesviruses might be reactivated or causing problems in ME/CFS patients. Researchers tested blood samples from ME/CFS patients and healthy people to measure immune responses (antibodies) against several herpesviruses. While the overall antibody levels were similar between the two groups, the study found subtle differences in how ME/CFS patients' immune systems reacted to a few specific herpesvirus proteins.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearObservational

Open Trial of Vitamin B12 Nasal Drops in Adults With Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Comparison of Responders and Non-Responders.

van Campen, C Linda Mc, Riepma, Klaas, Visser, Frans C·Frontiers in pharmacology·2019

This study tested whether vitamin B12 nasal drops could help people with ME/CFS. Fifty-one patients used the nasal drops for 3 months, and about two-thirds reported feeling better. Those who improved showed increases in their activity levels, better fatigue scores, and significantly higher vitamin B12 levels in their blood. The nasal drops appear to be a practical alternative to vitamin B12 injections for some patients.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM requiredCross-Sectional

Chronic fatigue syndrome in the emergency department.

Timbol, Christian R, Baraniuk, James N·Open access emergency medicine : OAEM·2019

This study surveyed 282 people with ME/CFS to understand their experiences in emergency departments (EDs). About 59% had visited an ED, often due to symptoms like dizziness or severe fatigue. Many patients reported that ED staff didn't understand their illness and sometimes dismissed their symptoms as psychological rather than physical, leading to poor experiences and feelings that they weren't taken seriously.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Orthostatic intolerance in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Garner, Richard, Baraniuk, James N·Journal of translational medicine·2019

This study looked at dizziness and lightheadedness symptoms in ME/CFS patients when lying down versus standing up. Researchers found that these symptoms were very common in ME/CFS (occurring in 72% of patients when standing) and that they often happened even while lying down—something doctors don't usually check for. Importantly, these symptoms weren't simply caused by a rapid heart rate, suggesting a different mechanism is at play in ME/CFS.

Autonomic Nervous System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredLongitudinal

Increased risk of chronic fatigue syndrome following psoriasis: a nationwide population-based cohort study.

Tsai, Shin-Yi, Chen, Hsuan-Ju, Chen, Chi et al.·Journal of translational medicine·2019

This study found that people with psoriasis (a skin condition involving immune system dysfunction) have a higher chance of developing ME/CFS compared to people without psoriasis. Researchers followed over 13,000 people in Taiwan for several years and found that those with psoriasis were about 1.5 times more likely to develop ME/CFS. Interestingly, people who received certain psoriasis treatments appeared to have a lower risk of developing ME/CFS.

Immune System

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCase-Control

Perfectionism and beliefs about emotions in adolescents with chronic fatigue syndrome and their parents: a preliminary investigation in a case control study nested within a cohort.

Loades, Maria E, Rimes, Katharine A, Lievesley, Kate et al.·Psychology & health·2019

This study looked at whether perfectionism and unhelpful ways of thinking about emotions might be connected to ME/CFS in teenagers and their parents. Researchers compared 121 adolescents with ME/CFS to teenagers with asthma and healthy teenagers, measuring their perfectionism and attitudes toward emotions. Interestingly, teenagers with ME/CFS did not show significantly more perfectionism than the other groups, but the study did find that when mothers had unhelpful beliefs about emotions, their teenagers were more likely to have similar beliefs.

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Adolescent and parent factors related to fatigue in paediatric multiple sclerosis and chronic fatigue syndrome: A comparative study.

Carroll, Susan, Chalder, Trudie, Hemingway, Cheryl et al.·European journal of paediatric neurology : EJPN : official journal of the European Paediatric Neurology Society·2019

This study compared teenagers with multiple sclerosis (MS) who experienced fatigue, teenagers with ME/CFS, and healthy teenagers to understand what factors contribute to severe fatigue. Researchers found that teenagers with MS who were fatigued and teenagers with ME/CFS had very similar patterns of fatigue and unhelpful thinking patterns about their symptoms, but teenagers with ME/CFS had normal brain function while those with MS had some cognitive difficulties. The study suggests that psychological approaches used successfully in ME/CFS might also help teenagers with MS who experience fatigue.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCase-Control

Immunosignature Analysis of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS).

Günther, Oliver P, Gardy, Jennifer L, Stafford, Phillip et al.·Molecular neurobiology·2019

Researchers used a specialized test to examine antibodies (immune proteins) in the blood of people with ME/CFS and healthy controls. They found a pattern of 256 specific protein signatures in ME/CFS patients' blood that was different from healthy people. This suggests the immune system may be reacting to past infections in a way that could help doctors diagnose ME/CFS in the future.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearObservational

Energy envelope maintenance among patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis and chronic fatigue syndrome: Implications of limited energy reserves.

O'connor, Kelly, Sunnquist, Madison, Nicholson, Laura et al.·Chronic illness·2019

This study tested whether staying within your personal energy limits helps people with ME/CFS feel better. Researchers compared six groups of patients based on how much energy they had available and whether they stayed within those limits. The results showed that people with more available energy generally functioned better, but pushing beyond their limits was particularly harmful for those with higher energy reserves.

Post-Exertional Malaise

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Abnormal blood lactate accumulation during repeated exercise testing in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Depressive symptoms in adolescents with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS): Are rates higher than in controls and do depressive symptoms affect outcome?

Fatigue in Epstein-Barr virus infected adolescents and healthy controls: A prospective multifactorial association study.

How fair is our service? Evaluating access to specialist paediatric care.

Hematological and Psychophysiological Correlates of Anomalous Information Reception in Mediums: A Preliminary Exploration.

Illness perceptions in adolescents with chronic fatigue syndrome and other physical health conditions: Application of the common sense model.

Circulating levels of GDF15 in patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Changes in the transcriptome of circulating immune cells of a New Zealand cohort with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Metabolic features of Gulf War illness.

A nanoelectronics-blood-based diagnostic biomarker for myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS)

Associations between clinical symptoms, plasma norepinephrine and deregulated immune gene networks in subgroups of adolescent with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Antibodies to Human Herpesviruses in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Patients.

Open Trial of Vitamin B12 Nasal Drops in Adults With Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Comparison of Responders and Non-Responders.

Chronic fatigue syndrome in the emergency department.

Orthostatic intolerance in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Increased risk of chronic fatigue syndrome following psoriasis: a nationwide population-based cohort study.

Perfectionism and beliefs about emotions in adolescents with chronic fatigue syndrome and their parents: a preliminary investigation in a case control study nested within a cohort.

Adolescent and parent factors related to fatigue in paediatric multiple sclerosis and chronic fatigue syndrome: A comparative study.

Immunosignature Analysis of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS).

Energy envelope maintenance among patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis and chronic fatigue syndrome: Implications of limited energy reserves.

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