ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

1801–1820 of 6,160 studies

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

A possible role for mitochondrial-derived peptides humanin and MOTS-c in patients with Q fever fatigue syndrome and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Raijmakers, Ruud P H, Jansen, Anne F M, Keijmel, Stephan P et al.·Journal of translational medicine·2019

This study looked at a specific type of protein fragment called humanin that is made inside cells' energy factories (mitochondria). Researchers found that people with ME/CFS and Q fever fatigue syndrome had lower levels of this protein compared to healthy people. The findings suggest that problems with how these protein fragments are made may be involved in causing fatigue in these conditions.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredObservational

Epidemiology of paediatric chronic fatigue syndrome in Australia.

Knight, Sarah, Elders, Shane, Rodda, Jill et al.·Archives of disease in childhood·2019

This study looked at how many Australian children develop ME/CFS and what their experiences are like. Researchers tracked newly diagnosed cases over one year and found that the condition is quite rare in children under 10, but becomes more common in teenagers. Interestingly, the rates were very different depending on where children lived in Australia, suggesting some areas may be better at recognizing and diagnosing the condition than others.

Diagnostics

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 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Does fatigue and distress in a clinical cohort of adolescents with chronic fatigue syndrome correlate with fatigue and distress in their parents?

Loades, Maria E, Rimes, Katharine A, Ali, Sheila et al.·Child: care, health and development·2019

This study asked whether parents of teenagers with ME/CFS experience similar levels of tiredness and emotional distress as their children. Researchers surveyed 115 adolescents with ME/CFS, along with their mothers and fathers, about fatigue, mood, anxiety, and how well the family was functioning. The main finding was that parents' own tiredness and distress were not directly linked to how severe their child's illness was, but family stress and poor coping skills were connected to teenagers feeling more depressed.

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Cognitive and behavioral coping in people with Chronic fatigue syndrome: An exploratory study searching for intervention targets for depressive symptoms.

Kraaij, Vivian, Bik, Janneke, Garnefski, Nadia·Journal of health psychology·2019

This study looked at how 30 people with ME/CFS cope with depression by using different thinking and behavior strategies. The researchers found that the way people think about and reframe their problems has a bigger impact on depression than what they do. Focusing on positive aspects, looking at problems in a different light, and avoiding catastrophizing (imagining the worst) seemed to help the most.

Cognitive Impairment

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 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Musculoskeletal Pain in Individuals With Inflammatory Bowel Disease Reflects Three Distinct Profiles.

Falling, Carrie, Stebbings, Simon, Baxter, George D et al.·The Clinical journal of pain·2019

Most people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) experience muscle and joint pain, but the pain works differently in different people. This study found three distinct groups: one with mixed types of pain, one with pain driven by nervous system sensitivity, and one with pain in specific areas that improves when the IBD is under control. The group with nervous system-driven pain had higher rates of depression, anxiety, and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Pain and Sensitization

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM unclearCross-Sectional

HOW PSYCHIATRIC REFERRALS INFLUENCE STIGMATIZATION IN PATIENTS WITH MYALGIC ENCEPHALOMYELITIS AND CHRONIC FATIGUE SYNDROME: AN EXAMINATION OF AMERICAN AND BRITISH MODELS.

Terman, Julia M, Cotler, Joseph, Jason, Leonard A·Community psychology in global perspective·2019

This study looked at how ME/CFS patients feel when their doctors refer them to psychiatrists or psychologists. Researchers found that patients who received these referrals were more likely to feel stigmatized (judged or looked down upon) and to feel isolated from others. The experience was different in the United States and United Kingdom, suggesting that healthcare systems and culture play a role in how these referrals affect patients.

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Transcultural, transdiagnostic, and concurrent validity of a revised metacognitions about symptoms control scale.

Fernie, Bruce A, Aoun, Amanda, Kollmann, Josianne et al.·Clinical psychology & psychotherapy·2019

This study created a new questionnaire called the MaSCS-R to measure how people with chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, and diabetes think about controlling their symptoms. Researchers tested the questionnaire in three languages (English, German, and Arabic) with over 500 patients. They found that negative thoughts about symptom control were linked to higher levels of anxiety, depression, and symptom severity across all three patient groups.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Impairments in cognitive performance in chronic fatigue syndrome are common, not related to co-morbid depression but do associate with autonomic dysfunction.

Robinson, Lucy J, Gallagher, Peter, Watson, Stuart et al.·PloS one·2019

This study found that people with ME/CFS often experience slowing in thinking speed and processing information, particularly in tasks requiring quick reactions. Importantly, these cognitive difficulties are not caused by depression—even patients without depression showed the same thinking problems. The researchers discovered that problems with heart rate regulation (how the body's autonomic nervous system works) were linked to these cognitive difficulties.

Autonomic Nervous SystemCognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Unemployment and work disability in individuals with chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis: a community-based cross-sectional study from Spain.

Castro-Marrero, Jesús, Faro, Mónica, Zaragozá, María Cleofé et al.·BMC public health·2019

This Spanish study looked at 1,086 people with ME/CFS to understand why some are unable to work. Researchers found that more than half (58.6%) were unemployed due to illness. Several factors made work disability more likely, including severe fatigue and pain, autonomic problems (like dizziness or heart issues), neurological symptoms, depression, sleep problems, and having pain start at an older age.

Sleep

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Could disease labelling have positive effects? An experimental study exploring the effect of the chronic fatigue syndrome label on intended social support.

Noble, Samara, Bonner, Carissa, Hersch, Jolyn et al.·Patient education and counseling·2019

This study asked university students how they would respond to a close friend who has ME/CFS, comparing situations where the condition was labeled as 'chronic fatigue syndrome' versus unlabeled. When the CFS label was used, students reported they would be more sympathetic, less rejecting, and more supportive of medical treatment for their friend. This suggests that having a recognized disease name might actually help people with ME/CFS receive better social support from their friends.

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 not requiredCross-Sectional

Neuropsychological dysfunction in chronic fatigue syndrome and the relation between objective and subjective findings.

Rasouli, Omid, Gotaas, Merethe Eide, Stensdotter, Ann-Katrin et al.·Neuropsychology·2019

This study tested whether people with ME/CFS who report having trouble thinking and remembering actually show problems on objective cognitive tests. Researchers gave 236 patients questionnaires about memory difficulties and gave them various thinking tests. They found that patients' own reports of cognitive problems didn't strongly match their actual test results, but those with higher fatigue, pain, and depression tended to report more thinking difficulties. The actual cognitive problems found on testing were mainly in speed of thinking and attention.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCase-Control

Cognitive and behavioural responses to symptoms in adolescents with chronic fatigue syndrome: A case-control study nested within a cohort.

Loades, Maria Elizabeth, Rimes, Katharine, Lievesley, Kate et al.·Clinical child psychology and psychiatry·2019

This study looked at how adolescents with ME/CFS think about and respond to their symptoms, compared to teenagers with asthma. Researchers found that young people with ME/CFS tend to have unhelpful thought patterns—like believing symptoms cause permanent damage—and unhelpful behaviors like pushing through activity or avoiding it completely. These unhelpful patterns were linked to more fatigue and disability over a 3-month follow-up period.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateReviewPEM not requiredMeta-Analysis

Self-Compassion and Adherence in Five Medical Samples: the Role of Stress.

Sirois, Fuschia M, Hirsch, Jameson K·Mindfulness·2019

This study looked at whether being kind and compassionate to yourself helps people with chronic illnesses—including ME/CFS—stick to their medical treatments. Researchers surveyed 709 patients across five different conditions and found that people who naturally practice self-compassion do tend to follow their treatment plans better. They also discovered that part of this benefit happens because self-compassion helps reduce stress.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredObservational

A cluster analysis of serious adverse event reports after human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination in Danish girls and young women, September 2009 to August 2017.

Ward, Daniel, Thorsen, Nicklas Myrthue, Frisch, Morten et al.·Euro surveillance : bulletin Europeen sur les maladies transmissibles = European communicable disease bulletin·2019

This study examined adverse event reports submitted to Danish health authorities after HPV vaccination between 2009 and 2017. Researchers found that fatigue, dizziness, and headache were common symptoms reported, and noticed that some clusters of reports—particularly those mentioning cognitive problems and sleep issues—were submitted during periods of increased media coverage about vaccine safety concerns.

Autonomic Nervous SystemCognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM requiredCross-Sectional

Deconstructing post-exertional malaise: An exploratory factor analysis.

McManimen, Stephanie L, Sunnquist, Madison L, Jason, Leonard A·Journal of health psychology·2019

This study looked at post-exertional malaise (PEM)—the worsening of symptoms that happens after physical activity in ME/CFS—to understand whether it is one unified experience or two different types. The researchers found that PEM actually consists of two separate experiences: a whole-body fatigue and a muscle-specific fatigue. This suggests that PEM is more complex than previously thought and may need to be understood as having distinct components.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateCohortPEM requiredLongitudinal

Whole blood human transcriptome and virome analysis of ME/CFS patients experiencing post-exertional malaise following cardiopulmonary exercise testing.

Bouquet, Jerome, Li, Tony, Gardy, Jennifer L et al.·PloS one·2019

Researchers gave ME/CFS patients and healthy controls exercise tests on two consecutive days, then tracked their blood samples for up to a week to look for signs of immune activation or virus reactivation during post-exertional malaise (PEM). Although ME/CFS patients felt significantly worse after exercise and some showed reduced oxygen use on day 2, blood tests revealed almost no differences in gene expression between patients and controls, and no evidence of viruses reactivating during PEM symptoms.

Immune SystemPost-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Clinical symptoms and markers of disease mechanisms in adolescent chronic fatigue following Epstein-Barr virus infection: An exploratory cross-sectional study.

Kristiansen, Miriam Skjerven, Stabursvik, Julie, O'Leary, Elise Catriona et al.·Brain, behavior, and immunity·2019

This study looked at adolescents who had Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection and tracked whether they developed chronic fatigue 6 months later. Researchers found that those with ongoing fatigue had more symptoms overall, but blood tests and heart-monitoring showed only small differences compared to those who recovered—mainly slightly higher inflammation markers and changes in nervous system activity. The study suggests that post-EBV fatigue in teenagers involves subtle changes in the body's stress and immune systems, even though the virus itself had cleared.

Immune System

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Evidence browser

A possible role for mitochondrial-derived peptides humanin and MOTS-c in patients with Q fever fatigue syndrome and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Epidemiology of paediatric chronic fatigue syndrome in Australia.

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

Does fatigue and distress in a clinical cohort of adolescents with chronic fatigue syndrome correlate with fatigue and distress in their parents?

Cognitive and behavioral coping in people with Chronic fatigue syndrome: An exploratory study searching for intervention targets for depressive symptoms.

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

Musculoskeletal Pain in Individuals With Inflammatory Bowel Disease Reflects Three Distinct Profiles.

HOW PSYCHIATRIC REFERRALS INFLUENCE STIGMATIZATION IN PATIENTS WITH MYALGIC ENCEPHALOMYELITIS AND CHRONIC FATIGUE SYNDROME: AN EXAMINATION OF AMERICAN AND BRITISH MODELS.

Transcultural, transdiagnostic, and concurrent validity of a revised metacognitions about symptoms control scale.

Impairments in cognitive performance in chronic fatigue syndrome are common, not related to co-morbid depression but do associate with autonomic dysfunction.

Unemployment and work disability in individuals with chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis: a community-based cross-sectional study from Spain.

Could disease labelling have positive effects? An experimental study exploring the effect of the chronic fatigue syndrome label on intended social support.

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

Neuropsychological dysfunction in chronic fatigue syndrome and the relation between objective and subjective findings.

Cognitive and behavioural responses to symptoms in adolescents with chronic fatigue syndrome: A case-control study nested within a cohort.

Self-Compassion and Adherence in Five Medical Samples: the Role of Stress.

A cluster analysis of serious adverse event reports after human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination in Danish girls and young women, September 2009 to August 2017.

Deconstructing post-exertional malaise: An exploratory factor analysis.

Whole blood human transcriptome and virome analysis of ME/CFS patients experiencing post-exertional malaise following cardiopulmonary exercise testing.

Clinical symptoms and markers of disease mechanisms in adolescent chronic fatigue following Epstein-Barr virus infection: An exploratory cross-sectional study.

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