ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

1861–1880 of 6,188 studies

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

A logistic regression analysis of risk factors in ME/CFS pathogenesis.

Lacerda, Eliana M, Geraghty, Keith, Kingdon, Caroline C et al.·BMC neurology·2019

This study looked at what factors might increase someone's risk of developing ME/CFS by comparing 269 people with ME/CFS to people with multiple sclerosis and healthy controls. Researchers found that having frequent colds or infections before illness onset, being single, having lower income, and having a family history of anxiety or neurological illness were linked to higher ME/CFS risk. The study suggests that infections may play an important role in how ME/CFS develops, which differs from multiple sclerosis.

E2 ModerateDiagnosticPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Myalgic encephalomyelitis and chronic fatigue syndrome case definitions: effects of requiring a substantial reduction in functioning.

Scartozzi, Samantha, Sunnquist, Madison, Jason, Leonard A·Fatigue : biomedicine, health & behavior·2019

ME/CFS diagnoses require doctors to confirm that patients have a significant drop in their ability to function compared to before they got sick. However, there's no clear agreement on how much of a drop counts as 'significant.' This study looked at over 1,000 people with ME/CFS to see whether this requirement actually helps doctors identify who has the illness. The researchers found that when diagnostic criteria clearly describe which symptoms to look for and how severe they should be, the 'significant drop in functioning' requirement may not be necessary.

Diagnostics

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 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

Searching for Serum Antibodies to Neuronal Proteins in Patients With Myalgic Encephalopathy/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Giannoccaro, Maria Pia, Cossins, Judith, Sørland, Kari et al.·Clinical therapeutics·2019

Researchers tested blood samples from 50 ME/CFS patients and 50 healthy people to see if ME/CFS patients had unusual antibodies (immune proteins) that attack nerve cells. While a small number of both patients and healthy people had some immune activity toward nerve proteins, only one ME/CFS patient had a specific antibody that could be clearly identified. Interestingly, the patients who did have these antibodies tended to have more severe symptoms and had become ill more recently.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Cellular Immune Function in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS).

Cliff, Jacqueline M, King, Elizabeth C, Lee, Ji-Sook et al.·Frontiers in immunology·2019

This study examined the immune system of ME/CFS patients by testing their blood for signs of infection and measuring different types of immune cells. Researchers compared 251 ME/CFS patients (including 54 with severe ME/CFS) to healthy people and multiple sclerosis patients. They found that ME/CFS patients had unusual patterns in their T cells—a type of immune cell—but not in natural killer cells, contrary to what some earlier studies suggested.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Onset Patterns and Course of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Chu, Lily, Valencia, Ian J, Garvert, Donn W et al.·Frontiers in pediatrics·2019

This study surveyed 150 people with ME/CFS about how their illness started and changed over time. Most people reported their ME/CFS began after an infection, stress, or chemical exposure. While some symptoms like fatigue and flu-like feelings improved slightly over time, others like brain fog stayed about the same or got worse, and nearly half of participants couldn't work by the time of the study.

Post-Exertional Malaise

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

Psychometric properties of the PROMIS® Fatigue Short Form 7a among adults with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Yang, Manshu, Keller, San, Lin, Jin-Mann S·Quality of life research : an international journal of quality of life aspects of treatment, care and rehabilitation·2019

Researchers tested whether a short questionnaire called PROMIS Fatigue (7 questions) accurately measures fatigue in people with ME/CFS. They found that the questionnaire reliably captures how tired ME/CFS patients feel, works the same way for different ages and genders, and can detect when fatigue changes over time. This tool may help doctors and researchers measure whether new treatments for ME/CFS actually work.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM requiredObservational

Post-Exertional Malaise Is Associated with Hypermetabolism, Hypoacetylation and Purine Metabolism Deregulation in ME/CFS Cases.

McGregor, Neil R, Armstrong, Christopher W, Lewis, Donald P et al.·Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland)·2019

This study looked at what happens in the body during post-exertional malaise (PEM)—the exhaustion and worsening of symptoms that ME/CFS patients experience after physical or mental activity. Researchers measured chemical changes in blood and urine over 7 days in 35 ME/CFS patients who reported PEM and compared them to healthy controls. They found that during PEM, the body shows signs of increased metabolism (burning energy faster), low levels of a molecule called hypoxanthine, and problems with how cells use and process energy, along with evidence that the body is breaking down muscle protein.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearLongitudinal

The Impact of a Structured Exercise Programme upon Cognitive Function in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Patients.

Zalewski, Paweł, Kujawski, Sławomir, Tudorowska, Malwina et al.·Brain sciences·2019

This study tested whether a 16-week structured exercise program could help improve 'brain fog' and thinking problems that many people with ME/CFS experience. Of 53 patients who started the program, 34 completed it. Tests showed that those who finished the program had modest improvements in attention and processing speed, particularly in how quickly and accurately they could respond to visual tasks.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Brain abnormalities in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome: Evaluation by diffusional kurtosis imaging and neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging.

Kimura, Yukio, Sato, Noriko, Ota, Miho et al.·Journal of magnetic resonance imaging : JMRI·2019

Researchers used advanced brain imaging to examine 20 ME/CFS patients and 23 healthy people. The imaging revealed that people with ME/CFS had subtle structural differences in specific brain regions involved in communication, thinking, and sensation. These differences were not visible on standard brain scans but were detected using newer, more detailed imaging techniques.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearObservational

Healthcare Utilization in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS): Analysis of US Ambulatory Healthcare Data, 2000-2009.

Bae, Jaeyong, Lin, Jin-Mann S·Frontiers in pediatrics·2019

This study examined how often people with ME/CFS visited doctors in the United States between 2000 and 2009. Researchers found that about 2.9 million visits were coded as ME/CFS-related during this period, with most patients being women in their 40s and 50s. Many patients with ME/CFS also had other health conditions like depression, high blood pressure, and diabetes, making their care more complicated.

Diagnostics

E2 ModerateCohortPEM requiredCross-Sectional

Impaired Health-Related Quality of Life in Adolescent Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: The Impact of Core Symptoms.

Roma, Maria, Marden, Colleen L, Flaherty, Marissa A K et al.·Frontiers in pediatrics·2019

This study looked at how ME/CFS affects the daily lives and well-being of teenagers and young adults compared to healthy peers. Young people with ME/CFS reported much worse quality of life across all areas tested, and the study found that post-exertional malaise (feeling much worse after activity) was the strongest predictor of this reduced quality of life. The findings confirm that ME/CFS in young people is as serious as or more serious than other chronic childhood illnesses like asthma, diabetes, and cystic fibrosis.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Diagnostic sensitivity of 2-day cardiopulmonary exercise testing in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Nelson, Maximillian J, Buckley, Jonathan D, Thomson, Rebecca L et al.·Journal of translational medicine·2019

Researchers tested whether a simple exercise test could help diagnose ME/CFS. They had patients and healthy people exercise on a stationary bike on two consecutive days and measured how their performance changed. ME/CFS patients showed a larger drop in exercise capacity on the second day compared to healthy people, suggesting this difference might be a useful diagnostic tool.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearLongitudinal

Long Term Follow up of Young People With Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Attending a Pediatric Outpatient Service.

Rowe, Katherine S·Frontiers in pediatrics·2019

This study followed 784 young people with ME/CFS for an average of 8 years to understand how the illness progresses over time. About half of the young people reported recovery within 5 years, and by 10 years, 68% reported feeling recovered. Most young people improved in their ability to function daily, though a small group (5%) remained very unwell. Having supportive doctors, staying involved in school with flexible accommodations, and developing personal management plans were all important for long-term improvement.

Autonomic Nervous System

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 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

A laboratory approach for characterizing chronic fatigue: what does metabolomics tell us?

Erasmus, Elardus, Mason, Shayne, van Reenen, Mari et al.·Metabolomics : Official journal of the Metabolomic Society·2019

This study looked at whether a simple urine test could help measure fatigue severity in ME/CFS patients. Researchers used a specialized scanning technique (NMR) to analyze urine samples from 578 women with chronic fatigue before and after a detoxification challenge, finding that the fatigue group showed different metabolite patterns compared to controls. While the study didn't identify a single reliable biomarker for fatigue, it suggests that fatigue may be connected to how the body processes toxins.

Biomarkers

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome patients' reports of symptom changes following cognitive behavioural therapy, graded exercise therapy and pacing treatments: Analysis of a primary survey compared with secondary surveys.

Geraghty, Keith, Hann, Mark, Kurtev, Stoyan·Journal of health psychology·2019

This study asked ME/CFS patients about their experiences with three different treatment approaches: cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), graded exercise therapy (GET), and pacing. The researchers found that pacing—where patients carefully manage their activity levels without pushing beyond their limits—was reported as most helpful and caused the fewest problems. In contrast, GET led to significant symptom worsening in over half of patients, while CBT helped only a small percentage of people.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearObservational

Rituximab Serum Concentrations and Anti-Rituximab Antibodies During B-Cell Depletion Therapy for Myalgic Encephalopathy/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Rekeland, Ingrid G, Fluge, Øystein, Alme, Kine et al.·Clinical therapeutics·2019

This study looked at whether the amount of a drug called rituximab in patients' blood predicted whether they would improve from ME/CFS symptoms. The researchers measured rituximab levels in 23 patients and found no clear connection between how much drug was in the blood and who felt better. Interestingly, none of the patients developed antibodies against the drug, which was a potential concern.

Immune System

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A logistic regression analysis of risk factors in ME/CFS pathogenesis.

Myalgic encephalomyelitis and chronic fatigue syndrome case definitions: effects of requiring a substantial reduction in functioning.

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

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

Searching for Serum Antibodies to Neuronal Proteins in Patients With Myalgic Encephalopathy/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Cellular Immune Function in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS).

Onset Patterns and Course of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

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

Psychometric properties of the PROMIS® Fatigue Short Form 7a among adults with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Post-Exertional Malaise Is Associated with Hypermetabolism, Hypoacetylation and Purine Metabolism Deregulation in ME/CFS Cases.

The Impact of a Structured Exercise Programme upon Cognitive Function in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Patients.

Brain abnormalities in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome: Evaluation by diffusional kurtosis imaging and neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging.

Healthcare Utilization in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS): Analysis of US Ambulatory Healthcare Data, 2000-2009.

Impaired Health-Related Quality of Life in Adolescent Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: The Impact of Core Symptoms.

Diagnostic sensitivity of 2-day cardiopulmonary exercise testing in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Long Term Follow up of Young People With Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Attending a Pediatric Outpatient Service.

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

A laboratory approach for characterizing chronic fatigue: what does metabolomics tell us?

Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome patients' reports of symptom changes following cognitive behavioural therapy, graded exercise therapy and pacing treatments: Analysis of a primary survey compared with secondary surveys.

Rituximab Serum Concentrations and Anti-Rituximab Antibodies During B-Cell Depletion Therapy for Myalgic Encephalopathy/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

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