ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

1881–1900 of 6,160 studies

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Integrated Analysis of Gene Expression Differences in Twins Discordant for Disease and Binary Phenotypes.

Tangirala, Sivateja, Patel, Chirag J·Scientific reports·2018

Researchers compared gene activity in identical twins where one twin had ME/CFS and the other didn't, along with studying six other conditions. They wanted to understand how environment (rather than genes) influences disease by looking at which genes were turned on or off differently between affected and unaffected twins. The study found that while different diseases may share some similar changes in gene activity, each condition has its own unique pattern of gene changes.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredObservational

The effects of warm water immersion on blood pressure, heart rate and heart rate variability in people with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Parker, Romy, Higgins, Zeenath, Mlombile, Zandiswa N P et al.·The South African journal of physiotherapy·2018

This study looked at how warm water bathing affects heart function in people with ME/CFS compared to healthy people. Researchers found that people with ME/CFS had less stable heart rate patterns before entering warm water, but this improved during the water immersion. The heart rate stayed slightly elevated in the ME/CFS group even after leaving the water. Overall, warm water immersion appeared safe and may help with managing ME/CFS symptoms.

Autonomic Nervous System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Association between cytokines and psychiatric symptoms in chronic fatigue syndrome and healthy controls.

Groven, Nina, Fors, Egil A, Iversen, Valentina C et al.·Nordic journal of psychiatry·2018

This study looked at immune system markers called cytokines in people with ME/CFS compared to healthy people, and how these markers related to mood and anxiety symptoms. Researchers found that people with ME/CFS had slightly higher levels of one immune marker (TNF-α) and discovered different patterns of how immune markers connected to psychiatric symptoms in ME/CFS patients versus healthy controls. The findings suggest that immune system activity may work differently in ME/CFS, which could help explain some symptoms and guide future treatments.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Static and dynamic functional connectivity in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome: use of arterial spin labelling fMRI.

Boissoneault, Jeff, Letzen, Janelle, Lai, Song et al.·Clinical physiology and functional imaging·2018

Researchers used a brain imaging technique to compare how the brains of people with ME/CFS and healthy people process information during a tiring mental task. They found that people with ME/CFS had different patterns of communication between brain regions, and these patterns were linked to how fatigued they felt. This suggests that the fatigue experienced in ME/CFS may be related to how different parts of the brain work together.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Grey and white matter differences in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome - A voxel-based morphometry study.

Finkelmeyer, Andreas, He, Jiabao, Maclachlan, Laura et al.·NeuroImage. Clinical·2018

Researchers used advanced brain imaging (MRI) to compare the brains of 42 people with ME/CFS to 30 healthy people. They found differences in how much grey matter and white matter the ME/CFS patients had in certain brain regions. Specifically, people with ME/CFS had more grey matter in areas that process internal body signals and stress, but less white matter in regions involved in the brainstem and midbrain.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Insights into myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome phenotypes through comprehensive metabolomics.

Nagy-Szakal, Dorottya, Barupal, Dinesh K, Lee, Bohyun et al.·Scientific reports·2018

Researchers studied blood and gut bacteria samples from 50 people with ME/CFS and 50 healthy people to find biological markers of the disease. They found that people with ME/CFS have abnormal levels of certain substances in their blood called metabolites, particularly a fatty molecule called ceramide in those who also have irritable bowel syndrome. When scientists combined information about both blood metabolites and gut bacteria, they could identify ME/CFS patients more accurately than using either test alone.

Biomarkers

E2 ModerateDiagnosticPEM unclearMethods-Paper

Defining the minimally clinically important difference of the SF-36 physical function subscale for paediatric CFS/ME: triangulation using three different methods.

Brigden, Amberly, Parslow, Roxanne M, Gaunt, Daisy et al.·Health and quality of life outcomes·2018

This study determined the smallest meaningful improvement in physical function that children and teenagers with ME/CFS can experience. Researchers asked young patients and their parents what amount of improvement would feel worthwhile, and they also analyzed clinical data from a specialist service. They found that an improvement of 10 points on a standard physical function scale represents a clinically meaningful change for children with ME/CFS.

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

A reexamination of the cognitive behavioral model of chronic fatigue syndrome.

Sunnquist, Madison, Jason, Leonard A·Journal of clinical psychology·2018

This study tested whether the idea that ME/CFS is caused or worsened mainly by unhelpful thoughts and not being active enough actually explains what happens to patients with ME/CFS. Researchers looked at 990 people with ME/CFS and found this explanation didn't fit well, especially for people who met stricter diagnostic criteria. The findings suggest that ME/CFS may work differently than this model assumes.

Diagnostics

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Depression, evening salivary cortisol and inflammation in chronic fatigue syndrome: A psychoneuroendocrinological structural regression model.

Milrad, Sara F, Hall, Daniel L, Jutagir, Devika R et al.·International journal of psychophysiology : official journal of the International Organization of Psychophysiology·2018

This study examined how depression, stress hormone levels, and inflammation connect in ME/CFS patients. Researchers found that people with ME/CFS who had higher evening cortisol (a stress hormone) levels also had more depression and higher levels of inflammatory markers in their blood. The results suggest that depression, hormones, and the immune system may be interconnected in ME/CFS, though more research is needed to understand which causes which.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM requiredCross-Sectional

Deconstructing post-exertional malaise in myalgic encephalomyelitis/ chronic fatigue syndrome: A patient-centered, cross-sectional survey.

Chu, Lily, Valencia, Ian J, Garvert, Donn W et al.·PloS one·2018

This study asked 150 ME/CFS patients to describe what happens when they experience post-exertional malaise (PEM)—the characteristic crash that follows physical activity, mental effort, or emotional stress. Researchers found that 90% of patients experienced PEM from all three types of triggers, with fatigue being the most common symptom, but also cognitive problems, sleep issues, headaches, and muscle pain. Most patients' PEM lasted at least 24 hours, though the timing and severity varied from person to person.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Prospective Biomarkers from Plasma Metabolomics of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Implicate Redox Imbalance in Disease Symptomatology.

Germain, Arnaud, Ruppert, David, Levine, Susan M et al.·Metabolites·2018

Researchers studied blood samples from 32 women with ME/CFS and 19 healthy women to look for chemical differences. They found 14 metabolites (small molecules in the blood) that were different in ME/CFS patients, suggesting their bodies may have trouble managing oxidative stress—a chemical imbalance that could contribute to their symptoms. This discovery could eventually help doctors identify ME/CFS through a blood test.

Biomarkers

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Comparison of Fatigue Severity and Quality of Life between Unexplained Fatigue Patients and Explained Fatigue Patients.

Yoo, Eun Hae, Choi, Eun Sil, Cho, Soo Hyun et al.·Korean journal of family medicine·2018

This study compared fatigue and quality of life in 200 Korean adults with fatigue. Researchers divided participants into two groups: those whose fatigue had a clear medical explanation (like anemia or thyroid disease) and those whose fatigue remained unexplained after testing. People with unexplained fatigue reported significantly lower quality of life, especially in physical functioning, compared to those with explained fatigue.

Diagnostics

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredObservational

Incidence of irritable bowel syndrome and chronic fatigue following GI infection: a population-level study using routinely collected claims data.

Donnachie, Ewan, Schneider, Antonius, Mehring, Michael et al.·Gut·2018

This study looked at medical records from nearly one million people in Germany to see if stomach and intestinal infections could lead to irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). Researchers found that people who had a GI infection were 2-4 times more likely to develop IBS and 1.4-1.8 times more likely to develop CFS compared to people who hadn't had such infections. The study also found that having anxiety, depression, or stress before the infection increased the risk even more.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

In Schizophrenia, Depression, Anxiety, and Physiosomatic Symptoms Are Strongly Related to Psychotic Symptoms and Excitation, Impairments in Episodic Memory, and Increased Production of Neurotoxic Tryptophan Catabolites: a Multivariate and Machine Learning Study.

Kanchanatawan, Buranee, Thika, Supaksorn, Sirivichayakul, Sunee et al.·Neurotoxicity research·2018

This study examined 80 people with schizophrenia and 40 healthy controls to understand why schizophrenia patients often experience depression, anxiety, and physical symptoms like those seen in chronic fatigue. The researchers found that these symptoms were linked to changes in how the body breaks down tryptophan (an amino acid), problems with memory, and the severity of psychotic symptoms. The findings suggest that toxic byproducts from tryptophan metabolism may contribute to depression, anxiety, and physical symptoms in schizophrenia.

Neuroinflammation

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCase-Control

Identification of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome-associated DNA methylation patterns.

Trivedi, Malav S, Oltra, Elisa, Sarria, Leonor et al.·PloS one·2018

Researchers studied chemical tags on DNA (called methylation) in people with ME/CFS compared to healthy people. While the overall amount of these tags was similar between groups, they found specific locations on thousands of genes where the tags differed. Many of these differences were in genes involved in immune system function, which aligns with what doctors already know about ME/CFS affecting immunity.

BiomarkersImmune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Illness beliefs of adolescents with CFS and their parents: the perceived causes of illness and beliefs about recovery.

Loades, Maria E, Rimes, Katharine A, Lievesley, Kate et al.·International journal of adolescent medicine and health·2018

This study asked teenagers with ME/CFS and their parents what they thought caused the illness. Most believed it was triggered by a virus or stressful life events. Interestingly, teenagers and parents largely agreed with each other about the causes. Many teenagers weren't sure how long it would take them to recover, suggesting doctors should better inform young patients about what to expect.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredLongitudinal

Childhood sleep and adolescent chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS/ME): evidence of associations in a UK birth cohort.

Collin, Simon M, Norris, Tom, Gringras, Paul et al.·Sleep medicine·2018

This study tracked children from birth through their teenage years to see if sleep problems in childhood were linked to developing ME/CFS later on. Researchers found that children who slept less at night during early childhood were more likely to develop chronic disabling fatigue as teenagers, and those with trouble falling asleep were at higher risk. Each extra hour of sleep at age 9 or 11 was associated with a significantly lower chance of developing the condition.

Sleep

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalopathy are not determined by activity pacing when measured by the chronic pain coping inventory.

Thompson, D P, Antcliff, D, Woby, S R·Physiotherapy·2018

This study looked at whether activity pacing—a common strategy where people with ME/CFS carefully manage their activity levels to avoid worsening symptoms—actually helps reduce pain, fatigue, or disability. Researchers surveyed 114 ME/CFS patients and tracked 35 others through a symptom management program. They found no clear link between how much patients used pacing and their symptom levels, suggesting that pacing alone may not be the key factor in controlling ME/CFS symptoms.

Interventions

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

[Investigation of the diagnostic value of anti-dense fine speckled 70/lens epithelium derived growth factor p75 autoantibody for autoimmune diseases].

Türkoğlu, Gamze, Berkem, Rukiye, Karakoç, Ayşe Esra·Mikrobiyoloji bulteni·2018

This study looked at a specific type of autoantibody (immune protein) called anti-DFS70 that can appear in blood tests. Researchers tested patient samples to see how often this antibody was present and whether it could help doctors diagnose autoimmune diseases. They found that this antibody sometimes appears in patients with chronic conditions like chronic fatigue syndrome, but it's not a reliable marker for typical autoimmune diseases.

Immune System

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Rethinking childhood adversity in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Clark, James E, Davidson, Sean L, Maclachlan, Laura et al.·Fatigue : biomedicine, health & behavior·2018

This study looked at whether difficult childhood experiences are more common in people with ME/CFS. The researchers carefully separated people with ME/CFS who had never had depression from those who had. They found that childhood trauma was not actually more common in ME/CFS patients without depression compared to healthy people, suggesting previous studies may have been confused by patients who also had depression.

← Previous Next 20 studies →

Or browse by topic

PEM Immune Neuro Metabolic Biomarkers Severe ME Long COVID Cognitive

Evidence Atlas

Evidence browser

Integrated Analysis of Gene Expression Differences in Twins Discordant for Disease and Binary Phenotypes.

The effects of warm water immersion on blood pressure, heart rate and heart rate variability in people with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Association between cytokines and psychiatric symptoms in chronic fatigue syndrome and healthy controls.

Static and dynamic functional connectivity in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome: use of arterial spin labelling fMRI.

Grey and white matter differences in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome - A voxel-based morphometry study.

Insights into myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome phenotypes through comprehensive metabolomics.

Defining the minimally clinically important difference of the SF-36 physical function subscale for paediatric CFS/ME: triangulation using three different methods.

A reexamination of the cognitive behavioral model of chronic fatigue syndrome.

Depression, evening salivary cortisol and inflammation in chronic fatigue syndrome: A psychoneuroendocrinological structural regression model.

Deconstructing post-exertional malaise in myalgic encephalomyelitis/ chronic fatigue syndrome: A patient-centered, cross-sectional survey.

Prospective Biomarkers from Plasma Metabolomics of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Implicate Redox Imbalance in Disease Symptomatology.

Comparison of Fatigue Severity and Quality of Life between Unexplained Fatigue Patients and Explained Fatigue Patients.

Incidence of irritable bowel syndrome and chronic fatigue following GI infection: a population-level study using routinely collected claims data.

In Schizophrenia, Depression, Anxiety, and Physiosomatic Symptoms Are Strongly Related to Psychotic Symptoms and Excitation, Impairments in Episodic Memory, and Increased Production of Neurotoxic Tryptophan Catabolites: a Multivariate and Machine Learning Study.

Identification of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome-associated DNA methylation patterns.

Illness beliefs of adolescents with CFS and their parents: the perceived causes of illness and beliefs about recovery.

Childhood sleep and adolescent chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS/ME): evidence of associations in a UK birth cohort.

Symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalopathy are not determined by activity pacing when measured by the chronic pain coping inventory.

[Investigation of the diagnostic value of anti-dense fine speckled 70/lens epithelium derived growth factor p75 autoantibody for autoimmune diseases].

Rethinking childhood adversity in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Curated Collections

Neuroinflammation Evidence

Metabolism & Mitochondria

Biomarkers

PEM-Specific Research