ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

1941–1960 of 6,160 studies

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Adolescent's descriptions of fatigue, fluctuation and payback in chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalopathy (CFS/ME): interviews with adolescents and parents.

Parslow, Roxanne M, Anderson, Nina, Byrne, Danielle et al.·BMJ paediatrics open·2018

Researchers interviewed 21 teenagers with ME/CFS and their parents to understand how they experience fatigue and symptoms. All the teenagers described fatigue, good days and bad days, and getting worse after activity (called payback). However, each teenager's experience was different—some felt constantly tired while others had more variable symptoms, and the impact on their daily lives ranged from minor activity limitations to being mostly sedentary.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModeratePEM not requiredRegistry-Resource

Supplementation with Robuvit® in subjects with burnout associated to high oxidative stress.

Belcaro, Gianni, Hosoi, Morio, Feragalli, Beatrice et al.·Minerva medica·2018

This study tested whether a supplement called Robuvit® (made from French oak wood) could help people with burnout syndrome who experience severe fatigue and high oxidative stress (a type of cellular damage). Over 4 weeks, people taking Robuvit® showed improvements in emotional exhaustion, job satisfaction, and stress levels compared to those receiving standard treatment alone. The supplement also reduced markers of oxidative stress in the blood.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Hand Grip Strength as a Clinical Biomarker for ME/CFS and Disease Severity.

Nacul, Luis Carlos, Mudie, Kathleen, Kingdon, Caroline C et al.·Frontiers in neurology·2018

Researchers tested whether hand grip strength could be a useful tool for diagnosing ME/CFS and measuring how severe the condition is. They found that people with ME/CFS—especially those with severe disease—have noticeably weaker grip strength compared to healthy people, and their grip strength drops more across repeated tests. This simple, objective test may help doctors better diagnose ME/CFS and track how patients are doing over time.

Biomarkers

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Pitfalls in cytokine measurements - Plasma TGF-β1 in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Roerink, M E, van der Schaaf, M E, Hawinkels, L J A C et al.·The Netherlands journal of medicine·2018

This study measured a protein called TGF-β1 in the blood of ME/CFS patients compared to healthy people. Previous research suggested this protein was elevated in ME/CFS, but the researchers found that how blood samples are processed in the lab—specifically how fast they spin them—dramatically affects the results. When they carefully controlled this process, they found no actual difference in TGF-β1 levels between patients and healthy controls.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Blood Volume Status in ME/CFS Correlates With the Presence or Absence of Orthostatic Symptoms: Preliminary Results.

van Campen, C Linda M C, Rowe, Peter C, Visser, Frans C·Frontiers in pediatrics·2018

This study measured the amount of blood circulating in the bodies of 20 adults with ME/CFS and found that those with symptoms of dizziness or lightheadedness when standing up had significantly less blood volume than those without these symptoms. On average, all ME/CFS patients had about 11 milliliters less blood per kilogram of body weight than expected, but the drop was much more pronounced in patients with orthostatic symptoms. This finding suggests that reduced blood volume may be connected to specific symptoms some ME/CFS patients experience.

Autonomic Nervous System

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 requiredCase-Control

Higher Prevalence of "Low T3 Syndrome" in Patients With Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Case-Control Study.

Ruiz-Núñez, Begoña, Tarasse, Rabab, Vogelaar, Emar F et al.·Frontiers in endocrinology·2018

This study compared thyroid hormone levels in 98 ME/CFS patients with 99 healthy controls and found that ME/CFS patients were more than twice as likely to have low levels of an active thyroid hormone called T3. The patients also showed signs of chronic low-grade inflammation and had more reverse T3 (an inactive form), which may explain why their bodies aren't producing or using thyroid hormones efficiently.

Energy Metabolism

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCase-Control

Evaluation of four clinical laboratory parameters for the diagnosis of myalgic encephalomyelitis.

De Meirleir, Kenny L, Mijatovic, Tatjana, Subramanian, Krishnamurthy et al.·Journal of translational medicine·2018

Researchers tested four substances in the blood of 140 ME/CFS patients and 140 healthy people to see if they could help diagnose the disease. They found that three specific markers—sCD14, prostaglandin E2, and interleukin 8—were most useful for identifying ME/CFS. These findings suggest that a simple blood test might one day help doctors confirm ME/CFS diagnosis more quickly and objectively.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Chronic fatigue syndrome patients have alterations in their oral microbiome composition and function.

Wang, Taiwu, Yu, Lei, Xu, Cong et al.·PloS one·2018

Researchers studied the bacteria living in the mouths of ME/CFS patients and compared them to healthy people. They found that ME/CFS patients have a different balance of oral bacteria, with some types being more common and others less common. These bacterial differences appear to affect how the body processes energy and amino acids, which could be relevant to understanding ME/CFS.

Energy Metabolism

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Effects of unsupportive social interactions, stigma, and symptoms on patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis and chronic fatigue syndrome.

McManimen, Stephanie L, McClellan, Damani, Stoothoff, Jamie et al.·Journal of community psychology·2018

This study looked at why some ME/CFS patients experience suicidal thoughts and depression. Researchers found that patients who felt blamed for their illness, had their symptoms minimized by others, or felt socially rejected were more likely to experience both depression and suicidal thoughts. Importantly, some patients had suicidal thoughts without meeting the criteria for clinical depression, suggesting that stigma and unsupported social interactions alone can be harmful.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Latent class analysis of a heterogeneous international sample of patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Huber, Kayla A, Sunnquist, Madison, Jason, Leonard A·Fatigue : biomedicine, health & behavior·2018

This study looked at 1,210 ME/CFS patients to see if there are different types or subtypes of the illness based on their symptoms. Researchers found six distinct groups of patients, each experiencing different combinations of symptoms like heart and blood pressure problems, dizziness when standing, and digestive issues. Importantly, patients in different groups had very different abilities to function in daily life, suggesting that tailored treatment approaches might work better than one-size-fits-all care.

Autonomic Nervous System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM requiredCross-Sectional

Association of chronic fatigue syndrome with premature telomere attrition.

Rajeevan, Mangalathu S, Murray, Janna, Oakley, Lisa et al.·Journal of translational medicine·2018

This study compared telomere length—the protective caps at the ends of our DNA—between people with ME/CFS and healthy controls. Researchers found that people with ME/CFS had shorter telomeres, suggesting their cells may be aging faster than expected. The effect was strongest in women under 45 years old with ME/CFS, who showed signs of aging equivalent to 10-20 years beyond their actual age.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredLongitudinal

Dry eye syndrome and the subsequent risk of chronic fatigue syndrome-a prospective population-based study in Taiwan.

Chen, Chih-Sheng, Cheng, Hui-Man, Chen, Hsuan-Ju et al.·Oncotarget·2018

This study found that people with dry eye syndrome (DES) are more likely to develop ME/CFS than those without dry eye problems. Researchers followed patients in Taiwan over many years and discovered that those with dry eye had about twice the risk of developing ME/CFS. Even after accounting for age, sex, and other health conditions, the increased risk remained significant.

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.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearObservational

Estimating Prevalence, Demographics, and Costs of ME/CFS Using Large Scale Medical Claims Data and Machine Learning.

Valdez, Ashley R, Hancock, Elizabeth E, Adebayo, Seyi et al.·Frontiers in pediatrics·2018

Researchers used insurance billing records and computer analysis to estimate how many Americans have ME/CFS. They found that between 1.7 and 3.4 million people in the U.S. may have been diagnosed with ME/CFS, making it more common than many people realize. The study also showed that ME/CFS costs patients far more in medical expenses than other serious diseases like lupus or multiple sclerosis.

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 not requiredCross-Sectional

Physical Examination for Men and Women With Urologic Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome: A MAPP (Multidisciplinary Approach to the Study of Chronic Pelvic Pain) Network Study.

Yang, Claire C, Miller, Jane L, Omidpanah, Adam et al.·Urology·2018

This study looked at physical examination findings in people with chronic pelvic pain to see if doctors could identify characteristic patterns. Researchers examined 62 people with pelvic pain and compared them to 42 people with chronic fatigue syndrome and 39 healthy people. They found that people with pelvic pain were much more likely to have tender muscles in the pelvic floor area, and a special extended examination could help identify which specific areas were affected.

Pain and Sensitization

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearObservational

Defining the prevalence and symptom burden of those with self-reported severe chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME): a two-phase community pilot study in the North East of England.

Strassheim, Victoria Jane, Sunnquist, Madison, Jason, Leonard A et al.·BMJ open·2018

This study tried to find out how many people in Northern England have severe ME/CFS and what symptoms they experience. Researchers sent questionnaires to people with ME/CFS and then invited five participants to take part in home-based research visits. The study found that people with severe ME/CFS want to participate in research but struggle with their high symptom burden and poor quality of life, which makes completing research visits challenging.

Diagnostics

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Balance deficits in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome with and without fibromyalgia.

Serrador, Jorge M, Quigley, Karen S, Zhao, Caixia et al.·NeuroRehabilitation·2018

This study tested balance and dizziness in people with ME/CFS, comparing those with and without fibromyalgia. Researchers found that ME/CFS patients had measurably worse balance than healthy controls, and their balance problems were linked to how well they could function physically. Interestingly, people with both ME/CFS and fibromyalgia had the most severe balance problems, suggesting these conditions together may affect the body differently than ME/CFS alone.

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.

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Adolescent's descriptions of fatigue, fluctuation and payback in chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalopathy (CFS/ME): interviews with adolescents and parents.

Supplementation with Robuvit® in subjects with burnout associated to high oxidative stress.

Hand Grip Strength as a Clinical Biomarker for ME/CFS and Disease Severity.

Pitfalls in cytokine measurements - Plasma TGF-β1 in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Blood Volume Status in ME/CFS Correlates With the Presence or Absence of Orthostatic Symptoms: Preliminary Results.

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

Higher Prevalence of "Low T3 Syndrome" in Patients With Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Case-Control Study.

Evaluation of four clinical laboratory parameters for the diagnosis of myalgic encephalomyelitis.

Chronic fatigue syndrome patients have alterations in their oral microbiome composition and function.

Effects of unsupportive social interactions, stigma, and symptoms on patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Latent class analysis of a heterogeneous international sample of patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Association of chronic fatigue syndrome with premature telomere attrition.

Dry eye syndrome and the subsequent risk of chronic fatigue syndrome-a prospective population-based study in Taiwan.

Rethinking childhood adversity in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Estimating Prevalence, Demographics, and Costs of ME/CFS Using Large Scale Medical Claims Data and Machine Learning.

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

Physical Examination for Men and Women With Urologic Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome: A MAPP (Multidisciplinary Approach to the Study of Chronic Pelvic Pain) Network Study.

Defining the prevalence and symptom burden of those with self-reported severe chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME): a two-phase community pilot study in the North East of England.

Balance deficits in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome with and without fibromyalgia.

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

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