ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

1981–2000 of 6,209 studies

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 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 ModeratePEM unclearBiobank-Resource

The UK ME/CFS Biobank: A Disease-Specific Biobank for Advancing Clinical Research Into Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Lacerda, Eliana M, Mudie, Kathleen, Kingdon, Caroline C et al.·Frontiers in neurology·2018

Researchers in the UK created a special collection of biological samples (like blood) and health information from 600 people—including those with ME/CFS, people with multiple sclerosis, and healthy volunteers. This resource, called the UK ME/CFS Biobank, was designed to help scientists study ME/CFS more effectively and find reliable ways to diagnose the disease. The biobank is being shared with researchers around the world to speed up discovery.

Biomarkers

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCase-Control

Value of Circulating Cytokine Profiling During Submaximal Exercise Testing in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Moneghetti, Kegan J, Skhiri, Mehdi, Contrepois, Kévin et al.·Scientific reports·2018

Researchers tested whether measuring immune chemicals (called cytokines) in the blood after exercise could help identify people with ME/CFS. They compared 24 people with ME/CFS to 24 healthy controls and measured 51 different immune markers both before and 18 hours after exercise. They found that the pattern of immune chemicals measured 18 hours after exercise was different enough to reliably distinguish people with ME/CFS from healthy people.

Immune SystemPost-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateTrialPEM unclearRCT

Hair and salivary cortisol in a cohort of women with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Roerink, Megan E, Roerink, Sean H P P, Skoluda, Nadine et al.·Hormones and behavior·2018

This study measured cortisol (a stress hormone) in hair and saliva samples from women with ME/CFS and compared them to healthy women. The ME/CFS patients showed lower cortisol levels, particularly a weaker morning cortisol rise. When some patients took a medication called anakinra (which reduces inflammation), their cortisol levels changed differently than in patients taking placebo, suggesting a link between the immune system and hormonal stress response in ME/CFS.

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 ModerateDiagnosticPEM requiredMethods-Paper

A Brief Questionnaire to Assess Post-Exertional Malaise.

Cotler, Joseph, Holtzman, Carly, Dudun, Catherine et al.·Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland)·2018

This study focused on creating a better way to identify post-exertional malaise (PEM)—the worsening of symptoms that happens after physical or mental activity in ME/CFS patients. Researchers tested whether five additional questions from an existing questionnaire could help doctors confirm PEM in the second step of diagnosis. The test was successful: it correctly identified patients with ME/CFS 82% of the time and rarely misidentified other conditions like multiple sclerosis as ME/CFS.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Low omega-3 index and polyunsaturated fatty acid status in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis.

Castro-Marrero, Jesús, Zaragozá, Maria Cleofé, Domingo, Joan Carles et al.·Prostaglandins, leukotrienes, and essential fatty acids·2018

This study measured omega-3 fatty acid levels in the blood of 31 ME/CFS patients and found that nearly all of them (92.6%) had unusually low levels. Omega-3 fatty acids are important for heart health and reducing inflammation in the body. The researchers suggest that increasing omega-3 levels in ME/CFS patients might be worth testing as a potential treatment.

Energy Metabolism

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Decreased Connectivity and Increased Blood Oxygenation Level Dependent Complexity in the Default Mode Network in Individuals with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Shan, Zack Y, Finegan, Kevin, Bhuta, Sandeep et al.·Brain connectivity·2018

This study used brain imaging to look at how a specific network in the brain (called the default mode network) works differently in people with ME/CFS compared to healthy people. Researchers found that in ME/CFS patients, this brain network shows more chaotic activity and weaker communication between different regions. These differences might one day help doctors diagnose ME/CFS using brain scans.

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 requiredCross-Sectional

A content analysis of chronic fatigue syndrome and myalgic encephalomyelitis in the news from 1987 to 2013.

Siegel, Zachary A, Brown, Abigail, Devendorf, Andrew et al.·Chronic illness·2018

Researchers examined 214 newspaper articles about ME/CFS published between 1987 and 2013 to see how the illness was described to the public. They found that newspapers often got the facts wrong or incomplete—nearly 1 in 5 headlines used the wrong name for the illness, most articles didn't explain how to diagnose it, and half didn't mention any treatments. This study shows that people reading the news may have received confusing or incomplete information about ME/CFS.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

How to Distinguish Patients with pSS among Individuals with Dryness without Invasive Diagnostic Studies.

Sebastian, Agata, Sebastian, Maciej, Misterska-Skóra, Maria et al.·Journal of immunology research·2018

This study looked at whether doctors can tell the difference between primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS)—an autoimmune disease that damages moisture-producing glands—and simple dryness caused by other reasons, without needing invasive tests like biopsies. The researchers found that certain blood markers and symptoms like fatigue, swollen lymph nodes, and specific antibodies were much more common in pSS patients than in people with dryness alone.

Immune 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 not requiredCross-Sectional

Characteristics and determinants of dietary intake and physical activity in a group of patients with multiple chemical sensitivity.

Aguilar-Aguilar, Elena, Marcos-Pasero, Helena, de la Iglesia, Rocío et al.·Endocrinologia, diabetes y nutricion·2018

This study looked at the eating habits and exercise levels of 52 people with multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS), a condition where people react badly to everyday chemicals. The researchers found that most patients weren't eating enough fruits, vegetables, and dairy products, were taking many supplements, and very few were exercising regularly. The study suggests that better nutritional guidance tailored to each person's needs could help improve their health and quality of life.

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 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 ModerateCohortPEM unclearObservational

Low Sensitivity of Abbreviated Tilt Table Testing for Diagnosing Postural Tachycardia Syndrome in Adults With ME/CFS.

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

Many people with ME/CFS experience dizziness and rapid heartbeat when standing up, a condition called POTS. This study found that when doctors use shortened tilt table tests (lasting only 2 minutes) to diagnose POTS, they miss more than half of the patients who actually have it. The researchers recommend using the full 10-minute test instead of the abbreviated version to properly identify POTS in ME/CFS patients.

Autonomic Nervous System

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 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

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Evidence browser

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

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

The UK ME/CFS Biobank: A Disease-Specific Biobank for Advancing Clinical Research Into Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Value of Circulating Cytokine Profiling During Submaximal Exercise Testing in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Hair and salivary cortisol in a cohort of women with chronic fatigue syndrome.

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

A Brief Questionnaire to Assess Post-Exertional Malaise.

Low omega-3 index and polyunsaturated fatty acid status in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis.

Decreased Connectivity and Increased Blood Oxygenation Level Dependent Complexity in the Default Mode Network in Individuals with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Association of chronic fatigue syndrome with premature telomere attrition.

A content analysis of chronic fatigue syndrome and myalgic encephalomyelitis in the news from 1987 to 2013.

How to Distinguish Patients with pSS among Individuals with Dryness without Invasive Diagnostic Studies.

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

Characteristics and determinants of dietary intake and physical activity in a group of patients with multiple chemical sensitivity.

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

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.

Low Sensitivity of Abbreviated Tilt Table Testing for Diagnosing Postural Tachycardia Syndrome in Adults With ME/CFS.

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.

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

Curated Collections

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Metabolism & Mitochondria

Biomarkers

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