ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

2021–2040 of 6,188 studies

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredObservational

Guided Self-Help for Patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Prior to Starting Cognitive Behavioural Therapy: a Cohort Study.

Ali, Sheila, Goldsmith, Kimberley, Burgess, Mary et al.·Behavioural and cognitive psychotherapy·2017

This study tested whether guided self-help materials could help ME/CFS patients improve their physical functioning while waiting for cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). Patients filled out questionnaires at the start, just before CBT began, and after CBT ended. The self-help guidance helped improve how much patients could physically do, but didn't significantly reduce fatigue or improve social life during the waiting period. However, CBT itself did help with all three areas.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Prevalence of and risk factors for severe cognitive and sleep symptoms in ME/CFS and MS.

Jain, Vageesh, Arunkumar, Amit, Kingdon, Caroline et al.·BMC neurology·2017

This study compared cognitive problems (like trouble concentrating and memory issues) and sleep difficulties in people with ME/CFS and people with MS. Researchers found that cognitive and sleep problems were much more common in ME/CFS patients—98% reported trouble concentrating, and 55% reported severe unrefreshing sleep. The study also identified that ME/CFS patients who were older, current smokers, or had lower incomes were more likely to experience severe symptoms.

SleepCognitive Impairment

E2 ModeratePEM unclearBiobank-Resource

The UK ME/CFS Biobank for biomedical research on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) and Multiple Sclerosis.

Lacerda, Eliana M, Bowman, Erinna W, Cliff, Jacqueline M et al.·Open journal of bioresources·2017

The UK ME/CFS Biobank is a collection of blood samples and health information from 284 people with ME/CFS, 60 people with multiple sclerosis, and 135 healthy volunteers. Researchers created this resource to help scientists study what causes ME/CFS and find better ways to diagnose and treat it. The samples and detailed patient information can be used by researchers worldwide to search for biological markers of the disease.

BiomarkersImmune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM requiredObservational

Novel characterisation of mast cell phenotypes from peripheral blood mononuclear cells in chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis patients.

Nguyen, Thao, Johnston, Samantha, Chacko, Anu et al.·Asian Pacific journal of allergy and immunology·2017

This study looked at immune cells called mast cells in the blood of people with ME/CFS and compared them to healthy people. Researchers found that ME/CFS patients—especially those with severe illness—had more mast cells and these cells showed different activation patterns. Mast cells are known to release chemicals that cause inflammation, so understanding them better could help explain some ME/CFS symptoms.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Differentiating Multiple Sclerosis from Myalgic Encephalomyelitis and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Jason, L A, Ohanian, D, Brown, A et al.·Insights in biomedicine·2017

This study compared how people with MS, ME, and chronic fatigue syndrome experience their illnesses. Researchers surveyed 120 people with MS and 269 people with ME/CFS about their symptoms using a standardized questionnaire. They found that people with ME/CFS reported more severe symptoms and greater functional limitations than people with MS, suggesting these conditions have different disability profiles.

Diagnostics

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearObservational

From good health to illness with post-infectious fatigue syndrome: a qualitative study of adults' experiences of the illness trajectory.

Stormorken, Eva, Jason, Leonard A, Kirkevold, Marit·BMC family practice·2017

This study followed 26 adults in Norway who developed severe fatigue and other symptoms after a water contamination outbreak caused by a parasite. Researchers interviewed these patients about how their illness developed and affected their daily lives. Everyone described similar patterns: getting worse over time, reaching a lowest point, then gradually improving—but none returned to their pre-illness health, and most had to stop working or studying.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Activity Pacing is Associated With Better and Worse Symptoms for Patients With Long-term Conditions.

Antcliff, Deborah, Campbell, Malcolm, Woby, Steve et al.·The Clinical journal of pain·2017

This study looked at different ways people with chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, and chronic pain manage their activities day-to-day. Researchers found that some pacing strategies work better than others: spreading activities consistently throughout the day helped, but drastically cutting back activities was linked to feeling worse. The study suggests that how you pace your activities matters—not all pacing strategies are equally helpful.

Pain and Sensitization

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Sleep Quality in Adolescents With Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME).

Josev, Elisha K, Jackson, Melinda L, Bei, Bei et al.·Journal of clinical sleep medicine : JCSM : official publication of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine·2017

This study examined sleep problems in teenagers with ME/CFS compared to healthy teenagers. Researchers found that teens with ME/CFS took longer to fall asleep, spent more total time in bed, slept longer overall, woke up later, and reported feeling their sleep was of poorer quality. Anxiety levels were also higher in the ME/CFS group and were connected to worse sleep quality in both groups.

Sleep

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredObservational

Endogenous Pain Facilitation Rather Than Inhibition Differs Between People with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Multiple Sclerosis, and Controls: An Observational Study.

Collin, Simon M, Nijs, Jo, Meeus, Mira et al.·Pain physician·2017

This study tested how people with ME/CFS, people with multiple sclerosis (MS), and healthy people respond to pain. Researchers found that people with ME/CFS have lower pain thresholds and more pain amplification than people with MS, suggesting their nervous systems may process pain differently. These findings suggest that ME/CFS pain may involve a different biological mechanism than MS pain.

Pain and Sensitization

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Chronic prostatitis and comorbid non-urological overlapping pain conditions: A co-twin control study.

Gasperi, Marianna, Krieger, John N, Forsberg, Christopher et al.·Journal of psychosomatic research·2017

This study looked at men who had chronic prostate pain and found that many of them also had other long-term pain conditions like fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, and irritable bowel syndrome. The researchers used twins to figure out how much of this overlap was due to shared genes versus shared life experiences. They found that while family factors explained some of the connection, these pain conditions remained linked even after accounting for genetics and environment.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Obesity in adolescents with chronic fatigue syndrome: an observational study.

Norris, T, Hawton, K, Hamilton-Shield, J et al.·Archives of disease in childhood·2017

This study looked at whether adolescents with ME/CFS are more likely to be overweight or obese than young people without the condition. Researchers compared teenagers attending specialist ME/CFS clinics with healthy teenagers from a large population study. They found that adolescents with severe ME/CFS (those referred to specialist services) had higher rates of obesity, particularly by age 16.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM requiredCross-Sectional

The utility of patient-reported outcome measures among patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Murdock, Kyle W, Wang, Xin Shelley, Shi, Qiuling et al.·Quality of life research : an international journal of quality of life aspects of treatment, care and rehabilitation·2017

Researchers tested three common questionnaires that measure fatigue and symptoms in ME/CFS patients to see which ones work best. They found that two popular questionnaires had problems—many patients scored so high they hit the ceiling (meaning the test couldn't measure if they got worse), and the questions weren't reliable. The DePaul Symptom Questionnaire worked much better, especially at measuring post-exertional malaise (the worsening of symptoms after activity), and could reliably distinguish ME/CFS patients from healthy people.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearLongitudinal

Natural course of chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis in adolescents.

Norris, Tom, Collin, Simon M, Tilling, Kate et al.·Archives of disease in childhood·2017

This study followed teenagers in the UK from ages 13 to 18 to understand what happens to disabling fatigue that lasts 6 months or longer. The researchers found that while more teenagers reported this kind of fatigue as they got older, about 75% of those with persistent fatigue at age 13 felt better by age 16. Only about 8% of teenagers had this disabling fatigue throughout their entire teenage years.

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Differential effects of childhood trauma subtypes on fatigue and physical functioning in chronic fatigue syndrome.

De Venter, Maud, Illegems, Jela, Van Royen, Rita et al.·Comprehensive psychiatry·2017

This study looked at whether different types of childhood trauma are linked to fatigue and physical disability in ME/CFS patients. Researchers found that childhood sexual harassment was strongly associated with worse fatigue and lower physical functioning, while other types of trauma (emotional neglect, emotional abuse, physical threat, and sexual abuse) showed no significant connection. The findings suggest that the specific type of childhood trauma may matter when understanding how trauma relates to ME/CFS symptoms.

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredLongitudinal

Do changes in illness perceptions, physical activity, and behavioural regulation influence fatigue severity and health-related outcomes in CFS patients?

De Gucht, V, Garcia, F K, den Engelsman, M et al.·Journal of psychosomatic research·2017

This study followed 144 CFS patients over one year to understand how their beliefs about their illness and their activity patterns affected their fatigue and overall health. Researchers found that patients who increasingly believed their illness had serious consequences and who used an all-or-nothing approach to activity (doing too much then crashing) tended to have worse fatigue. Illness beliefs also affected physical symptoms and mood, while activity patterns influenced both fatigue and physical functioning.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Immune network analysis of cerebrospinal fluid in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome with atypical and classical presentations.

Hornig, M, Gottschalk, C G, Eddy, M L et al.·Translational psychiatry·2017

This study examined fluid from around the brain and spinal cord in people with ME/CFS to look for immune system differences. Researchers found that people whose ME/CFS started differently (without a clear infection trigger) had different patterns of immune molecules compared to those with typical ME/CFS that started after a viral-like illness. The atypical group had lower levels of certain inflammatory markers and less coordinated immune activity in their central nervous system.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredLongitudinal

A Prospective Study of Infectious Mononucleosis in College Students.

Jason, Leonard A, Katz, Ben, Gleason, Kristen et al.·International journal of psychiatry (Overland Park)·2017

This study followed healthy college students over time to see what happens when they catch infectious mononucleosis (IM) and whether some develop ME/CFS afterward. Researchers collected information about students' physical health and emotional well-being before they got sick, while they had IM, and about 6 months later. By tracking students this way, the study aimed to identify which factors might put someone at higher risk of developing ME/CFS after a mono infection.

E2 ModerateDiagnosticPEM unclearObservational

Multi-Site Clinical Assessment of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (MCAM): Design and Implementation of a Prospective/Retrospective Rolling Cohort Study.

Unger, Elizabeth R, Lin, Jin-Mann S, Tian, Hao et al.·American journal of epidemiology·2017

Researchers created a large study called MCAM to better understand ME/CFS by collecting standardized health information from patients across seven U.S. clinics. They also enrolled healthy people and patients with similar illnesses for comparison. The study tracked patients over time, collected samples for future research, and documented how doctors were treating ME/CFS patients, aiming to identify different types of ME/CFS and find tests that could help diagnosis.

Diagnostics

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Fatigue in an adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder population: A trans-diagnostic approach.

Rogers, Denise C, Dittner, Antonia J, Rimes, Katharine A et al.·The British journal of clinical psychology·2017

This study looked at fatigue in adults with ADHD and compared it to fatigue in people with ME/CFS and healthy people. Researchers found that adults with ADHD experience significantly more fatigue than healthy controls, with about 62% meeting criteria for clinically significant fatigue. Importantly, they discovered that people with ME/CFS and people with ADHD share many similar challenges, including low mood, anxiety, and reduced confidence in their abilities.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Subtyping Patients with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) By Course of Illness.

Stoothoff, Jamie, Gleason, Kristen, McManimen, Stephanie et al.·Journal of biosensors, biomarkers and diagnostics·2017

This study looked at how ME/CFS progresses differently in different people. Researchers asked 541 patients to describe how their illness changed over time—whether it stayed the same, got worse, got better, or went up and down. They found that patients with different illness patterns had different symptom severity and ability to function, suggesting that grouping patients by how their illness progresses could help doctors better understand and treat the condition.

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Guided Self-Help for Patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Prior to Starting Cognitive Behavioural Therapy: a Cohort Study.

Prevalence of and risk factors for severe cognitive and sleep symptoms in ME/CFS and MS.

The UK ME/CFS Biobank for biomedical research on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) and Multiple Sclerosis.

Novel characterisation of mast cell phenotypes from peripheral blood mononuclear cells in chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis patients.

Differentiating Multiple Sclerosis from Myalgic Encephalomyelitis and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

From good health to illness with post-infectious fatigue syndrome: a qualitative study of adults' experiences of the illness trajectory.

Activity Pacing is Associated With Better and Worse Symptoms for Patients With Long-term Conditions.

Sleep Quality in Adolescents With Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME).

Endogenous Pain Facilitation Rather Than Inhibition Differs Between People with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Multiple Sclerosis, and Controls: An Observational Study.

Chronic prostatitis and comorbid non-urological overlapping pain conditions: A co-twin control study.

Obesity in adolescents with chronic fatigue syndrome: an observational study.

The utility of patient-reported outcome measures among patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Natural course of chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis in adolescents.

Differential effects of childhood trauma subtypes on fatigue and physical functioning in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Do changes in illness perceptions, physical activity, and behavioural regulation influence fatigue severity and health-related outcomes in CFS patients?

Immune network analysis of cerebrospinal fluid in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome with atypical and classical presentations.

A Prospective Study of Infectious Mononucleosis in College Students.

Multi-Site Clinical Assessment of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (MCAM): Design and Implementation of a Prospective/Retrospective Rolling Cohort Study.

Fatigue in an adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder population: A trans-diagnostic approach.

Subtyping Patients with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) By Course of Illness.

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