ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

2081–2100 of 6,188 studies

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Fecal metagenomic profiles in subgroups of patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Nagy-Szakal, Dorottya, Williams, Brent L, Mishra, Nischay et al.·Microbiome·2017

This study looked at the bacteria living in the gut of 50 ME/CFS patients and 50 healthy people to see if differences in gut bacteria might explain some ME/CFS symptoms. The researchers found that ME/CFS patients have unusual patterns of gut bacteria, and these patterns are different depending on whether the patient also has irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Importantly, the type and balance of gut bacteria were linked to how severe patients' fatigue, pain, and other symptoms were.

BiomarkersEnergy Metabolism

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearObservational

Factors impacting the illness trajectory of post-infectious fatigue syndrome: a qualitative study of adults' experiences.

Stormorken, Eva, Jason, Leonard A, Kirkevold, Marit·BMC public health·2017

This study interviewed 26 adults who developed severe fatigue lasting at least four years after a bacterial infection (Giardia). Researchers asked them about their experiences and what factors made their illness better or worse. The study found that both the healthcare system (like delayed diagnosis and doctors dismissing symptoms) and personal choices (like ignoring body signals or pushing too hard) significantly affected how people's illness progressed over time.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredObservational

Trends in the incidence of chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia in the UK, 2001-2013: a Clinical Practice Research Datalink study.

Collin, Simon M, Bakken, Inger J, Nazareth, Irwin et al.·Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine·2017

This study looked at how often ME/CFS and fibromyalgia were diagnosed in UK general practices between 2001 and 2013 using medical records. The researchers found that ME/CFS diagnoses decreased over time, while fibromyalgia diagnoses increased. Interestingly, people in poorer areas were less likely to be diagnosed with ME/CFS but more likely to be diagnosed with fibromyalgia compared to people in wealthier areas.

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Anxiety and depression in chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME): Examining the incidence of health anxiety in CFS/ME.

Daniels, Jo, Brigden, Amberly, Kacorova, Adela·Psychology and psychotherapy·2017

This study looked at how many people with ME/CFS also experience health anxiety—worry about physical symptoms and their meaning. Researchers surveyed 45 ME/CFS patients and found that most had elevated worry about their health, and many had clinically significant health anxiety. The findings suggest that health anxiety is common in ME/CFS and may be worth screening for and treating.

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Differences in alexithymia and emotional awareness in exhaustion syndrome and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Maroti, Daniel, Molander, Peter, Bileviciute-Ljungar, Indre·Scandinavian journal of psychology·2017

This study looked at how people with Exhaustion Syndrome and ME/CFS differ in how they experience and identify their emotions. Researchers tested 31 people with Exhaustion Syndrome, 38 with ME/CFS, and 30 healthy people using emotion-recognition tests and questionnaires about emotional awareness. The results showed that both groups had some difficulty with emotions, but in slightly different ways—people with ME/CFS had more trouble actually identifying what they were feeling in a performance test, while people with Exhaustion Syndrome mainly reported difficulty on a self-assessment questionnaire.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Can physical assessment techniques aid diagnosis in people with chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis? A diagnostic accuracy study.

Hives, Lucy, Bradley, Alice, Richards, Jim et al.·BMJ open·2017

Researchers tested whether five simple physical examination techniques could help doctors quickly identify ME/CFS. They examined 52 people with ME/CFS and 42 people without the condition, using trained practitioners to check for specific physical signs like spine problems and tender points. The study found that two of these physical signs were reliable and accurate enough to potentially help with diagnosis, suggesting that quick physical checks might be a useful screening tool.

Diagnostics

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Stress vulnerability in adolescents with chronic fatigue syndrome: experimental study investigating heart rate variability and skin conductance responses.

Rimes, Katharine A, Lievesley, Kate, Chalder, Trudie·Journal of child psychology and psychiatry, and allied disciplines·2017

This study looked at how adolescents with ME/CFS respond to stress compared to young people with asthma and healthy teenagers. Researchers measured physical stress responses (heart rate and skin sweating) while young people gave a speech. Adolescents with ME/CFS showed signs of being more stressed before, during, and after the task, and their bodies took longer to calm down afterward compared to the other groups.

Autonomic Nervous System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

RNA-Seq Analysis of Gene Expression, Viral Pathogen, and B-Cell/T-Cell Receptor Signatures in Complex Chronic Disease.

Bouquet, Jerome, Gardy, Jennifer L, Brown, Scott et al.·Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America·2017

Researchers used genetic testing to compare blood samples from people with ME/CFS and a similar condition called alternative Lyme disease to healthy controls and people with lupus. They looked for differences in gene activity, immune cell patterns, and viral infections. Surprisingly, they found no major differences in gene activity between ME/CFS patients and healthy people, though they did find differences in lupus patients as expected.

Immune System

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredLongitudinal

Long-term follow-up after cognitive behaviour therapy for chronic fatigue syndrome.

Janse, Anthonie, Nikolaus, Stephanie, Wiborg, Jan F et al.·Journal of psychosomatic research·2017

This study followed 511 people for up to 10 years after they completed cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) for ME/CFS. While about 70% of people maintained improved physical function, fatigue levels increased somewhat over time, and some people experienced a return of severe fatigue and activity limitations. The results suggest CBT can help many people in the long term, but not everyone stays better.

Interventions

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Physio-somatic symptoms in schizophrenia: association with depression, anxiety, neurocognitive deficits and the tryptophan catabolite pathway.

Kanchanatawan, Buranee, Sirivichayakul, Sunee, Thika, Supaksorn et al.·Metabolic brain disease·2017

This study looked at physical symptoms like fatigue, muscle pain, and flu-like feelings in people with schizophrenia. Researchers found that more than half of schizophrenia patients experienced these symptoms, which were linked to depression, anxiety, and problems with memory and attention. The symptoms appeared to be connected to changes in how the body processes tryptophan, an amino acid, and how the immune system responds to these breakdown products.

Immune System

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredObservational

Activity patterns in response to symptoms in patients being treated for chronic fatigue syndrome: An experience sampling methodology study.

Band, Rebecca, Barrowclough, Christine, Caldwell, Kim et al.·Health psychology : official journal of the Division of Health Psychology, American Psychological Association·2017

This study looked at how 23 people with ME/CFS change their activity levels in response to their symptoms throughout the day. Researchers had participants use an app on their phones to report their fatigue, pain, mood, and activity patterns 10 times per day for 6 days. They found that when symptoms got worse, people tended to either do less activity or swing between doing too much and then crashing—patterns that may keep the illness going.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Brain 18F-FDG PET Metabolic Abnormalities in Patients with Long-Lasting Macrophagic Myofascitis.

Van Der Gucht, Axel, Aoun Sebaiti, Mehdi, Guedj, Eric et al.·Journal of nuclear medicine : official publication, Society of Nuclear Medicine·2017

This study used a special type of brain scan (PET imaging) to look for energy metabolism problems in the brains of people with macrophagic myofascitis, a condition involving immune cell buildup in muscles. Researchers found that MMF patients had lower energy use in multiple brain regions compared to healthy people, and this pattern was especially pronounced in patients who also had thinking and memory problems.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Clinically proven mtDNA mutations are not common in those with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Schoeman, Elizna M, Van Der Westhuizen, Francois H, Erasmus, Elardus et al.·BMC medical genetics·2017

This study examined the DNA inside the energy-producing parts of cells (mitochondria) in 93 ME/CFS patients from the UK and South Africa. The researchers looked for specific mutations that are known to cause mitochondrial disease. They found that these known harmful mutations were not present in the ME/CFS patients studied, suggesting that ME/CFS is not caused by these well-established mitochondrial mutations.

Energy Metabolism

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not required

Research Volunteers' Attitudes Toward Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis.

Nehrke, Pamela I, Fox, Pamela A, Jason, Leonard A·Neurology (E-Cronicon)·2017

This study looked at whether learning about ME/CFS reduces negative stereotypes about the illness. College students who volunteered for ME/CFS research projects showed less stigmatizing attitudes compared to students working on unrelated projects. The findings suggest that education and accurate information about ME/CFS can help reduce the harmful misconceptions many people hold about this serious medical condition.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredObservational

Specialist treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome/ME: a cohort study among adult patients in England.

Collin, Simon M, Crawley, Esther·BMC health services research·2017

This study looked at how 952 ME/CFS patients fared after receiving treatment at 11 specialist NHS clinics in England. One year after starting treatment, about 27% felt much better, 37% felt a little better, but 20% felt the same or worse. Even 2-5 years later, 85% of patients still had ME/CFS symptoms, showing that this is a long-lasting condition that often continues despite specialist care.

Pain and SensitizationSleep

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Metabolic profiling of a myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome discovery cohort reveals disturbances in fatty acid and lipid metabolism.

Germain, Arnaud, Ruppert, David, Levine, Susan M et al.·Molecular bioSystems·2017

This study examined the chemicals in the blood of 17 ME/CFS patients and compared them to 15 healthy people. Researchers found 74 different chemicals at abnormal levels in ME/CFS patients, with 35 showing significant differences. Many of these chemicals are important for producing energy in the body, which could help explain why ME/CFS patients feel so exhausted.

BiomarkersEnergy Metabolism

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Giardia-specific cellular immune responses in post-giardiasis chronic fatigue syndrome.

Hanevik, Kurt, Kristoffersen, Einar, Mørch, Kristine et al.·BMC immunology·2017

Researchers studied whether people who developed ME/CFS after a Giardia infection (a parasite that causes stomach illness) had different immune responses compared to those who recovered. They found that fatigued patients had higher levels of a specific immune protein called sCD40L, which correlated with how tired they felt. However, most immune markers tested were similar between those who developed ME/CFS and those who recovered, suggesting the answer may be more complex than initially expected.

Immune System

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 not requiredCross-Sectional

Characteristics of patients contacting a center for undiagnosed and rare diseases.

Mueller, Tobias, Jerrentrup, Andreas, Bauer, Max Jakob et al.·Orphanet journal of rare diseases·2016

This study looked at 522 adults who visited a hospital center for help with diseases that hadn't been diagnosed yet. Most patients were women, and their main complaints were general weakness, joint pain, and stomach discomfort. The researchers found that many patients had been given diagnoses like chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, or irritable bowel syndrome—conditions where symptoms are real but hard to explain with standard medical tests.

Diagnostics

E2 ModerateDiagnosticPEM not requiredMethods-Paper

Methods of applying the 1994 case definition of chronic fatigue syndrome - impact on classification and observed illness characteristics.

Unger, E R, Lin, J-M S, Tian, H et al.·Population health metrics·2016

Researchers tested two different ways of diagnosing ME/CFS using the same official criteria to see if the method mattered. One method asked patients direct questions about fatigue and symptoms, while the other used standardized questionnaires with scoring thresholds. They found that both methods identified similar people as having ME/CFS (about 82% agreement), but the questionnaire method identified somewhat more cases without them being less severely ill.

Diagnostics

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Fecal metagenomic profiles in subgroups of patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Factors impacting the illness trajectory of post-infectious fatigue syndrome: a qualitative study of adults' experiences.

Trends in the incidence of chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia in the UK, 2001-2013: a Clinical Practice Research Datalink study.

Anxiety and depression in chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME): Examining the incidence of health anxiety in CFS/ME.

Differences in alexithymia and emotional awareness in exhaustion syndrome and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Can physical assessment techniques aid diagnosis in people with chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis? A diagnostic accuracy study.

Stress vulnerability in adolescents with chronic fatigue syndrome: experimental study investigating heart rate variability and skin conductance responses.

RNA-Seq Analysis of Gene Expression, Viral Pathogen, and B-Cell/T-Cell Receptor Signatures in Complex Chronic Disease.

Long-term follow-up after cognitive behaviour therapy for chronic fatigue syndrome.

Physio-somatic symptoms in schizophrenia: association with depression, anxiety, neurocognitive deficits and the tryptophan catabolite pathway.

Activity patterns in response to symptoms in patients being treated for chronic fatigue syndrome: An experience sampling methodology study.

Brain 18F-FDG PET Metabolic Abnormalities in Patients with Long-Lasting Macrophagic Myofascitis.

Clinically proven mtDNA mutations are not common in those with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Research Volunteers' Attitudes Toward Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis.

Specialist treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome/ME: a cohort study among adult patients in England.

Metabolic profiling of a myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome discovery cohort reveals disturbances in fatty acid and lipid metabolism.

Giardia-specific cellular immune responses in post-giardiasis chronic fatigue syndrome.

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

Characteristics of patients contacting a center for undiagnosed and rare diseases.

Methods of applying the 1994 case definition of chronic fatigue syndrome - impact on classification and observed illness characteristics.

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