ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

2181–2200 of 6,188 studies

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredObservational

[The influence of physical load on the propriate immune and physiological parameters.].

Milicková, M, Zákovská, A, Chlíbková, D·Ceskoslovenska fysiologie·2016

This study looked at how intense physical exercise affects the immune system by measuring antibodies (immune proteins) in ultramarathon runners before and after a race. The researchers found that two types of antibodies—IgA and IgG—increased after the race, suggesting that extreme physical stress temporarily changes how the immune system works. Understanding these changes may help explain why some people develop chronic fatigue after intense exercise.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Occupational exposure and health problems among Polish denturists: a population-based study in Łódź province.

Garus-Pakowska, Anna, Leśniewska, Agnieszka, Gaszyńska, Ewelina et al.·International dental journal·2016

This study surveyed 103 denturists (dental laboratory workers) in Poland to understand how their work affects their health. The researchers found that over 60% experienced chronic fatigue syndrome and 70% had back pain, along with skin irritation and eye problems. Poor workplace design and stress from work organization were identified as major contributing factors.

Pain and Sensitization

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredObservational

Significant other behavioural responses and patient chronic fatigue syndrome symptom fluctuations in the context of daily life: An experience sampling study.

Band, Rebecca, Barrowclough, Christine, Emsley, Richard et al.·British journal of health psychology·2016

This study looked at how the way family members and partners respond to ME/CFS symptoms affects patients' day-to-day experiences. Researchers asked 23 ME/CFS patients and their loved ones to report on their interactions and symptoms six times daily for a week using smartphones. They found that negative or unhelpful responses from loved ones made symptoms and distress worse in the moment, while overly helpful responses sometimes led to less activity, but these effects were temporary rather than lasting.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearObservational

Investigation of suspected chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalopathy.

Owe, Jone Furlund, Næss, Halvor, Gjerde, Ivar Otto et al.·Tidsskrift for den Norske laegeforening : tidsskrift for praktisk medicin, ny raekke·2016

This study looked at 365 people who came to a hospital's neurology department because they thought they might have ME/CFS. The doctors found that only about 13% actually had ME/CFS, while nearly half of the patients had mental health or stress-related conditions instead. The study highlights how important it is for doctors to do thorough checks before deciding someone has ME/CFS, since other treatable conditions can cause similar fatigue symptoms.

Diagnostics

E2 ModerateCohortPEM requiredCross-Sectional

Housebound versus nonhousebound patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Pendergrast, Tricia, Brown, Abigail, Sunnquist, Madison et al.·Chronic illness·2016

This study compared ME/CFS patients who are severely ill and mostly confined to their homes with those who are less severely affected and can leave home. Researchers found that the housebound group—about 1 in 4 patients—experienced much worse physical functioning, fatigue, pain, brain fog, sleep problems, and other symptoms compared to the less severely ill group. Understanding these differences can help doctors and researchers better tailor treatments for the most severely affected patients.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredObservational

Long-term methylphenidate intake in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Blockmans, Daniel, Persoons, Philippe·Acta clinica Belgica·2016

This study looked at whether a medication called methylphenidate (also known as Ritalin) could help ME/CFS patients with concentration problems and fatigue over the long term. Researchers sent surveys to patients who had been prescribed this medication and found that about one-third of those still taking it reported significant improvement in both fatigue and concentration difficulties, and were able to work more hours.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Increased risk of chronic fatigue syndrome in patients with migraine: A retrospective cohort study.

Lau, Chi-ieong, Lin, Che-Chen, Chen, Wei-Hung et al.·Journal of psychosomatic research·2015

This study found that people with migraine headaches are 1.5 times more likely to develop ME/CFS than people without migraine. The risk was even higher in older adults (age 65+), who were more than twice as likely to develop ME/CFS if they had migraines. The more frequently someone had migraines, the higher their risk of developing ME/CFS appeared to be.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Polymorphism in COMT is associated with IgG3 subclass level and susceptibility to infection in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Löbel, Madlen, Mooslechner, Agnes Anna, Bauer, Sandra et al.·Journal of translational medicine·2015

This study looked at a genetic variation in a gene called COMT that affects how the body handles stress hormones. Researchers compared 74 ME/CFS patients with 76 healthy people and found that ME/CFS patients with a specific genetic variant (Met/Met) had higher stress hormone levels, weaker immune responses to certain infections, and got respiratory infections more often. This suggests that a person's genes may influence both their stress response and infection risk in ME/CFS.

Immune System

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredObservational

The pre-interventional psychiatric history - an underestimated confounder in benign intracranial lesions studies.

Wenz, H, Wenz, R, Groden, C et al.·Clinical neurology and neurosurgery·2015

This study looked at 103 patients who had surgery for benign brain tumors or aneurysms and were physically recovered afterward. Researchers found that patients with a history of psychiatric conditions before surgery reported worse quality of life, more sleep problems, more fatigue symptoms, and more PTSD symptoms after surgery compared to those without prior psychiatric history—even though both groups had similar physical recovery.

Sleep

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Finding benefit in stressful uncertain circumstances: relations to social support and stigma among women with unexplained illnesses.

McInnis, Opal A, McQuaid, Robyn J, Bombay, Amy et al.·Stress (Amsterdam, Netherlands)·2015

People with ME/CFS and fibromyalgia face more stigma and judgment from others compared to people with more widely recognized illnesses like rheumatoid arthritis. This study found that when women with ME/CFS have good social support, they are less likely to hide their illness due to shame. However, women with ME/CFS reported finding less personal growth and positive change from their illness experience compared to women with other chronic conditions.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

[Mapping of function in chronic fatigue syndrome].

Nyland, Harald, Næss, Halvor, Nyland, Morten·Tidsskrift for den Norske laegeforening : tidsskrift for praktisk medicin, ny raekke·2015

This study examined how different body functions are affected in people with ME/CFS by mapping their characteristics across a group of patients. The research looked at various functional areas to better understand the pattern of symptoms and impairments experienced by those with the condition. This type of mapping helps clinicians and researchers see which functions are most commonly affected and how they relate to each other.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Altered resting brain connectivity in persistent cancer related fatigue.

Hampson, Johnson P, Zick, Suzanna M, Khabir, Tohfa et al.·NeuroImage. Clinical·2015

This study used brain imaging to compare how the brains of breast cancer survivors with fatigue differ from those without fatigue. Researchers found that people experiencing persistent cancer-related fatigue showed different patterns of communication between brain regions, particularly involving areas linked to thinking about oneself and regulating sleep. These brain connectivity differences were associated with worse physical fatigue and poor sleep quality.

Sleep

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Endogenous event-related potentials in patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome without central nervous system involvement.

Dziadkowiak, E, Sebastian, A, Wiland, P et al.·Scandinavian journal of rheumatology·2015

This study looked at brain electrical activity in patients with Sjögren's syndrome (an autoimmune disease affecting moisture-producing glands) to see if they had subtle thinking or processing problems. Researchers found that patients showed slightly delayed brain responses to cognitive tasks, and these delays were linked to how long they'd had the disease and how inflamed their salivary glands were. Patients with both Sjögren's syndrome and chronic fatigue syndrome showed different patterns than those with Sjögren's syndrome alone.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM requiredCross-Sectional

Study findings challenge the content validity of the Canadian Consensus Criteria for adolescent chronic fatigue syndrome.

Asprusten, Tarjei Tørre, Fagermoen, Even, Sulheim, Dag et al.·Acta paediatrica (Oslo, Norway : 1992)·2015

Researchers tested whether the Canadian Consensus Criteria—a set of guidelines used to diagnose ME/CFS in teenagers—actually identify meaningful differences between patients. They compared 120 adolescents with ME/CFS, grouping them by whether they met these criteria or not. The study found that the two groups were nearly identical in most disease markers and how they recovered over time, suggesting the criteria may not be capturing important real-world differences between patients.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Attention network test: assessment of cognitive function in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Togo, Fumiharu, Lange, Gudrun, Natelson, Benjamin H et al.·Journal of neuropsychology·2015

This study tested whether a computer-based attention test called the Attention Network Task (ANT) could measure thinking and processing speed problems in ME/CFS patients. Researchers compared 41 ME/CFS patients (some with depression, some without) to 29 healthy controls and found that ME/CFS patients took longer to respond to tasks, especially when the tasks were complex, even though they made the same number of mistakes as controls. This suggests that slowed thinking speed, rather than errors, may be the main cognitive problem in ME/CFS.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Frequency of Migraine Headaches in Patients With Fibromyalgia.

Vij, Brinder, Whipple, Mary O, Tepper, Stewart J et al.·Headache·2015

This study examined how often people with fibromyalgia experience migraine headaches. Researchers surveyed over 1,700 fibromyalgia patients and found that about 56% met the criteria for migraines. People with both conditions were more likely to also have depression, anxiety, IBS, and chronic fatigue syndrome, suggesting these overlapping conditions increase overall burden on patients.

Pain and Sensitization

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Characteristics of women with endometriosis from the USA and Puerto Rico.

Fourquet, Jessica, Sinaii, Ninet, Stratton, Pamela et al.·Journal of endometriosis and pelvic pain disorders·2015

This study compared women with endometriosis in the USA and Puerto Rico to see if their symptoms and health conditions differed. Researchers found that while both groups experienced similar types of pain and fertility problems, women in the USA reported more severe pain and more often had other chronic conditions like chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia. Women in Puerto Rico more frequently reported miscarriages.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) or myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) is different in children compared to in adults: a study of UK and Dutch clinical cohorts.

Collin, Simon M, Nuevo, Roberto, van de Putte, Elise M et al.·BMJ open·2015

This study compared how ME/CFS affects children, teenagers, and adults by looking at patient data from clinics in the UK and a trial in the Netherlands. The researchers found that ME/CFS looks quite different depending on age: younger children were more likely to have sore throats and less likely to have problems with thinking or memory, while teenagers were more prone to headaches and depression. Adults showed more severe fatigue and disability overall.

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

A Novel Anxiety and Affective Spectrum Disorder of Mind and Body-The ALPIM (Anxiety-Laxity-Pain-Immune-Mood) Syndrome: A Preliminary Report.

Coplan, Jeremy, Singh, Deepan, Gopinath, Srinath et al.·The Journal of neuropsychiatry and clinical neurosciences·2015

Researchers found that people with anxiety disorders often experience multiple related physical and mental health conditions together—including joint looseness, chronic pain, immune problems, and mood disorders. They studied 76 patients and discovered that over 80% had panic attacks, fibromyalgia, and depression at the same time. This suggests these conditions may be connected as part of a larger syndrome rather than separate illnesses.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia in diagnosed sleep disorders: a further test of the 'unitary' hypothesis.

Pejovic, Slobodanka, Natelson, Benjamin H, Basta, Maria et al.·BMC neurology·2015

This study looked at whether ME/CFS and fibromyalgia are actually the same condition or different disorders. Researchers compared patients with sleep-breathing problems, sleep insomnia, and healthy controls, measuring how often each group had ME/CFS, fibromyalgia, or both. They found that while both conditions occurred in sleep disorder patients, fibromyalgia was much more common in insomnia patients, whereas ME/CFS appeared in both groups equally—suggesting these may be separate conditions with different causes.

Sleep

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[The influence of physical load on the propriate immune and physiological parameters.].

Occupational exposure and health problems among Polish denturists: a population-based study in Łódź province.

Significant other behavioural responses and patient chronic fatigue syndrome symptom fluctuations in the context of daily life: An experience sampling study.

Investigation of suspected chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalopathy.

Housebound versus nonhousebound patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Long-term methylphenidate intake in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Increased risk of chronic fatigue syndrome in patients with migraine: A retrospective cohort study.

Polymorphism in COMT is associated with IgG3 subclass level and susceptibility to infection in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

The pre-interventional psychiatric history - an underestimated confounder in benign intracranial lesions studies.

Finding benefit in stressful uncertain circumstances: relations to social support and stigma among women with unexplained illnesses.

[Mapping of function in chronic fatigue syndrome].

Altered resting brain connectivity in persistent cancer related fatigue.

Endogenous event-related potentials in patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome without central nervous system involvement.

Study findings challenge the content validity of the Canadian Consensus Criteria for adolescent chronic fatigue syndrome.

Attention network test: assessment of cognitive function in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Frequency of Migraine Headaches in Patients With Fibromyalgia.

Characteristics of women with endometriosis from the USA and Puerto Rico.

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) or myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) is different in children compared to in adults: a study of UK and Dutch clinical cohorts.

A Novel Anxiety and Affective Spectrum Disorder of Mind and Body-The ALPIM (Anxiety-Laxity-Pain-Immune-Mood) Syndrome: A Preliminary Report.

Chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia in diagnosed sleep disorders: a further test of the 'unitary' hypothesis.

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