ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

221–240 of 266 studies

E3 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Validation of the three-factor model of the PSQI in a large sample of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) patients.

Mariman, An, Vogelaers, Dirk, Hanoulle, Ignace et al.·Journal of psychosomatic research·2012

This study tested whether a sleep questionnaire commonly used in research works properly for people with ME/CFS. Researchers asked 413 patients with ME/CFS to fill out the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), which measures sleep problems. They found that the questionnaire best divides sleep issues into three separate categories: sleep efficiency (how much time you actually sleep), perceived sleep quality (how good your sleep feels), and daily disturbances (how tiredness affects daytime functioning).

Sleep

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

Sleep disorders, medical conditions, and road accident risk.

Smolensky, Michael H, Di Milia, Lee, Ohayon, Maurice M et al.·Accident; analysis and prevention·2011

This review examined whether sleep disorders and chronic medical conditions—including chronic fatigue syndrome—are associated with increased risk of drowsy-driving accidents. The authors note that while many studies have looked at how sleep problems affect daily life, very few have specifically studied whether they increase car crash risk. The review suggests this gap in research needs to be filled with large, well-designed studies before we can draw firm conclusions.

Sleep

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

Fibromyalgia syndrome: a discussion of the syndrome and pharmacotherapy.

Smith, Howard S, Barkin, Robert L·American journal of therapeutics·2010

Fibromyalgia is a condition that causes widespread pain throughout the body, along with fatigue, sleep problems, brain fog, and mood changes. This article explains that fibromyalgia may share common features with ME/CFS and other conditions involving heightened pain sensitivity. While there is no cure, doctors can help manage symptoms through exercise, therapy, patient education, and specific medications.

Pain and SensitizationSleepCognitive Impairment

E3 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM unclearMethods-Paper

Validation of ECG-derived sleep architecture and ventilation in sleep apnea and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Decker, Michael J, Eyal, Shulamit, Shinar, Zvika et al.·Sleep & breathing = Schlaf & Atmung·2010

Researchers tested a new computer method that analyzes heart rate patterns to measure sleep quality and breathing problems during sleep, comparing it to the traditional gold-standard method of manually reviewing sleep recordings. The new method worked very well for measuring overall sleep time, wake time, and most sleep stages, though it was less accurate at distinguishing between deep and light sleep. This could eventually allow easier and cheaper sleep testing for patients with ME/CFS who often have sleep problems.

Sleep

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredObservational

Power spectral analysis of sleep EEG in twins discordant for chronic fatigue syndrome.

Armitage, Roseanne, Landis, Carol, Hoffmann, Robert et al.·Journal of psychosomatic research·2009

Researchers compared brain wave patterns during sleep between identical twins where one had ME/CFS and one did not. They found no significant differences in the electrical activity of the brain during sleep between the sick and healthy twins, even though those with ME/CFS reported more sleep problems. This suggests that genetic factors may influence sleep patterns more strongly than the illness itself.

Sleep

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

The tired teen: A review of the assessment and management of the adolescent with sleepiness and fatigue.

Findlay, Sheri M·Paediatrics & child health·2008

This review examines why teenagers feel tired and sleepy, and how doctors can help. Many teens experience sleepiness or fatigue, but the authors found that most cases are caused by not getting enough sleep rather than serious medical conditions. The review emphasizes that doctors need to thoroughly evaluate each teen's situation, as underlying medical problems are rarely discovered.

Sleep

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

Possible links between behavioral and physiological indices of tiredness, fatigue, and exhaustion in advanced cancer.

Olson, Karin, Turner, A Robert, Courneya, Kerry S et al.·Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer·2008

This paper proposes a new framework for understanding tiredness and fatigue in advanced cancer patients. The researchers suggest that cancer and its treatments stress the body, which then affects four key systems: thinking ability, sleep quality, nutrition, and muscle strength. They propose that problems in all four of these areas together—not just one alone—are what cause severe fatigue, and that studying how these systems interact could lead to better treatments.

SleepCognitive Impairment

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Possible mechanisms of the formation of chronic fatigue syndrome in the clinical picture of multiple sclerosis.

Kasatkin, D S, Spirin, N N·Neuroscience and behavioral physiology·2007

This study examined why people with multiple sclerosis (MS) often experience severe fatigue. The researchers identified different types of fatigue—exhaustion at rest, excessive tiredness after activity, and worsening fatigue during MS flare-ups—and explored how brain chemistry, hormones, immune system problems, and sleep issues might all contribute to this fatigue.

Sleep

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Cranial electrotherapy stimulation and fibromyalgia.

Gilula, Marshall F·Expert review of medical devices·2007

This review examines cranial electrotherapy stimulation (CES), a treatment that uses mild electrical stimulation applied to the head to help manage fibromyalgia pain and related symptoms. While CES is not a cure-all, research suggests it may help some fibromyalgia patients feel better. The review also discusses how fibromyalgia often occurs alongside other conditions like anxiety, depression, sleep problems, and fatigue—symptoms that overlap with ME/CFS.

Pain and SensitizationSleep

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Violence, stress, and somatic syndromes.

Crofford, Leslie J·Trauma, violence & abuse·2007

This review article examines how experiences of violence and stress may trigger or worsen conditions like ME/CFS, fibromyalgia, and irritable bowel syndrome—illnesses that involve pain, exhaustion, mood changes, memory problems, and sleep issues. The authors explain that stress affects the brain and body's hormone and nervous system function, which may make people more vulnerable to developing these conditions. Understanding this connection could help us recognize how violence exposure affects long-term health.

SleepCognitive ImpairmentPain and Sensitization

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredCase-Control

The impact of a 4-hour sleep delay on slow wave activity in twins discordant for chronic fatigue syndrome.

Armitage, Roseanne, Landis, Carol, Hoffmann, Robert et al.·Sleep·2007

This study looked at how the brain's sleep patterns differ between people with ME/CFS and their healthy twins. Researchers kept twins awake 4 hours later than usual and then let them sleep normally. They found that people with ME/CFS showed weaker deep sleep activity when recovering from the sleep delay, suggesting their bodies may have trouble responding normally to sleep pressure.

Sleep

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

[Fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome in children and adolescents].

Galanopoulos, Ng, Kampakis, Gp, Ladopoulou, Kf·Psychiatrike = Psychiatriki·2007

This review discusses fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) in children and teenagers, noting that both conditions are fairly common in this age group. Patients with these conditions experience widespread muscle pain, exhaustion, depression, headaches, and sleep problems that can significantly impact school, family life, and overall development. The authors emphasize that early diagnosis and treatment combining medication, physical therapy, and psychological support are important for helping young people manage these conditions.

SleepPain and Sensitization

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredObservational

[Sleep disturbance in chronic fatigue syndrome].

Kumano-go, Takayuki, Adachi, Hiroyoshi, Sugita, Yoshiro·Nihon rinsho. Japanese journal of clinical medicine·2007

This study looked at sleep problems in ME/CFS patients using a special laser device to measure blood flow patterns during sleep. The researchers found that different ME/CFS patients showed different types of abnormal sleep patterns, suggesting that ME/CFS may actually be several different conditions rather than one single illness. Sleep disturbances like insomnia, oversleeping, and irregular sleep-wake cycles are common in ME/CFS.

Sleep

E3 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM not requiredMethods-Paper

Brief and distinct empirical sleepiness and fatigue scales.

Bailes, Sally, Libman, Eva, Baltzan, Marc et al.·Journal of psychosomatic research·2006

Doctors and patients often use the words 'sleepiness' and 'fatigue' interchangeably, but they actually describe different experiences. This study created two short, separate questionnaires—one to measure sleepiness (the urge to sleep) and one to measure fatigue (overall exhaustion)—by pulling items from existing popular fatigue and sleepiness scales. Testing these new scales on people with ME/CFS, narcolepsy, and healthy controls showed they measure distinct conditions that may respond to different treatments.

SleepDiagnostics

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM unclearCase-Control

Efficacy of neurotropin in chronic fatigue syndrome: a case report.

Toda, Katsuhiro, Kimura, Hiroaki·Hiroshima journal of medical sciences·2006

This case report describes one 28-year-old man with ME/CFS who was treated with a medication called Neurotropin (four tablets daily). His fatigue and widespread pain began improving within a week, and his sleep, focus, and memory improved within two weeks. He stopped taking the medication after 11 weeks and remained symptom-free for at least 5 months afterward.

Pain and SensitizationSleepCognitive Impairment

E3 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM not requiredMethods-Paper

The challenge of integrating disparate high-content data: epidemiological, clinical and laboratory data collected during an in-hospital study of chronic fatigue syndrome.

Vernon, Suzanne D, Reeves, William C·Pharmacogenomics·2006

Researchers invited people with ME/CFS, people with other unexplained fatigue illnesses, and healthy controls to stay in a hospital for 2 days. During the visit, they measured brain chemicals, nervous system function, immune markers, and gene activity. A team of 20 scientists from different fields worked together to find new ways to understand all this information and look for biological markers that might explain ME/CFS.

Sleep

E3 PreliminaryCommentaryPEM unclearEditorial

Magnesium depletion with hypo- or hyper- function of the biological clock may be involved in chronopathological forms of asthma.

Durlach, J, Pagès, N, Bac, P et al.·Magnesium research·2005

This paper proposes that low magnesium levels combined with disrupted biological clocks (your body's natural 24-hour rhythm) may contribute to asthma that gets worse at night. The authors suggest that magnesium depletion is different from simple magnesium deficiency—it involves a deeper dysregulation that cannot be fixed by supplements alone. They propose two subtypes based on whether the biological clock is overactive (linked to nighttime asthma) or underactive (linked to daytime symptoms).

Sleep

E3 PreliminaryPEM not required

Working under daylight intensity lamp: an occupational risk for developing circadian rhythm sleep disorder?

Doljansky, J T, Kannety, H, Dagan, Y·Chronobiology international·2005

A 47-year-old man with chronic fatigue syndrome developed a severely disrupted sleep-wake cycle after 20 years of working under very bright lights (used for diamond grading) often late into the night. When he switched to treatment combining melatonin at bedtime, bright light therapy in the morning, and avoiding bright light at night, his sleep pattern stabilized and his daytime tiredness improved significantly within one week.

Sleep

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

The effects of repeated thermal therapy for two patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Masuda, Akinori, Kihara, Takashi, Fukudome, Tsuyoshi et al.·Journal of psychosomatic research·2005

This study followed two ME/CFS patients who tried a type of heat therapy called far-infrared sauna (heated to 60°C) combined with warming afterward. After about 15-25 sessions, both patients reported major improvements in fatigue, pain, sleep problems, and fever. They continued the therapy once or twice a week for a year and did not get worse, even after stopping their previous medication.

Pain and SensitizationSleep

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

Fibromyalgia: a stress disorder? Piecing the biopsychosocial puzzle together.

Van Houdenhove, Boudewijn, Egle, Ulrich T·Psychotherapy and psychosomatics·2004

This review article explores whether stress might be a root cause of fibromyalgia, a condition with widespread pain and fatigue that overlaps significantly with chronic fatigue syndrome. The authors examine how the body's stress response system works and how stress-related changes might lead to abnormal pain sensitivity and other fibromyalgia symptoms. They propose that fibromyalgia could be understood as a stress-related disorder involving both physical and psychological factors.

Sleep

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Validation of the three-factor model of the PSQI in a large sample of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) patients.

Sleep disorders, medical conditions, and road accident risk.

Fibromyalgia syndrome: a discussion of the syndrome and pharmacotherapy.

Validation of ECG-derived sleep architecture and ventilation in sleep apnea and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Power spectral analysis of sleep EEG in twins discordant for chronic fatigue syndrome.

The tired teen: A review of the assessment and management of the adolescent with sleepiness and fatigue.

Possible links between behavioral and physiological indices of tiredness, fatigue, and exhaustion in advanced cancer.

Possible mechanisms of the formation of chronic fatigue syndrome in the clinical picture of multiple sclerosis.

Cranial electrotherapy stimulation and fibromyalgia.

Violence, stress, and somatic syndromes.

The impact of a 4-hour sleep delay on slow wave activity in twins discordant for chronic fatigue syndrome.

[Fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome in children and adolescents].

[Sleep disturbance in chronic fatigue syndrome].

Brief and distinct empirical sleepiness and fatigue scales.

Efficacy of neurotropin in chronic fatigue syndrome: a case report.

The challenge of integrating disparate high-content data: epidemiological, clinical and laboratory data collected during an in-hospital study of chronic fatigue syndrome.

Magnesium depletion with hypo- or hyper- function of the biological clock may be involved in chronopathological forms of asthma.

Working under daylight intensity lamp: an occupational risk for developing circadian rhythm sleep disorder?

The effects of repeated thermal therapy for two patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Fibromyalgia: a stress disorder? Piecing the biopsychosocial puzzle together.

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