ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

2221–2240 of 6,160 studies

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredLongitudinal

Increased Risk of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Following Atopy: A Population-Based Study.

Yang, Tse-Yen, Kuo, Haung-Tsung, Chen, Hsuan-Ju et al.·Medicine·2015

This study tracked over 200,000 people for 4-6 years to see if allergies and atopic conditions (like asthma, eczema, and hay fever) increase the risk of developing ME/CFS. People with atopy were 1.5 times more likely to develop ME/CFS than those without atopy, and the risk was even higher for people with multiple atopic conditions. This suggests a possible link between the body's allergic responses and the development of ME/CFS.

Immune System

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 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 unclearCross-Sectional

Measuring substantial reductions in activity.

Schafer, Charles, Evans, Meredyth, Jason, Leonard A et al.·Journal of prevention & intervention in the community·2015

ME/CFS diagnosis requires showing a significant drop in daily activities, but doctors have struggled to measure this fairly. This study looked at different ways to measure activity levels—including work, quality of life surveys, and activity trackers—to find which method works best. The researchers found that tracking current work activities was the most useful way to show the substantial reduction in functioning that ME/CFS patients experience.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Pathway-focused genetic evaluation of immune and inflammation related genes with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Rajeevan, Mangalathu S, Dimulescu, Irina, Murray, Janna et al.·Human immunology·2015

Researchers compared the genes of 50 people with ME/CFS to 121 healthy people to look for differences in genes related to immune system and inflammation. They found 32 genetic differences associated with ME/CFS, particularly in genes controlling how the body's natural defense system works. These findings suggest that problems with immune activation may play a role in ME/CFS.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Cognitive dysfunction in adolescents with chronic fatigue: a cross-sectional study.

Sulheim, Dag, Fagermoen, Even, Sivertsen, Øyvind Stople et al.·Archives of disease in childhood·2015

This study compared thinking and memory skills in teenagers with chronic fatigue to healthy teenagers. Teenagers with chronic fatigue performed worse on tests of processing speed (how fast they could think), working memory (holding information in mind), and learning new information. These differences were not explained by depression, anxiety, or sleep problems alone.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

The effect of fatigue and fibromyalgia on sexual dysfunction in women with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Blazquez, Alicia, Ruiz, Eva, Aliste, Luisa et al.·Journal of sex & marital therapy·2015

This study examined sexual problems in 615 women with ME/CFS and found that sexual dysfunction was more common in those with worse fatigue, more cognitive and nervous system symptoms, and co-occurring conditions like fibromyalgia or Sjögren's syndrome. The researchers used a validated questionnaire to measure sexual satisfaction and identified patterns linking symptom severity to sexual health problems. This suggests that ME/CFS symptoms directly impact intimate relationships and sexual function.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Right arcuate fasciculus abnormality in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Zeineh, Michael M, Kang, James, Atlas, Scott W et al.·Radiology·2015

This study used advanced brain imaging to compare 15 ME/CFS patients with 14 healthy controls. Researchers found that ME/CFS patients had less white matter (the brain's communication pathways) overall, and specific changes in fiber structure on the right side of the brain. The severity of these brain changes correlated with how sick patients felt, suggesting this could be a measurable biological marker of the illness.

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 requiredCross-Sectional

Timed loaded standing in female chronic fatigue syndrome compared with other populations.

Eyskens, Jan B, Nijs, Jo, D'Août, Kristiaan et al.·Journal of rehabilitation research and development·2015

Researchers tested how long women with ME/CFS could hold small weights with their arms extended straight out—a test that measures muscle endurance in the arms and trunk. Women with ME/CFS performed significantly worse than healthy women and even worse than older women with osteoporosis, suggesting a specific weakness pattern in ME/CFS. This finding could help guide rehabilitation programs that focus on movement quality rather than just building strength.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Estimated herd prevalence and sequence types of Coxiella burnetii in bulk tank milk samples from commercial dairies in Indiana.

Bauer, Amy E, Olivas, Sonora, Cooper, Maria et al.·BMC veterinary research·2015

Researchers tested milk samples from 316 dairy farms in Indiana to see how common a bacterium called Coxiella burnetii is in cattle herds. This bacterium causes Q fever, which can lead to chronic fatigue in people. They found that over 61% of Indiana dairy herds had evidence of this bacterium in their milk, suggesting it is widespread among cattle.

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Mood and Anxiety Disorders in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, and Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Results From the LifeLines Cohort Study.

Janssens, Karin A M, Zijlema, Wilma L, Joustra, Monica L et al.·Psychosomatic medicine·2015

This study looked at how often mood and anxiety disorders occur in people with ME/CFS, fibromyalgia, and irritable bowel syndrome compared to people without these conditions. Researchers found that people with these syndromes do experience depression and anxiety more often than the general population, but most people with these conditions do not have a psychiatric disorder. ME/CFS patients had the highest rates of mood and anxiety problems among the three conditions studied.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Altered resting-state functional connectivity in women with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Kim, Byung-Hoon, Namkoong, Kee, Kim, Jae-Jin et al.·Psychiatry research·2015

This study used brain scans to examine how different regions of the brain communicate with each other in women with ME/CFS compared to healthy women. Researchers found that certain brain areas involved in attention and emotion showed increased communication in ME/CFS patients, and this increased activity was linked to symptom severity. Interestingly, the overall efficiency of brain network communication was reduced in people with ME/CFS, suggesting the brain may be working harder to accomplish its tasks.

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

E2 ModerateCohortPEM requiredObservational

Fatigue in adults with post-infectious fatigue syndrome: a qualitative content analysis.

Stormorken, Eva, Jason, Leonard A, Kirkevold, Marit·BMC nursing·2015

This study interviewed 26 adults with ME/CFS about their fatigue to better understand what they experience. The researchers found that fatigue in ME/CFS is not just tiredness—it's a complex, all-consuming symptom that gets much worse with even small activities and is accompanied by other symptoms like brain fog and pain. The fatigue also changes throughout the day and is triggered by physical activity, emotions, stress, and sometimes things patients don't even realize are triggering it.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Painful Bladder Filling and Painful Urgency are Distinct Characteristics in Men and Women with Urological Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndromes: A MAPP Research Network Study.

Lai, H Henry, Krieger, John N, Pontari, Michel A et al.·The Journal of urology·2015

This study looked at bladder pain patterns in people with chronic pelvic pain conditions. Researchers found that most patients experienced either pain when their bladder filled up or pain/pressure sensations when feeling the urge to urinate. People with these bladder symptoms also reported more severe pain, more frequent urges to urinate, depression, fatigue, and poorer quality of life compared to those without these specific bladder symptoms.

Pain and Sensitization

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

A comparison of patients with Q fever fatigue syndrome and patients with chronic fatigue syndrome with a focus on inflammatory markers and possible fatigue perpetuating cognitions and behaviour.

Keijmel, Stephan P, Saxe, Johanna, van der Meer, Jos W M et al.·Journal of psychosomatic research·2015

This study compared people with Q fever fatigue syndrome (a fatigue illness that develops after a specific infection) with people with ME/CFS to see if they were similar. Researchers found that both groups experienced similar levels of fatigue and emotional distress, but had some differences in their backgrounds and how they thought about their symptoms. The study suggests that physical activity might play a role in fatigue for both conditions, and that treatments focusing on behavior changes could potentially help people with Q fever fatigue syndrome.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Painful temporomandibular disorders are common in patients with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome and impact significantly upon quality of life.

Durham, Justin, McDonald, Claire, Hutchinson, Luke et al.·Journal of oral & facial pain and headache·2015

This study found that people with PoTS (a condition causing rapid heart rate when standing) often also have painful jaw disorders (TMD). Nearly half of the patients studied screened positive for TMD, and those with TMD reported that it significantly worsened their quality of life. The researchers suggest that doctors should routinely check for jaw pain in PoTS patients.

Autonomic Nervous System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Increased prevalence of two mitochondrial DNA polymorphisms in functional disease: Are we describing different parts of an energy-depleted elephant?

Boles, Richard G, Zaki, Essam A, Kerr, Jonathan R et al.·Mitochondrion·2015

This study found that two specific variations in mitochondrial DNA (the energy-producing structures in our cells) appear more frequently in people with ME/CFS and several other conditions that cause fatigue, pain, or dysfunction. The researchers looked at people with a particular genetic background and found that having one or both of these DNA variations was linked to increased risk of developing these conditions. This suggests these genetic variations may be a shared risk factor across multiple illnesses.

Energy Metabolism

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Slow wave sleep in the chronically fatigued: Power spectra distribution patterns in chronic fatigue syndrome and primary insomnia.

Neu, Daniel, Mairesse, Olivier, Verbanck, Paul et al.·Clinical neurophysiology : official journal of the International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology·2015

This study looked at the deepest, most restorative type of sleep in people with ME/CFS and primary insomnia to understand why both groups feel tired and don't feel rested despite sleeping. Researchers used special brain wave measurements during sleep and found that both groups had unusual patterns of very slow brain waves during deep sleep, even though they were getting normal or sometimes even extra amounts of deep sleep. The findings suggest that the problem may not be getting enough deep sleep, but rather that the quality or type of brain activity during that sleep is different.

Sleep

← Previous Next 20 studies →

Or browse by topic

PEM Immune Neuro Metabolic Biomarkers Severe ME Long COVID Cognitive

Evidence Atlas

Evidence browser

Increased Risk of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Following Atopy: A Population-Based Study.

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

[Mapping of function in chronic fatigue syndrome].

Measuring substantial reductions in activity.

Pathway-focused genetic evaluation of immune and inflammation related genes with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Cognitive dysfunction in adolescents with chronic fatigue: a cross-sectional study.

The effect of fatigue and fibromyalgia on sexual dysfunction in women with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Right arcuate fasciculus abnormality in chronic fatigue syndrome.

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

Timed loaded standing in female chronic fatigue syndrome compared with other populations.

Estimated herd prevalence and sequence types of Coxiella burnetii in bulk tank milk samples from commercial dairies in Indiana.

Mood and Anxiety Disorders in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, and Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Results From the LifeLines Cohort Study.

Altered resting-state functional connectivity in women with chronic fatigue syndrome.

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

Fatigue in adults with post-infectious fatigue syndrome: a qualitative content analysis.

Painful Bladder Filling and Painful Urgency are Distinct Characteristics in Men and Women with Urological Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndromes: A MAPP Research Network Study.

A comparison of patients with Q fever fatigue syndrome and patients with chronic fatigue syndrome with a focus on inflammatory markers and possible fatigue perpetuating cognitions and behaviour.

Painful temporomandibular disorders are common in patients with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome and impact significantly upon quality of life.

Increased prevalence of two mitochondrial DNA polymorphisms in functional disease: Are we describing different parts of an energy-depleted elephant?

Slow wave sleep in the chronically fatigued: Power spectra distribution patterns in chronic fatigue syndrome and primary insomnia.

Curated Collections

Neuroinflammation Evidence

Metabolism & Mitochondria

Biomarkers

PEM-Specific Research