ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

2241–2260 of 6,188 studies

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 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 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

Chronic multisymptom illness among female Veterans deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan.

Mohanty, April F, Muthukutty, Anusha, Carter, Marjorie E et al.·Medical care·2015

This study looked at how common chronic multisymptom illnesses—including chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, and irritable bowel syndrome—are among female veterans who deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. Researchers found that these conditions were more than twice as common in this group compared to other female veterans. The study suggests that deployment experiences may play a role in developing these illnesses.

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

The Preinterventional Psychiatric History as a Major Predictor for a Reduced Quality of Life After Treatment of Unruptured Intracranial Aneurysms.

Fontana, Johann, Wenz, Ralf, Groden, Christoph et al.·World neurosurgery·2015

This study looked at patients who had surgery for unruptured brain aneurysms (weak blood vessel spots in the brain that hadn't bled yet) and compared them to patients who had surgery for brain tumors. The researchers found that patients with a history of psychiatric conditions before surgery reported worse quality of life and more chronic fatigue symptoms after surgery, but when they removed those patients from the analysis, the differences went away. This suggests that pre-existing mental health conditions, not the aneurysm or surgery itself, may explain poor outcomes.

Sleep

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredLongitudinal

Maternal and childhood psychological factors predict chronic disabling fatigue at age 13 years.

Collin, Simon M, Tilling, Kate, Joinson, Carol et al.·The Journal of adolescent health : official publication of the Society for Adolescent Medicine·2015

This study followed over 5,600 children from birth to age 13 to see whether mothers' anxiety and depression, and children's own psychological stress, were linked to severe, disabling fatigue in early adolescence. Researchers found that children whose mothers experienced anxiety or depression during pregnancy and early childhood had a higher risk of developing chronic fatigue at age 13. The findings suggest that family-based approaches to treatment may be important for children with disabling fatigue.

E2 ModerateReviewPEM not requiredMeta-Analysis

The rs3771863 single nucleotide polymorphism of the TACR1 gene is associated to a lower risk of sicca syndrome in fibromyalgia patients.

Rodriguez-Rodriguez, Luis, Ramón Lamas, Jose, Abásolo, Lydia et al.·Clinical and experimental rheumatology·2015

This study examined whether genetic variations in a gene called TACR1 might affect which fibromyalgia patients develop dry mouth and eyes (sicca syndrome). Researchers tested 564 fibromyalgia patients for specific genetic markers and then checked their findings in a second group of 397 patients. They found that people carrying a particular genetic variant had lower chances of developing sicca syndrome alongside their fibromyalgia.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Evidence in chronic fatigue syndrome for severity-dependent upregulation of prefrontal myelination that is independent of anxiety and depression.

Barnden, Leighton R, Crouch, Benjamin, Kwiatek, Richard et al.·NMR in biomedicine·2015

This study used advanced brain imaging (MRI scans) to examine white matter—the brain's communication wiring—in 25 people with ME/CFS and compared them to 25 healthy controls. The researchers found that in people with more severe ME/CFS, certain areas of the brain showed signs of increased myelination (the protective coating around nerve fibers), particularly in the prefrontal region. Importantly, these brain changes appeared to be distinct from depression and anxiety, suggesting ME/CFS involves unique brain differences.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Relationship between chronic nonurological associated somatic syndromes and symptom severity in urological chronic pelvic pain syndromes: baseline evaluation of the MAPP study.

Krieger, John N, Stephens, Alisa J, Landis, J Richard et al.·The Journal of urology·2015

This study looked at people with chronic pelvic pain conditions and found that many of them also had other chronic illnesses like fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome, or chronic fatigue syndrome. People who had both pelvic pain and these other conditions reported more severe symptoms and higher rates of depression and anxiety. The researchers found this pattern was more common in women than in men.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Cardiac dysfunction and orthostatic intolerance in patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis and a small left ventricle.

Miwa, Kunihisa·Heart and vessels·2015

This study looked at heart function in 40 ME/CFS patients compared to 40 healthy people. Researchers found that ME/CFS patients frequently had smaller hearts and difficulty standing up without dizziness or other symptoms (orthostatic intolerance). The smaller heart size appeared to pump less blood with each beat, which may explain why patients struggle with upright posture and fatigue.

Autonomic Nervous System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Sympathetic activation is associated with increased IL-6, but not CRP in the absence of obesity: lessons from postural tachycardia syndrome and obesity.

Okamoto, Luis E, Raj, Satish R, Gamboa, Alfredo et al.·American journal of physiology. Heart and circulatory physiology·2015

This study looked at how an overactive nervous system relates to inflammation in the body. Researchers compared people with POTS (a condition causing increased heart rate when standing) to healthy controls, both lean and obese. They found that an overactive nervous system was linked to higher levels of IL-6, a marker of inflammation, even in people without obesity—but only obesity combined with nervous system overactivity produced high CRP, another inflammation marker.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Response to vitamin B12 and folic acid in myalgic encephalomyelitis and fibromyalgia.

Regland, Björn, Forsmark, Sara, Halaouate, Lena et al.·PloS one·2015

This study looked at 38 ME/CFS patients who were receiving vitamin B12 injections and oral folic acid to see how well this treatment worked for them. Patients who improved the most received more frequent injections at higher doses, took more folic acid, and were less likely to use strong pain medications like opioids. The researchers found that this treatment combination showed real benefits for some patients, particularly when carefully matched to individual needs.

Interventions

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredObservational

Maintenance of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) in Young CFS Patients Is Associated with the 5-HTTLPR and SNP rs25531 A > G Genotype.

Meyer, Benedicte, Nguyen, Chinh Bkrong Thuy, Moen, Aurora et al.·PloS one·2015

This study looked at whether differences in a specific gene related to serotonin (a brain chemical) might affect how severe ME/CFS stays in young patients. Researchers found that teenagers with certain versions of this gene had worse physical activity levels and greater disability 30 weeks later compared to those with other versions. This suggests that your genes may play a role in whether your ME/CFS improves or stays the same.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Cytokine expression provides clues to the pathophysiology of Gulf War illness and myalgic encephalomyelitis.

Khaiboullina, Svetlana F, DeMeirleir, Kenny L, Rawat, Shanti et al.·Cytokine·2015

This study looked at chemical messengers in the blood called cytokines to understand Gulf War illness (GWI) and ME/CFS better. Researchers found that certain cytokines could identify ME/CFS patients very well, but were less reliable for GWI patients. The findings suggest that while GWI and ME/CFS share many similar symptoms, they may have different underlying immune system problems.

BiomarkersImmune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Health related quality of life in adolescents with chronic fatigue syndrome: a cross-sectional study.

Winger, Anette, Kvarstein, Gunnvald, Wyller, Vegard Bruun et al.·Health and quality of life outcomes·2015

This study compared quality of life in 120 teenagers with ME/CFS to 39 healthy teenagers. Teens with ME/CFS reported significantly worse quality of life overall—44 points lower on a 0-100 scale. The biggest problems were physical health impacts and difficulty with school, which were much more affected than other areas of life.

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 not requiredCross-Sectional

Functional level of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome reporting use of alternative vs. traditional treatments.

Wise, Shelby, Jantke, Rachel, Brown, Abigail et al.·Fatigue : biomedicine, health & behavior·2015

This study looked at 97 ME/CFS patients to compare how well they were functioning based on the treatments they used. Patients were divided into three groups: those using only complementary/alternative medicine (CAM), those using only traditional medicine, and those using both. The study found that patients using CAM alone had better social functioning and fewer psychiatric diagnoses compared to the other groups.

Interventions

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearLongitudinal

Longitudinal analysis of immune abnormalities in varying severities of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis patients.

Hardcastle, Sharni Lee, Brenu, Ekua Weba, Johnston, Samantha et al.·Journal of translational medicine·2015

This study tracked immune system changes in 42 ME/CFS patients (divided into moderate and severe groups) and 18 healthy controls over 6 months. Researchers used blood tests to count different types of immune cells. They found that people with severe ME/CFS had noticeably different immune cell patterns than those with moderate ME/CFS or healthy controls, suggesting the immune system may work differently depending on how severe the illness is.

BiomarkersImmune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Early menopause and other gynecologic risk indicators for chronic fatigue syndrome in women.

Boneva, Roumiana S, Lin, Jin-Mann S, Unger, Elizabeth R·Menopause (New York, N.Y.)·2015

This study looked at whether gynecological conditions—like irregular periods, endometriosis, and early menopause—are more common in women with ME/CFS compared to healthy women. Researchers found that women with ME/CFS reported significantly more gynecological problems and surgeries, including hysterectomies (removal of the uterus) performed at younger ages. The findings suggest that gynecological issues may be connected to ME/CFS, though more research is needed to understand exactly how.

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.

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

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

Altered resting brain connectivity in persistent cancer related fatigue.

Chronic multisymptom illness among female Veterans deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Preinterventional Psychiatric History as a Major Predictor for a Reduced Quality of Life After Treatment of Unruptured Intracranial Aneurysms.

Maternal and childhood psychological factors predict chronic disabling fatigue at age 13 years.

The rs3771863 single nucleotide polymorphism of the TACR1 gene is associated to a lower risk of sicca syndrome in fibromyalgia patients.

Evidence in chronic fatigue syndrome for severity-dependent upregulation of prefrontal myelination that is independent of anxiety and depression.

Relationship between chronic nonurological associated somatic syndromes and symptom severity in urological chronic pelvic pain syndromes: baseline evaluation of the MAPP study.

Cardiac dysfunction and orthostatic intolerance in patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis and a small left ventricle.

Sympathetic activation is associated with increased IL-6, but not CRP in the absence of obesity: lessons from postural tachycardia syndrome and obesity.

Response to vitamin B12 and folic acid in myalgic encephalomyelitis and fibromyalgia.

Maintenance of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) in Young CFS Patients Is Associated with the 5-HTTLPR and SNP rs25531 A > G Genotype.

Cytokine expression provides clues to the pathophysiology of Gulf War illness and myalgic encephalomyelitis.

Health related quality of life in adolescents with chronic fatigue syndrome: a cross-sectional study.

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

Functional level of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome reporting use of alternative vs. traditional treatments.

Longitudinal analysis of immune abnormalities in varying severities of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis patients.

Early menopause and other gynecologic risk indicators for chronic fatigue syndrome in women.

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.

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