ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

2321–2340 of 6,160 studies

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Patterns of abnormal visual attention in myalgic encephalomyelitis.

Hutchinson, Claire V, Badham, Stephen P·Optometry and vision science : official publication of the American Academy of Optometry·2013

This study tested whether people with ME/CFS have difficulty with visual attention—the ability to focus on and track things they see. Researchers compared 29 patients with ME/CFS to 29 healthy people using eye-tracking tests. The results showed that ME/CFS patients did struggle more with certain types of visual attention tasks, particularly when they had to focus on specific things or search for objects, supporting what many patients report experiencing.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCase-Control

Prevalence of DSM-IV personality disorders in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome: a controlled study.

Kempke, Stefan, Van Den Eede, Filip, Schotte, Chris et al.·International journal of behavioral medicine·2013

This study tested whether people with ME/CFS have more personality disorders than the general population. Researchers gave 92 women with ME/CFS and two comparison groups (92 community members and 92 psychiatric patients) a questionnaire about personality traits. The results showed that ME/CFS patients had personality disorder rates similar to healthy people, not higher rates, though they did show some depressive and obsessive-compulsive traits.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredObservational

Chronic fatigue syndrome 5 years after giardiasis: differential diagnoses, characteristics and natural course.

Mørch, Kristine, Hanevik, Kurt, Rivenes, Ann C et al.·BMC gastroenterology·2013

After a water contamination outbreak in Norway, researchers followed people who developed severe tiredness following a Giardia intestinal infection. Five years after infection, they found that about 41% of patients still had chronic fatigue syndrome, while about 21% had recovered completely. The study also identified other conditions like sleep problems and depression that sometimes occur alongside post-infectious fatigue.

Diagnostics

E2 ModerateDiagnosticPEM not requiredMethods-Paper

Detection of antinuclear antibodies by automated indirect immunofluorescence analysis.

Bossuyt, Xavier, Cooreman, Sarah, De Baere, Heidi et al.·Clinica chimica acta; international journal of clinical chemistry·2013

This study tested an automated machine to detect antinuclear antibodies (ANA)—proteins the immune system sometimes makes that can be seen in blood tests. Researchers compared how well this automated system worked compared to traditional methods, using blood samples from people with autoimmune diseases, healthy donors, people with chronic fatigue syndrome, and other patient groups. The machine was good at collecting images but had difficulty identifying the specific patterns of these antibodies accurately.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Relationship between autonomic cardiovascular control, case definition, clinical symptoms, and functional disability in adolescent chronic fatigue syndrome: an exploratory study.

Wyller, Vegard B, Helland, Ingrid B·BioPsychoSocial medicine·2013

This study looked at how the nervous system controls heart rate in teenagers with ME/CFS and how this relates to their symptoms and disability. Researchers tested 38 teenagers using a tilt test (lying flat then tilting upright) while measuring heart rate changes, and asked them about their symptoms. They found that disability in ME/CFS comes from multiple symptoms—not just fatigue—and that problems with heart rate control are linked to certain symptoms like brain fog and sensitivity to stimulation.

Autonomic Nervous SystemCognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Undiagnosed and comorbid disorders in patients with presumed chronic fatigue syndrome.

Mariman, An, Delesie, Liesbeth, Tobback, Els et al.·Journal of psychosomatic research·2013

Researchers studied nearly 280 patients who came to a specialized clinic thinking they had ME/CFS, and gave them thorough medical, sleep, and mental health assessments. They found that only about 23% actually had clear-cut ME/CFS; most others had sleep problems like sleep apnea, depression or anxiety, or a combination of these conditions. This suggests that when people feel persistently exhausted, many different medical and mental health issues could be the real cause.

Diagnostics

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Medical comorbidities in patients with psychogenic nonepileptic spells (PNES) referred for video-EEG monitoring.

Dixit, Ronak, Popescu, Alexandra, Bagić, Anto et al.·Epilepsy & behavior : E&B·2013

This study looked at 280 patients seen at a hospital epilepsy unit to understand what health conditions are more common in people with psychogenic nonepileptic spells (PNES)—seizure-like episodes that aren't caused by epilepsy—compared to those with actual epilepsy. They found that patients with PNES were more likely to be female, have a history of trauma, and experience conditions like fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, chronic pain, and irritable bowel syndrome. The researchers suggest these patterns might help doctors identify PNES earlier and order the right tests sooner.

Diagnostics

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

The role of neuroticism, perfectionism and depression in chronic fatigue syndrome. A structural equation modeling approach.

Valero, Sergi, Sáez-Francàs, Naia, Calvo, Natalia et al.·Comprehensive psychiatry·2013

This study examined whether personality traits and depression influence how severe ME/CFS symptoms are in patients. Researchers looked at 229 ME/CFS patients and tested whether neuroticism (a tendency toward negative emotions) and perfectionism affect fatigue severity, and whether depression acts as a connecting link between these traits and fatigue. They found that neuroticism appears to influence fatigue severity primarily through depression—meaning people with high neuroticism tend to develop depression, which then worsens fatigue.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Human endogenous retrovirus-K18 superantigen expression and human herpesvirus-6 and human herpesvirus-7 viral loads in chronic fatigue patients.

Oakes, Brendan, Hoagland-Henefield, Matthias, Komaroff, Anthony L et al.·Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America·2013

Researchers tested whether two common viruses (HHV-6 and HHV-7) and a genetic element called HERV-K18 were present at higher levels in people with ME/CFS compared to healthy controls. They measured these in blood and saliva samples from 39 ME/CFS patients and 9 healthy people. They found no significant differences between the two groups, and these markers did not correlate with how severe patients' symptoms were.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Epitopes of microbial and human heat shock protein 60 and their recognition in myalgic encephalomyelitis.

Elfaitouri, Amal, Herrmann, Björn, Bölin-Wiener, Agnes et al.·PloS one·2013

This study looked at whether ME/CFS patients have different immune responses to heat shock protein 60 (HSP60), a protein found in both human cells and bacteria. Researchers tested blood samples from ME/CFS patients and healthy people, finding that some ME/CFS patients had specific antibodies against a bacterial version of this protein. This suggests that a past infection might trigger the immune system to attack proteins in the body, which could contribute to ME/CFS.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Cognitive performance is of clinical importance, but is unrelated to pain severity in women with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Ickmans, Kelly, Meeus, Mira, Kos, Daphne et al.·Clinical rheumatology·2013

This study looked at whether cognitive problems (thinking, memory, attention) in women with ME/CFS are related to pain severity. Researchers gave cognitive tests and questionnaires to 29 women with ME/CFS and 17 healthy women. They found that cognitive problems were NOT linked to pain levels, but were connected to fatigue and mental health, suggesting that cognitive difficulties in ME/CFS may work differently than in other chronic pain conditions.

Pain and SensitizationCognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Chronic fatigue and personality: a twin study of causal pathways and shared liabilities.

Poeschla, Brian, Strachan, Eric, Dansie, Elizabeth et al.·Annals of behavioral medicine : a publication of the Society of Behavioral Medicine·2013

This study looked at whether personality traits like emotional stability and sociability are connected to chronic fatigue and ME/CFS. Researchers studied 245 pairs of twins and found that people who are more emotionally unstable tend to have more chronic fatigue, while people who are less outgoing also experience more fatigue. Interestingly, emotional instability and fatigue appear to be linked through shared genes, but low sociability may actually contribute to fatigue in a way that works both directions.

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Long-term parental unemployment in childhood and subsequent chronic fatigue syndrome.

Fuller-Thomson, Esme, Mehta, Rukshan, Sulman, Joanne·ISRN family medicine·2013

This study looked at whether having a parent who was unemployed for a long time during childhood is connected to developing ME/CFS later in life. Researchers surveyed over 7,000 Canadian women and found that those who experienced parental unemployment in childhood were about 3 times more likely to have ME/CFS as adults, even after accounting for other life challenges and health factors.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredLongitudinal

Daily cytokine fluctuations, driven by leptin, are associated with fatigue severity in chronic fatigue syndrome: evidence of inflammatory pathology.

Stringer, Elizabeth Ann, Baker, Katharine Susanne, Carroll, Ian R et al.·Journal of translational medicine·2013

This study tracked blood samples and fatigue reports from 10 people with ME/CFS and 10 healthy people over 25 days. Researchers found that a hormone called leptin—which controls hunger and immune function—was linked to daily changes in fatigue severity in people with ME/CFS. A computer program analyzing all measured immune markers could correctly identify high fatigue days versus low fatigue days about 78% of the time, suggesting the immune system plays a real role in ME/CFS symptoms.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Health-related quality of life in patients with interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome and frequently associated comorbidities.

Suskind, Anne M, Berry, Sandra H, Suttorp, Marika J et al.·Quality of life research : an international journal of quality of life aspects of treatment, care and rehabilitation·2013

This study looked at how chronic conditions—including fibromyalgia, ME/CFS, and irritable bowel syndrome—affect quality of life in women with bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS). Researchers surveyed 276 women and found that fibromyalgia and IBS were linked to significantly worse physical and mental health outcomes, while ME/CFS showed no significant association. The findings suggest that treating bladder pain syndrome effectively requires addressing other conditions a patient may have.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

The Central Sensitization Inventory (CSI): establishing clinically significant values for identifying central sensitivity syndromes in an outpatient chronic pain sample.

Neblett, Randy, Cohen, Howard, Choi, YunHee et al.·The journal of pain·2013

This study tested a questionnaire called the Central Sensitization Inventory (CSI) to see if it could help doctors identify patients with conditions like ME/CFS, fibromyalgia, and irritable bowel syndrome. Researchers believe these conditions may share a common cause: the nervous system becoming overly sensitive to pain and other stimuli. The study found that a CSI score of 40 or higher was a good way to identify patients with these central sensitivity syndromes.

Pain and Sensitization

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredLongitudinal

Internet-based therapy for adolescents with chronic fatigue syndrome: long-term follow-up.

Nijhof, Sanne L, Priesterbach, Loudy P, Uiterwaal, Cuno S P M et al.·Pediatrics·2013

This study followed adolescents with ME/CFS for nearly 3 years after they completed an internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy program called FITNET. About 59% of teenagers had recovered from their illness by the end of the follow-up period, and most of those who improved right after treatment stayed better. Interestingly, teens who received standard care also recovered at similar rates over time, though it took longer.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Multiscale analysis of heart rate variability in non-stationary environments.

Gao, Jianbo, Gurbaxani, Brian M, Hu, Jing et al.·Frontiers in physiology·2013

This study looked at how the heart rate patterns of people with ME/CFS differ from healthy people, especially when they're under stress. Researchers used advanced computer methods to analyze heart rate data collected during a social stress test. They found that before the stress test, people with ME/CFS had noticeably different heart rate patterns than healthy controls, but these differences became smaller during the stress test itself.

Biomarkers

E2 ModerateCohortPEM requiredObservational

Paediatric chronic fatigue syndrome: complex presentations and protracted time to diagnosis.

Knight, Sarah, Harvey, Adrienne, Lubitz, Lionel et al.·Journal of paediatrics and child health·2013

This study looked at 59 young people (average age 15) diagnosed with ME/CFS at a specialist clinic in Australia to understand how the illness affects them and how long it takes to get diagnosed. Researchers found that young people typically wait over a year after their symptoms start before getting a diagnosis, and most experience significant problems with school attendance and daily activities. The most common symptoms included extreme tiredness, sleep problems, pain, and difficulty thinking clearly.

Diagnostics

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Depression in paediatric chronic fatigue syndrome.

Bould, Helen, Collin, Simon M, Lewis, Glyn et al.·Archives of disease in childhood·2013

This study looked at how many young people with ME/CFS also experience depression. Researchers surveyed 542 children aged 12-18 and found that about 29% had depression—much higher than in the general population. Depression was more common in those with worse physical symptoms, higher disability, more pain, and poorer school attendance.

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Patterns of abnormal visual attention in myalgic encephalomyelitis.

Prevalence of DSM-IV personality disorders in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome: a controlled study.

Chronic fatigue syndrome 5 years after giardiasis: differential diagnoses, characteristics and natural course.

Detection of antinuclear antibodies by automated indirect immunofluorescence analysis.

Relationship between autonomic cardiovascular control, case definition, clinical symptoms, and functional disability in adolescent chronic fatigue syndrome: an exploratory study.

Undiagnosed and comorbid disorders in patients with presumed chronic fatigue syndrome.

Medical comorbidities in patients with psychogenic nonepileptic spells (PNES) referred for video-EEG monitoring.

The role of neuroticism, perfectionism and depression in chronic fatigue syndrome. A structural equation modeling approach.

Human endogenous retrovirus-K18 superantigen expression and human herpesvirus-6 and human herpesvirus-7 viral loads in chronic fatigue patients.

Epitopes of microbial and human heat shock protein 60 and their recognition in myalgic encephalomyelitis.

Cognitive performance is of clinical importance, but is unrelated to pain severity in women with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Chronic fatigue and personality: a twin study of causal pathways and shared liabilities.

Long-term parental unemployment in childhood and subsequent chronic fatigue syndrome.

Daily cytokine fluctuations, driven by leptin, are associated with fatigue severity in chronic fatigue syndrome: evidence of inflammatory pathology.

Health-related quality of life in patients with interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome and frequently associated comorbidities.

The Central Sensitization Inventory (CSI): establishing clinically significant values for identifying central sensitivity syndromes in an outpatient chronic pain sample.

Internet-based therapy for adolescents with chronic fatigue syndrome: long-term follow-up.

Multiscale analysis of heart rate variability in non-stationary environments.

Paediatric chronic fatigue syndrome: complex presentations and protracted time to diagnosis.

Depression in paediatric chronic fatigue syndrome.

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