ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

2481–2500 of 6,160 studies

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearLongitudinal

Longitudinal investigation of natural killer cells and cytokines in chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis.

Brenu, Ekua W, van Driel, Mieke L, Staines, Donald R et al.·Journal of translational medicine·2012

This study tracked immune system changes in 65 people with ME/CFS over one year, comparing them to 21 healthy controls. Researchers found that people with ME/CFS had consistently lower natural killer (NK) cell activity—immune cells that help fight infections—throughout the year. They also found changes in inflammatory molecules called cytokines that fluctuated at different time points.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredObservational

Predictors of Fatigue among Patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Jason, Leonard A, Brown, Molly, Evans, Meredyth et al.·Journal Of Human Behavior In The Social Environment·2012

This study asked ME/CFS patients to keep detailed activity logs to understand what triggers their fatigue. Researchers looked at what patients were doing, what they had been doing 30 minutes earlier, and their fatigue levels to find patterns. The study suggests that tracking daily activities can help doctors and patients see which activities are most connected to fatigue flare-ups.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Cerebral blood flow is reduced in chronic fatigue syndrome as assessed by arterial spin labeling.

Biswal, Bharat, Kunwar, Pratap, Natelson, Benjamin H·Journal of the neurological sciences·2011

Researchers used a brain imaging technique called arterial spin labeling to measure blood flow in the brains of 11 ME/CFS patients and 10 healthy people. They found that ME/CFS patients as a group had significantly lower blood flow to their brains compared to healthy controls, though this pattern wasn't universal—some patients showed normal or even slightly increased blood flow. This suggests that reduced brain blood flow may be one physical feature of ME/CFS, though it doesn't affect all patients in the same way.

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredObservational

Therapist effects in routine psychotherapy practice: an account from chronic fatigue syndrome.

Cella, Matteo, Stahl, Daniel, Reme, Silje Endresen et al.·Psychotherapy research : journal of the Society for Psychotherapy Research·2011

This study looked at whether it matters which therapist treats patients with ME/CFS when they receive cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Researchers tracked 374 ME/CFS patients treated by 12 different therapists in a specialized clinic and measured changes in fatigue and disability. They found that while patients improved overall, the individual therapist made almost no difference in outcomes—the patients' improvements were similar regardless of which qualified therapist treated them.

Interventions

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

[The role of depression in cognitive impairment in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome].

Santamarina-Pérez, Pilar, Freniche, Verónica, Eiroa-Orosa, Francisco Jose et al.·Medicina clinica·2011

This study tested whether depression explains the thinking and memory problems that people with ME/CFS experience. Researchers gave 57 women with ME/CFS a variety of cognitive tests measuring attention, memory, and processing speed, then compared results between those with and without depression. The findings showed that cognitive problems were present in ME/CFS patients regardless of whether they had depression, suggesting that the brain fog and thinking difficulties are part of ME/CFS itself, not caused by depression.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Personality and chronic fatigue syndrome: The role of the five-factor model.

Besharat, Mohammad Ali, Behpajooh, Ahmad, Poursharifi, Hamid et al.·Asian journal of psychiatry·2011

This study looked at whether personality traits are connected to fatigue in people with ME/CFS. Researchers compared 77 people with ME/CFS to 72 healthy people and found that those with ME/CFS tended to score higher on two personality traits: neuroticism (tendency to experience negative emotions) and conscientiousness (tendency to be organized and responsible). Both of these traits were linked to how severe their fatigue symptoms were.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Detection of antinuclear antibodies by indirect immunofluorescence and by solid phase assay.

Op De Beeck, Katrijn, Vermeersch, Pieter, Verschueren, Patrick et al.·Autoimmunity reviews·2011

This study compared two different blood tests for detecting antinuclear antibodies (proteins the immune system sometimes makes against the body's own cells). Researchers tested these methods in people with autoimmune diseases, healthy people, ME/CFS patients, and other disease controls. The newer solid phase test was better at correctly identifying people with certain autoimmune diseases, though both tests rarely showed false positives in ME/CFS patients.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Absence of XMRV retrovirus and other murine leukemia virus-related viruses in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Shin, Clifford H, Bateman, Lucinda, Schlaberg, Robert et al.·Journal of virology·2011

This study investigated whether a virus called XMRV or related viruses might cause ME/CFS by testing blood samples from 100 ME/CFS patients and 200 healthy volunteers. The researchers used multiple methods to look for the virus itself, genetic material, and antibodies to the virus. They found no evidence of these viruses in any of the patient samples, suggesting they are not responsible for ME/CFS.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Symptom fluctuations and daily physical activity in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome: a case-control study.

Meeus, Mira, van Eupen, Inge, van Baarle, Ellen et al.·Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation·2011

This study tracked physical activity and daily symptoms in 67 women with ME/CFS compared to healthy women who were not very active. Researchers found that ME/CFS patients were generally less active overall, but surprisingly, on days when patients were more active, they experienced more symptoms and greater symptom fluctuations the same day and the next day. Conversely, patients had fewer symptom changes on days when they stayed more sedentary and spread their limited activity throughout the day.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredObservational

Toxicokinetics of mercury after long-term repeated exposure to thimerosal-containing vaccine.

Barregard, Lars, Rekić, Dinko, Horvat, Milena et al.·Toxicological sciences : an official journal of the Society of Toxicology·2011

This study looked at whether mercury from a vaccine preservative (thimerosal) builds up in the blood of adults receiving repeated vaccine injections over weeks. Researchers found that while mercury levels briefly increased 1 day after each injection, they returned to normal within a few weeks and did not accumulate over time. The mercury was cleared from the body relatively quickly, similar to how the body handles other forms of mercury.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Deviations in daily physical activity patterns in patients with the chronic fatigue syndrome: a case control study.

Evering, Richard M H, Tönis, Thijs M, Vollenbroek-Hutten, Miriam M R·Journal of psychosomatic research·2011

This study looked at how people with ME/CFS move and exercise throughout the day compared to healthy people, using motion-tracking devices. Researchers found that ME/CFS patients are less active in the afternoon and evening, do fewer intense activities, and experience more unpredictable activity patterns day-to-day. Interestingly, ME/CFS patients were also more aware of their activity levels than healthy controls.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

The functional status and well being of people with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome and their carers.

Nacul, Luis C, Lacerda, Eliana M, Campion, Peter et al.·BMC public health·2011

This study measured how ME/CFS affects daily life and well-being in 170 patients and 44 family caregivers. Using a standard health questionnaire, researchers found that ME/CFS causes severe disability—worse than many other chronic illnesses like cancer—affecting both physical abilities and mental health. The emotional burden also significantly impacts the family members and caregivers who support people with ME/CFS.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearObservational

No evidence of XMRV in prostate cancer cohorts in the Midwestern United States.

Sakuma, Toshie, Hué, Stéphane, Squillace, Karen A et al.·Retrovirology·2011

Researchers tested prostate tissue and blood samples from men with and without prostate cancer to see if a virus called XMRV was present. They found a few samples that tested positive, but further investigation showed these were likely contaminated with mouse DNA from the laboratory rather than real virus. The study found no strong evidence that XMRV is actually infecting people's prostate tissue or blood.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

IgM-mediated autoimmune responses directed against multiple neoepitopes in depression: new pathways that underpin the inflammatory and neuroprogressive pathophysiology.

Maes, Michael, Mihaylova, Ivana, Kubera, Marta et al.·Journal of affective disorders·2011

This study looked at whether depression involves the immune system attacking the body's own molecules that have been damaged by stress and inflammation. Researchers compared antibody levels in 26 depressed patients and 17 healthy controls, finding that depressed patients had significantly higher levels of immune proteins attacking several molecular targets. These autoimmune responses were linked to fatigue and flu-like symptoms, suggesting a biological pathway that may connect depression, immune dysfunction, and physical exhaustion.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredObservational

[A study of median frequencies of skeletal muscle undergoing Tuina intervention in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome].

Liu, Kun-peng, Fang, Min, Dai, De-chun et al.·Zhong xi yi jie he xue bao = Journal of Chinese integrative medicine·2011

This study looked at whether a Chinese massage technique called Tuina could help people with ME/CFS by measuring muscle electrical activity and fatigue levels. Thirty-two CFS patients received 20 days of Tuina treatment, and researchers found that the treatment reduced fatigue symptoms on a standard questionnaire, though the electrical patterns in muscles did not change noticeably.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearObservational

No detection of XMRV in blood samples and tissue sections from prostate cancer patients in Northern Europe.

Stieler, Kristin, Schindler, Sarah, Schlomm, Thorsten et al.·PloS one·2011

Researchers tested blood samples and tissue samples from prostate cancer patients to look for XMRV, a virus that had been claimed to be found in some chronic fatigue syndrome patients. Using multiple testing methods, they found no clear evidence that XMRV was present in the blood or cancer tissues they examined. This study helps clarify whether XMRV is actually linked to disease or if earlier findings might have been false alarms.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Assessment of a 44 gene classifier for the evaluation of chronic fatigue syndrome from peripheral blood mononuclear cell gene expression.

Frampton, Daniel, Kerr, Jonathan, Harrison, Tim J et al.·PloS one·2011

Researchers tested whether 44 genes could be used together to diagnose ME/CFS by measuring their activity in blood samples from patients and healthy people. While the combination of genes worked well when tested on the original group, it failed when applied to a new group of patients, correctly identifying only about two-thirds of cases. This suggests that a simple blood test using these genes is not yet ready for diagnosing ME/CFS in everyday medical practice.

Biomarkers

E2 ModerateCohortPEM requiredLongitudinal

A natural history study of chronic fatigue syndrome.

Jason, Leonard A, Porter, Nicole, Hunnell, Jessica et al.·Rehabilitation psychology·2011

This 10-year study followed 32 people from the community who had been diagnosed with ME/CFS to see how their condition changed over time. Researchers found that most people with ME/CFS remained quite ill, though a few improved or developed other conditions. A key symptom called post-exertional malaise—where physical activity makes symptoms much worse—was the best marker that distinguished people with ME/CFS from others.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

The retrovirus XMRV is not directly involved in the pathogenesis of common types of lymphoid malignancy.

Waugh, Elspeth M, Jarrett, Ruth F, Shield, Lesley et al.·Cancer epidemiology, biomarkers & prevention : a publication of the American Association for Cancer Research, cosponsored by the American Society of Preventive Oncology·2011

Researchers tested whether a virus called XMRV, which had been found in some ME/CFS patients, might cause blood cancers like lymphoma and leukemia. They checked blood samples from 368 patients with these cancers and 507 control samples using three different sensitive tests. The virus was not found in any cancer patient samples, suggesting XMRV is not a major cause of these blood cancers.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredObservational

The effect of exercise cessation on non-articular tenderness measures and quality of life in well-trained athletes.

Zeller, Lior, Abu-Shakra, Mahmoud, Weitzman, Dahlia et al.·The Israel Medical Association journal : IMAJ·2011

This study looked at what happens to healthy athletes when they stop exercising for just one week. Researchers found that after 7 days without exercise, athletes developed increased body tenderness (similar to fibromyalgia pain) and reported lower quality of life. The findings suggest that lack of exercise might trigger symptoms similar to those seen in chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia.

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Longitudinal investigation of natural killer cells and cytokines in chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis.

Predictors of Fatigue among Patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Cerebral blood flow is reduced in chronic fatigue syndrome as assessed by arterial spin labeling.

Therapist effects in routine psychotherapy practice: an account from chronic fatigue syndrome.

[The role of depression in cognitive impairment in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome].

Personality and chronic fatigue syndrome: The role of the five-factor model.

Detection of antinuclear antibodies by indirect immunofluorescence and by solid phase assay.

Absence of XMRV retrovirus and other murine leukemia virus-related viruses in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Symptom fluctuations and daily physical activity in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome: a case-control study.

Toxicokinetics of mercury after long-term repeated exposure to thimerosal-containing vaccine.

Deviations in daily physical activity patterns in patients with the chronic fatigue syndrome: a case control study.

The functional status and well being of people with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome and their carers.

No evidence of XMRV in prostate cancer cohorts in the Midwestern United States.

IgM-mediated autoimmune responses directed against multiple neoepitopes in depression: new pathways that underpin the inflammatory and neuroprogressive pathophysiology.

[A study of median frequencies of skeletal muscle undergoing Tuina intervention in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome].

No detection of XMRV in blood samples and tissue sections from prostate cancer patients in Northern Europe.

Assessment of a 44 gene classifier for the evaluation of chronic fatigue syndrome from peripheral blood mononuclear cell gene expression.

A natural history study of chronic fatigue syndrome.

The retrovirus XMRV is not directly involved in the pathogenesis of common types of lymphoid malignancy.

The effect of exercise cessation on non-articular tenderness measures and quality of life in well-trained athletes.

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