ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

2521–2540 of 6,160 studies

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredLongitudinal

Childhood maltreatment and the response to cognitive behavior therapy for chronic fatigue syndrome.

Heins, Marianne J, Knoop, Hans, Lobbestael, Jill et al.·Journal of psychosomatic research·2011

This study looked at whether people with ME/CFS who experienced abuse or neglect as children respond differently to cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) than those without such histories. Researchers followed 216 patients with ME/CFS who received CBT and found that both groups improved similarly with treatment. However, patients with childhood maltreatment histories still had more disability and emotional distress even after CBT.

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredLongitudinal

Fatigue, depressive symptoms, and anxiety from adolescence up to young adulthood: a longitudinal study.

ter Wolbeek, Maike, van Doornen, Lorenz J P, Kavelaars, Annemieke et al.·Brain, behavior, and immunity·2011

This study followed 633 teenage girls for 4.5 years to understand what causes fatigue and ME/CFS-like symptoms in young adulthood. Researchers found that fatigue, depression, and anxiety tend to rise and fall together over time, and that certain immune markers and emotional problems during teenage years could predict who would develop fatigue later. The study suggests that warning signs of future fatigue can sometimes be spotted years before symptoms become serious.

Immune System

E2 ModerateDiagnosticPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Is the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-short form (IPAQ-SF) valid for assessing physical activity in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?

Meeus, Mira, Van Eupen, Inge, Willems, Joke et al.·Disability and rehabilitation·2011

Researchers tested whether a common activity questionnaire (IPAQ-SF) could accurately measure physical activity in people with ME/CFS. Fifty-six patients filled out the questionnaire, wore activity monitors for a week, and kept activity diaries. The questionnaire's measurements didn't match what the activity monitors and diaries showed, and it wasn't good at capturing the low activity levels typical of ME/CFS patients.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Chronic widespread musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, depression and disordered sleep in chronic post-SARS syndrome; a case-controlled study.

Moldofsky, Harvey, Patcai, John·BMC neurology·2011

This study looked at people who had severe SARS infection and were unable to return to work for over a year afterward. These patients experienced long-lasting fatigue, widespread muscle pain, weakness, depression, and poor sleep quality. Researchers found that their sleep patterns and symptoms were very similar to those seen in fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Pain and SensitizationSleep

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Absence of detectable XMRV and other MLV-related viruses in healthy blood donors in the United States.

Tang, Shixing, Zhao, Jiangqin, Haleyur Giri Setty, Mohan Kumar et al.·PloS one·2011

Researchers tested blood samples from healthy U.S. blood donors to see if they carried XMRV or related viruses, which had been found in some ME/CFS patients in earlier studies. Using multiple sensitive detection methods, they found no evidence of these viruses in any of the 110 plasma samples or 71 cell samples they tested. This suggests that these viruses are not present in the U.S. blood supply at detectable levels.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Lower whole blood glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activity in depression, but not in myalgic encephalomyelitis / chronic fatigue syndrome: another pathway that may be associated with coronary artery disease and neuroprogression in depression.

Maes, Michael, Mihaylova, Ivanka, Kubera, Marta et al.·Neuro endocrinology letters·2011

This study looked at a protective enzyme called GPX that helps defend cells from damage in people with depression and ME/CFS. The researchers found that people with depression had lower levels of this enzyme compared to healthy people, but people with ME/CFS had normal levels. Both groups showed connections between low enzyme levels and symptoms like mood problems and autonomic nervous system dysfunction.

Biomarkers

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 requiredCase-Control

The economic impact of chronic fatigue syndrome in Georgia: direct and indirect costs.

Lin, Jin-Mann S, Resch, Stephen C, Brimmer, Dana J et al.·Cost effectiveness and resource allocation : C/E·2011

This study measured how much money ME/CFS costs people and society in Georgia. Researchers found that people with ME/CFS spend about $3,300 extra per year on medical care and lose about $8,500 in yearly income compared to similar people without the illness. Across Georgia, ME/CFS may cost the state over $1.5 billion annually when you add up healthcare spending and lost wages.

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 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Emotional expression, self-silencing, and distress tolerance in anorexia nervosa and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Hambrook, David, Oldershaw, Anna, Rimes, Katharine et al.·The British journal of clinical psychology·2011

This study looked at how people with ME/CFS and anorexia nervosa process emotions differently compared to healthy people. Researchers found that both patient groups had more difficulty tolerating emotional distress, tended to suppress their own needs for others, and held more negative beliefs about experiencing and expressing emotions. These emotional processing difficulties may play a role in how these illnesses develop and persist.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Convergent genomic studies identify association of GRIK2 and NPAS2 with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Smith, Alicia K, Fang, Hong, Whistler, Toni et al.·Neuropsychobiology·2011

Researchers used a novel genetic screening approach to search for genes that might be involved in ME/CFS by comparing DNA variants and gene activity between people with ME/CFS and healthy controls. They identified two genes—GRIK2 and NPAS2—that showed both genetic differences and altered activity levels in people with ME/CFS. GRIK2 is involved in communication between nerve cells, while NPAS2 controls the body's internal clock, suggesting these biological systems may play a role in the condition.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

No detectable XMRV in subjects with chronic fatigue syndrome from Quebec.

Cool, Marc, Bouchard, Nathalie, Massé, Ginette et al.·Virology·2011

This study tested whether a virus called XMRV could be found in blood samples from 72 Canadian patients with ME/CFS. Researchers used several different methods to look for the virus, including testing for viral DNA, antibodies, and infectious virus particles. They found no evidence of XMRV in any of the patients tested.

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 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

Alternative health care consultations in Ontario, Canada: A geographic and socio-demographic analysis.

Williams, Allison M, Kitchen, Peter, Eby, Jeanette·BMC complementary and alternative medicine·2011

This study looked at how many people in Ontario, Canada visited alternative health care providers like massage therapists, acupuncturists, and naturopaths in 2005. Researchers found that about 13% of adults (over 1.2 million people) used these services. People with chronic conditions, including chronic fatigue syndrome, were more likely to visit alternative providers, especially if they felt their regular doctors weren't meeting their health needs.

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredLongitudinal

Cognitive dysfunction and mental fatigue in childhood chronic fatigue syndrome--a 6-month follow-up study.

Kawatani, Junko, Mizuno, Kei, Shiraishi, Seishi et al.·Brain & development·2011

This study looked at thinking and attention problems in children with ME/CFS using a specialized test that measures how quickly and accurately the brain can process information. Children with ME/CFS performed worse on attention tasks compared to healthy children, especially when they had to switch between different tasks. After 6 months of combined treatment with therapy and medication, children showed improvements in both their thinking ability and fatigue levels.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Failure to Detect XMRV-Specific Antibodies in the Plasma of CFS Patients Using Highly Sensitive Chemiluminescence Immunoassays.

Oakes, Brendan, Qiu, Xiaoxing, Levine, Susan et al.·Advances in virology·2011

In 2009, researchers claimed they found a virus called XMRV in most ME/CFS patients' blood. This study tested whether that finding was real by looking for antibodies (immune system markers) to XMRV in blood samples from ME/CFS patients and healthy people. The researchers found no evidence of XMRV antibodies in any of the samples, suggesting the original finding may not have been accurate.

Biomarkers

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Measuring substantial reductions in functioning in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Jason, Leonard, Brown, Molly, Evans, Meredyth et al.·Disability and rehabilitation·2011

ME/CFS diagnosis requires showing that a person can do much less in work, school, social activities, or personal care than they could before becoming ill. However, doctors have struggled with how to measure this decline accurately. This study tested which questions from a standard health survey best identify real, substantial losses in functioning in ME/CFS patients, finding that questions about energy levels, physical activities, and social participation worked best.

Diagnostics

E2 ModerateDiagnosticPEM not requiredMethods-Paper

Failure to confirm XMRV/MLVs in the blood of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome: a multi-laboratory study.

Simmons, Graham, Glynn, Simone A, Komaroff, Anthony L et al.·Science (New York, N.Y.)·2011

Some researchers had claimed that a virus called XMRV might be linked to ME/CFS. This study tested blood samples from 15 people previously reported to have this virus and 15 healthy people without it, sending them to 9 different labs for testing. The labs could not consistently find the virus, and when they did find it, the results were similar in both ME/CFS patients and healthy people. This suggests the virus is not reliably present in ME/CFS patients' blood.

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Cumulative life stress in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Nater, Urs M, Maloney, Elizabeth, Heim, Christine et al.·Psychiatry research·2011

This study looked at whether stressful life events are more common in people with ME/CFS compared to healthy people. Researchers found that people with ME/CFS had experienced more stressors and reported higher levels of psychological distress, and were more likely to have post-traumatic stress disorder. This suggests that life stress may play a role in ME/CFS.

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Childhood maltreatment and the response to cognitive behavior therapy for chronic fatigue syndrome.

Fatigue, depressive symptoms, and anxiety from adolescence up to young adulthood: a longitudinal study.

Is the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-short form (IPAQ-SF) valid for assessing physical activity in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?

Chronic widespread musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, depression and disordered sleep in chronic post-SARS syndrome; a case-controlled study.

Absence of detectable XMRV and other MLV-related viruses in healthy blood donors in the United States.

Lower whole blood glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activity in depression, but not in myalgic encephalomyelitis / chronic fatigue syndrome: another pathway that may be associated with coronary artery disease and neuroprogression in depression.

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

The economic impact of chronic fatigue syndrome in Georgia: direct and indirect costs.

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

Emotional expression, self-silencing, and distress tolerance in anorexia nervosa and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Convergent genomic studies identify association of GRIK2 and NPAS2 with chronic fatigue syndrome.

No detectable XMRV in subjects with chronic fatigue syndrome from Quebec.

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

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

Alternative health care consultations in Ontario, Canada: A geographic and socio-demographic analysis.

Cognitive dysfunction and mental fatigue in childhood chronic fatigue syndrome--a 6-month follow-up study.

Failure to Detect XMRV-Specific Antibodies in the Plasma of CFS Patients Using Highly Sensitive Chemiluminescence Immunoassays.

Measuring substantial reductions in functioning in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Failure to confirm XMRV/MLVs in the blood of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome: a multi-laboratory study.

Cumulative life stress in chronic fatigue syndrome.

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