ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

2561–2580 of 6,188 studies

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

EEG spectral coherence data distinguish chronic fatigue syndrome patients from healthy controls and depressed patients--a case control study.

Duffy, Frank H, McAnulty, Gloria B, McCreary, Michelle C et al.·BMC neurology·2011

Researchers used brain wave recordings (EEG) to look for patterns that could distinguish ME/CFS patients from healthy people and those with depression. They found specific patterns in brain wave activity, particularly in the temporal lobes, that were present in ME/CFS patients but not in healthy controls or depressed patients. This suggests ME/CFS involves measurable differences in how the brain functions electrically.

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.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

No evidence of XMRV or related retroviruses in a London HIV-1-positive patient cohort.

Gray, Eleanor R, Garson, Jeremy A, Breuer, Judith et al.·PloS one·2011

Researchers tested blood samples from 540 people with HIV to see if they carried a virus called XMRV, which had been proposed as a possible cause of ME/CFS. Despite having sensitive tests that could detect even tiny amounts of the virus, they found no evidence of XMRV in any of the patients. This suggests the virus is either not present or extremely rare in the population studied.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

A brain MRI study of chronic fatigue syndrome: evidence of brainstem dysfunction and altered homeostasis.

Barnden, Leighton R, Crouch, Benjamin, Kwiatek, Richard et al.·NMR in biomedicine·2011

This study used specialized brain imaging (MRI) to compare 25 people with ME/CFS to 25 healthy controls, looking at brain structure and how it related to fatigue severity and other symptoms. Researchers found that people with ME/CFS showed differences in brainstem volume (a critical part of the brain controlling basic functions) that correlated with how long fatigue had lasted, and unusual patterns in how blood pressure related to brainstem structure. These findings suggest ME/CFS may involve damage to a specific brain region that disrupts the body's automatic control systems.

Autonomic Nervous System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Excess of activating killer cell immunoglobulin‑like receptors and lack of HLA-Bw4 ligands: a two‑edged weapon in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Pasi, Annamaria, Bozzini, Sara, Carlo-Stella, Nicoletta et al.·Molecular medicine reports·2011

This study examined immune system genes called KIRs and their matching partners (HLA molecules) in people with ME/CFS. Researchers found that people with ME/CFS had an unusual pattern of these immune genes—specifically, more of a type called KIR3DS1 and fewer matching HLA partners for their receptors to recognize. The researchers suggest this mismatch might make it harder for the immune system to fight off infections, potentially allowing chronic infections to persist.

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 requiredCross-Sectional

Chronic fatigue syndrome: labels, meanings and consequences.

Wojcik, Wojtek, Armstrong, David, Kanaan, Richard·Journal of psychosomatic research·2011

This study surveyed British neurologists to understand how they view ME/CFS and whether they consider it a neurological condition. The results revealed that 84% of neurologists did not view ME/CFS as a neurological disorder, even though it is officially classified as one in the ICD-10 medical coding system. The researchers discuss how the way we label and classify ME/CFS affects how doctors treat patients and how patients understand their own illness.

Diagnostics

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Chronic fatigue syndrome in an ethnically diverse population: the influence of psychosocial adversity and physical inactivity.

Bhui, Kamaldeep S, Dinos, Sokratis, Ashby, Deborah et al.·BMC medicine·2011

This study looked at how common ME/CFS is in different ethnic groups in England and found that people from ethnic minority backgrounds had higher rates of the illness than White British people. The researchers discovered that anxiety, depression, lack of physical activity, stress in relationships, and poor social support were all linked to higher rates of ME/CFS, and together these factors explained why some ethnic groups had more cases.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Characterization of chronic fatigue in patients with sarcoidosis in clinical remission.

Korenromp, Ingrid H E, Heijnen, Cobi J, Vogels, Oscar J M et al.·Chest·2011

This study looked at 75 people with sarcoidosis (an inflammatory disease) whose disease was no longer active, but who still felt extremely tired. Nearly half of these fatigued patients met the diagnostic criteria for chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). The researchers found that fatigue was linked to depression, anxiety, reduced quality of life, lower physical activity, and muscle weakness—even though their sarcoidosis was considered under control.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredObservational

Peripheral blood gene expression in postinfective fatigue syndrome following from three different triggering infections.

Galbraith, Sally, Cameron, Barbara, Li, Hui et al.·The Journal of infectious diseases·2011

Researchers studied blood samples from 18 people who developed long-lasting fatigue after three different infections (Epstein-Barr virus, Ross River virus, and Q fever) and compared them to 18 healthy people who recovered normally. They looked for patterns in which genes were turned on or off that might explain the fatigue syndrome. While they found some differences in gene activity, these patterns were not consistent across the different infection groups, suggesting there may not be a single blood-based marker that identifies post-infectious fatigue.

Immune System

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

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 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Migraine headaches in chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS): comparison of two prospective cross-sectional studies.

Ravindran, Murugan K, Zheng, Yin, Timbol, Christian et al.·BMC neurology·2011

This study found that headaches—especially migraines—are much more common in people with ME/CFS than in healthy people. Researchers studied two groups and found that 84% of people with ME/CFS experienced migraines, compared to only 5% of healthy controls. People with ME/CFS who had migraines with visual symptoms (aura) showed more severe dizziness, memory problems, and heart-related symptoms than those without aura.

Pain and Sensitization

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Lack of Detection of Xenotropic Murine Leukemia Virus-Related Virus in HIV-1 Lymphoma Patients.

Delviks-Frankenberry, Krista A, Chaipan, Chawaree, Bagni, Rachel et al.·Advances in virology·2011

Researchers tested whether a virus called XMRV, which had been proposed as a possible cause of ME/CFS, was present in HIV-positive patients who developed lymphoma (a type of cancer). They checked blood samples from 26 patients using three different detection methods, but did not find any evidence of XMRV. This suggests that XMRV is not associated with lymphomas that develop in people with HIV.

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

The relationship between posttraumatic stress disorder, illness cognitions, defence styles, fatigue severity and psychological well-being in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Eglinton, Rebekah, Chung, Man Cheung·Psychiatry research·2011

This study looked at whether people with ME/CFS have higher rates of PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) and whether trauma-related stress affects fatigue levels. Researchers found that ME/CFS patients did experience more PTSD symptoms and traumatic life events than healthy controls, but surprisingly, the severity of PTSD symptoms did not directly predict how severe their fatigue was. Instead, a sense of helplessness was more strongly linked to both fatigue and mental health problems.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredObservational

Xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus in monozygotic twins discordant for chronic fatigue syndrome.

Jerome, Keith R, Diem, Kurt, Huang, Meei-Li et al.·Diagnostic microbiology and infectious disease·2011

Researchers tested whether a virus called XMRV was present in people with ME/CFS by comparing identical twins where one had the illness and one didn't. They looked for the virus in blood samples using multiple sensitive tests. They found no evidence of XMRV in any of the people with ME/CFS, suggesting this virus is not likely a cause of the disease.

E2 ModerateGuidelinePEM not requiredGuideline

How to explain central sensitization to patients with 'unexplained' chronic musculoskeletal pain: practice guidelines.

Nijs, Jo, Paul van Wilgen, C, Van Oosterwijck, Jessica et al.·Manual therapy·2011

Central sensitization is a condition where the nervous system becomes overly sensitive to pain signals, making people feel pain from things that normally wouldn't hurt. This guideline explains that teaching patients about how their nervous system works—called pain physiology education—can help them understand their pain and feel better. The education works best when delivered in face-to-face sessions with written materials, and it has helped people with fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, and other long-term pain conditions.

Pain and Sensitization

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Length of illness does not predict cognitive dysfunction in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Santamarina-Perez, Pilar, Eiroa-Orosa, Francisco Jose, Freniche, Verónica et al.·Applied neuropsychology·2011

This study examined whether cognitive problems (like memory and concentration difficulties) in ME/CFS get worse the longer someone has the illness. Researchers tested 56 women with ME/CFS and divided them into groups based on how long they'd been sick. They found that cognitive problems were similar across all groups, regardless of illness duration. This suggests that cognitive difficulties in ME/CFS don't progressively worsen over time.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Cognitive impairment in fatigue and sleepiness associated conditions.

Neu, Daniel, Kajosch, Hendrik, Peigneux, Philippe et al.·Psychiatry research·2011

This study compared how fatigue and sleepiness affect thinking and memory. Researchers tested 15 people with ME/CFS, 15 people with sleep apnea, and 16 healthy controls using memory tests, attention tasks, and brain wave measurements. Both patient groups showed cognitive problems, though people with sleep apnea had slightly more difficulty with certain thinking tasks and movement speed.

SleepCognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Adolescent chronic fatigue syndrome: prevalence, incidence, and morbidity.

Nijhof, Sanne L, Maijer, Kimberley, Bleijenberg, Gijs et al.·Pediatrics·2011

This Dutch study looked at how many teenagers have ME/CFS and how many develop it each year. Researchers found that about 111 out of every 100,000 teenagers have ME/CFS, and about 12 per 100,000 develop it annually. Most teens with ME/CFS experience severe fatigue and physical impairment, and nearly half miss more than half their school days.

← Previous Next 20 studies →

Or browse by topic

PEM Immune Neuro Metabolic Biomarkers Severe ME Long COVID Cognitive

Evidence Atlas

Evidence browser

EEG spectral coherence data distinguish chronic fatigue syndrome patients from healthy controls and depressed patients--a case control study.

Cumulative life stress in chronic fatigue syndrome.

No evidence of XMRV or related retroviruses in a London HIV-1-positive patient cohort.

A brain MRI study of chronic fatigue syndrome: evidence of brainstem dysfunction and altered homeostasis.

Excess of activating killer cell immunoglobulin‑like receptors and lack of HLA-Bw4 ligands: a two‑edged weapon in chronic fatigue syndrome.

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

Chronic fatigue syndrome: labels, meanings and consequences.

Chronic fatigue syndrome in an ethnically diverse population: the influence of psychosocial adversity and physical inactivity.

Characterization of chronic fatigue in patients with sarcoidosis in clinical remission.

Peripheral blood gene expression in postinfective fatigue syndrome following from three different triggering infections.

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

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.

Migraine headaches in chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS): comparison of two prospective cross-sectional studies.

Lack of Detection of Xenotropic Murine Leukemia Virus-Related Virus in HIV-1 Lymphoma Patients.

The relationship between posttraumatic stress disorder, illness cognitions, defence styles, fatigue severity and psychological well-being in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus in monozygotic twins discordant for chronic fatigue syndrome.

How to explain central sensitization to patients with 'unexplained' chronic musculoskeletal pain: practice guidelines.

Length of illness does not predict cognitive dysfunction in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Cognitive impairment in fatigue and sleepiness associated conditions.

Adolescent chronic fatigue syndrome: prevalence, incidence, and morbidity.

Curated Collections

Neuroinflammation Evidence

Metabolism & Mitochondria

Biomarkers

PEM-Specific Research