Evidence browser

Abnormalities in pH handling by peripheral muscle and potential regulation by the autonomic nervous system in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Jones, D E J, Hollingsworth, K G, Taylor, R et al.·Journal of internal medicine·2010

This study looked at how muscles clear acid buildup after exercise in people with ME/CFS compared to healthy people. Researchers used a special MRI technique to measure this process and also checked the nervous system's ability to regulate heart rate. People with ME/CFS had much slower acid clearance from their muscles after exercise, and this slowness was linked to problems with their autonomic nervous system (the part that controls automatic body functions).

Post-Exertional Malaise

Methods for objective measure, quantification and analysis of sedentary behaviour and inactivity.

Chastin, S F M, Granat, M H·Gait & posture·2010

This study looked at how people spend their time sitting versus moving around by using objective tracking devices. The researchers compared four groups: healthy people with active jobs, healthy people with desk jobs, people with chronic back pain, and people with ME/CFS. Interestingly, all groups spent similar total amounts of time sitting, but the way they accumulated that sitting time was very different—people with ME/CFS and those with sedentary jobs tended to sit in longer stretches, while active people took more frequent breaks.

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredObservational

Fatigue and chronic fatigue syndrome-like complaints in the general population.

van't Leven, Marjolein, Zielhuis, Gerhard A, van der Meer, Jos W et al.·European journal of public health·2010

This study surveyed over 9,000 Dutch adults to understand how common fatigue is in the general population and what factors might be associated with it. Researchers found that about 1% of adults experience fatigue meeting CFS-like criteria, and 30% experience longer-lasting fatigue. People with CFS-like fatigue were more likely to be female, less physically active, obese, and taking painkillers regularly.

Diagnostics

Does hypocortisolism predict a poor response to cognitive behavioural therapy in chronic fatigue syndrome?

Roberts, A D L, Charler, M-L, Papadopoulos, A et al.·Psychological medicine·2010

This study looked at whether a hormone called cortisol, which helps regulate stress and energy, affects how well cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) works for ME/CFS patients. The researchers measured cortisol levels in 84 ME/CFS patients and tracked how many improved after receiving CBT. They found that patients with lower cortisol levels were less likely to respond well to CBT, suggesting that abnormal cortisol may be one reason why ME/CFS persists in some people.

Interventions

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredLongitudinal

Fluctuation of serum vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) concentrations during exacerbation and remission phases in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Miwa, Kunihisa, Fujita, Masatoshi·Heart and vessels·2010

This study examined whether people with ME/CFS have lower levels of vitamin E, an important antioxidant that protects cells from damage. Researchers found that ME/CFS patients had significantly lower vitamin E levels than healthy controls, and these levels improved when patients went into remission, suggesting that oxidative stress (cellular damage from chemical imbalances) may play a role in ME/CFS.

Biomarkers

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredObservational

[Effectiveness of medical rehabilitation in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome at a health resort].

Tovbushenko, M P, Merkulova, G A, Anashkin, V V et al.·Voprosy kurortologii, fizioterapii, i lechebnoi fizicheskoi kultury·2010

Researchers tested whether a spa resort program combined with specific treatments—including electrophoresis with succinic acid, mud therapy, and immune-boosting injections—could help ME/CFS patients feel better. The study found that this combination approach appeared to be effective at improving symptoms in the patients who participated.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearObservational

Use of adaptol in the treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome in patients with chronic cerebral ischemia.

Mokina, T V, Antipenko, E A, Gustov, A V·Neuroscience and behavioral physiology·2010

This study looked at whether a medication called adaptol could help people with ME/CFS who also had reduced blood flow to the brain. Researchers observed patients taking adaptol and tracked whether it helped with their fatigue and other symptoms. This was an early-stage observation study designed to see if adaptol might be worth studying more carefully in the future.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

No evidence for XMRV association in pediatric idiopathic diseases in France.

Jeziorski, Eric, Foulongne, Vincent, Ludwig, Catherine et al.·Retrovirology·2010

Researchers tested whether a virus called XMRV might be causing various childhood illnesses and respiratory diseases. They checked samples from 151 children and adults with different conditions, but found no evidence that XMRV was present in any of them. This suggests that XMRV is likely not responsible for these particular diseases.

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Personality features and personality disorders in chronic fatigue syndrome: a population-based study.

Nater, Urs M, Jones, James F, Lin, Jin-Mann S et al.·Psychotherapy and psychosomatics·2010

This study looked at whether certain personality traits are more common in people with ME/CFS. Researchers compared 113 people with ME/CFS to people without it and found that those with ME/CFS had higher rates of certain personality patterns (like being more anxious or withdrawn) and personality disorders. However, these personality differences were not unique to ME/CFS—they also appeared in other chronically ill groups.

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

A functional polymorphism in the disrupted-in schizophrenia 1 gene is associated with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Fukuda, Sanae, Hashimoto, Ryota, Ohi, Kazutaka et al.·Life sciences·2010

This study looked at a genetic variant (a small difference in DNA) in a gene called DISC1 to see if it might be linked to ME/CFS. Researchers compared blood samples from people with ME/CFS and healthy controls, and found that people carrying a particular version of this genetic variant (called Cys704) had a higher risk of developing ME/CFS. This suggests that DISC1 might play a role in how ME/CFS develops, though more research is needed to understand exactly how.

One single diagnosis, bodily distress syndrome, succeeded to capture 10 diagnostic categories of functional somatic syndromes and somatoform disorders.

Fink, Per, Schröder, Andreas·Journal of psychosomatic research·2010

This study looked at whether a new diagnosis called 'bodily distress syndrome' could capture several different conditions that cause physical symptoms not explained by standard medical tests—including ME/CFS, fibromyalgia, and irritable bowel syndrome. Researchers tested nearly 1,000 patients and found that bodily distress syndrome successfully identified 95% of patients across all these different diagnoses, suggesting these conditions might be better understood as variations of one underlying problem rather than completely separate diseases.

Diagnostics

Co-occurrence and associations of pain and fatigue in a community sample of Dutch adults.

Creavin, Samuel T, Dunn, Kate M, Mallen, Christian D et al.·European journal of pain (London, England)·2010

This study looked at how often pain and fatigue occur together in everyday people. Researchers found that when someone has chronic widespread pain, they are much more likely to also experience persistent fatigue, and vice versa. People who had both symptoms were more likely to also experience anxiety or depression, and certain factors like being overweight, having other chronic diseases, or low activity levels made having both symptoms more common.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCase-Control

Evidence for generalized hyperalgesia in chronic fatigue syndrome: a case control study.

Meeus, Mira, Nijs, Jo, Huybrechts, Sven et al.·Clinical rheumatology·2010

This study tested whether people with ME/CFS feel pain more intensely than healthy people, even in areas where they don't typically experience pain. Researchers measured how much pressure patients and healthy volunteers could tolerate before feeling pain. They found that ME/CFS patients with chronic pain had significantly lower pain thresholds everywhere on their body, suggesting their nervous system may be in a heightened state of sensitivity.

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredObservational

Increased plasma peroxides and serum oxidized low density lipoprotein antibodies in major depression: markers that further explain the higher incidence of neurodegeneration and coronary artery disease.

Maes, Michael, Mihaylova, Ivanka, Kubera, Marta et al.·Journal of affective disorders·2010

This study found that people with depression have higher levels of harmful molecules called peroxides and antibodies to oxidized cholesterol in their blood compared to healthy people. These markers suggest that depression involves increased oxidative stress—a type of cellular damage. Because these same markers are linked to heart disease and brain degeneration, the findings suggest depression may increase risk for these serious conditions through shared biological pathways.

Predictors of outcome in a multi-component treatment program for chronic fatigue syndrome.

Kempke, Stefan, Goossens, Lutgarde, Luyten, Patrick et al.·Journal of affective disorders·2010

This study followed 178 ME/CFS patients through a multi-component treatment program to identify which patient characteristics predicted who would improve. The researchers found that only depression severity before treatment started was associated with how fatigued patients remained after treatment—patients with higher depression were more likely to stay fatigued afterward. This suggests that addressing depression alongside other ME/CFS treatments may be important.

Interventions

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Latent class analysis of functional somatic symptoms in a population-based sample of twins.

Kato, Kenji, Sullivan, Patrick F, Pedersen, Nancy L·Journal of psychosomatic research·2010

This study looked at how people with chronic fatigue and multiple physical symptoms cluster into different groups. Researchers studied over 28,000 twins and found five distinct groups: those with no symptoms, those mainly tired, those with stomach problems, those with pain, and those with many symptoms across all areas. The study suggests that while genes play a small role, environmental factors (like stress, infections, or lifestyle) are much more important in determining who develops these symptoms.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Reduced heart rate variability predicts poor sleep quality in a case-control study of chronic fatigue syndrome.

Burton, A R, Rahman, K, Kadota, Y et al.·Experimental brain research·2010

People with ME/CFS often report poor sleep quality. This study measured heart rate patterns during sleep in 20 patients with ME/CFS and 20 healthy controls, finding that ME/CFS patients had much lower heart rate variability (natural changes in heart rate) during sleep. The researchers concluded that this reduced variability—suggesting the nervous system stays "on high alert" even at night—is closely linked to their sleep problems.

Autonomic Nervous System

Biochemical and vascular aspects of pediatric chronic fatigue syndrome.

Kennedy, Gwen, Khan, Faisel, Hill, Alexander et al.·Archives of pediatrics & adolescent medicine·2010

This study compared 25 children with ME/CFS to 23 healthy children to understand what happens in their bodies at a chemical and blood vessel level. The researchers found that children with ME/CFS had signs of increased oxidative stress (cellular damage from harmful molecules) and more dying white blood cells, similar to what has been seen in adults with ME/CFS. However, unlike adults, the children's blood vessel stiffness appeared normal.

Immune System

Postinfectious fatigue in adolescents and physical activity.

Huang, Yue, Katz, Ben Z, Mears, Cynthia et al.·Archives of pediatrics & adolescent medicine·2010

This study followed 301 teenagers with infectious mononucleosis (mono) for 2 years, comparing those who developed chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) with those who recovered normally. Adolescents with post-infection CFS reported much more severe fatigue and needed more daytime sleep than their peers, even though their overall activity levels looked similar on paper. The key finding suggests that teenagers with CFS after mono may be forcing themselves to stay active like their friends, but at a significant physical cost in terms of exhaustion and sleep needs.

Post-Exertional Malaise

Phenotypes of chronic fatigue syndrome in children and young people.

May, Margaret, Emond, Alan, Crawley, Esther·Archives of disease in childhood·2010

Researchers studied 333 children and young people with ME/CFS to see if the illness presents differently in different people. They found three main patterns: one involving muscle and joint pain, another involving migraine-like symptoms with sensitivity to light and sound, and a third involving sore throat and swollen lymph nodes. These different patterns were linked to varying levels of severity, suggesting that ME/CFS affects children in different ways.