ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

2681–2700 of 6,160 studies

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Prevalence of rheumatologic manifestations of chronic hepatitis C virus infection among Egyptians.

Mohammed, Reem Hamdy Abdellatif, ElMakhzangy, Hesham Ibrahim, Gamal, Amira et al.·Clinical rheumatology·2010

This study looked at 306 people in Egypt with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection to see how often they experienced joint pain, fatigue, dry eyes, and other autoimmune-related symptoms. Researchers found that about 16% of people with HCV had these types of rheumatologic symptoms, with fatigue and dry eyes being most common. The study suggests that HCV infection can trigger these kinds of whole-body symptoms through autoimmune mechanisms.

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM unclearLongitudinal

Illness trajectories in the chronic fatigue syndrome: a longitudinal study of improvers versus non-improvers.

Ciccone, Donald S, Chandler, Helena K, Natelson, Benjamin H·The Journal of nervous and mental disease·2010

This study followed 94 women with ME/CFS for 2.5 years to see who improved and who didn't. Researchers found that people who got better had less fatigue, pain, and disability over time, while those who didn't improve stayed relatively unchanged. Importantly, people who had both ME/CFS and fibromyalgia at the start were much less likely to improve.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredLongitudinal

Longitudinal MRI shows no cerebral abnormality in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Perrin, R, Embleton, K, Pentreath, V W et al.·The British journal of radiology·2010

This study used MRI brain scans to look for physical abnormalities in people with ME/CFS compared to healthy people. Eighteen patients with ME/CFS and nine healthy volunteers were scanned twice, one year apart. The researchers found no significant differences between the two groups in brain size, fluid levels, blood flow, or white matter lesions, and these measurements remained stable over the year.

Biomarkers

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

The increase of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone in the plasma of chronic fatigue syndrome patients.

Shishioh-Ikejima, Nobue, Ogawa, Tokiko, Yamaguti, Kouzi et al.·BMC neurology·2010

Researchers measured a hormone called alpha-MSH in the blood of 55 ME/CFS patients and compared it to 30 healthy people. They found that patients diagnosed within the last 5 years had significantly higher alpha-MSH levels than healthy controls, but this difference disappeared in patients who had been ill longer. This suggests alpha-MSH might be a useful blood test for identifying ME/CFS in newly diagnosed patients.

Biomarkers

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Nitric oxide concentrations are normal and unrelated to activity level in chronic fatigue syndrome: a case-control study.

Meeus, Mira, VAN Eupen, Inge, Hondequin, Jasmien et al.·In vivo (Athens, Greece)·2010

This study examined whether a chemical messenger in the blood called nitric oxide (NO) is related to how active people are in ME/CFS. Researchers measured activity levels and blood NO in 30 ME/CFS patients and 29 healthy but inactive people over one week. While ME/CFS patients were indeed much less active than controls, the amount of NO in their blood was normal and had no connection to their activity levels.

Biomarkers

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Being homebound with chronic fatigue syndrome: A multidimensional comparison with outpatients.

Wiborg, Jan F, van der Werf, Sieberen, Prins, Judith B et al.·Psychiatry research·2010

This study looked at ME/CFS patients who are unable to leave their homes and compared them to patients who can still go to clinics for treatment. Homebound patients experienced much worse daily fatigue, were more likely to believe their symptoms were physical rather than psychological, and tended to be less active. The researchers found that homebound patients may need different treatment approaches designed specifically for their severe level of disability.

Severe ME

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Psychiatric misdiagnoses in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Lawn, Tara, Kumar, Praveen, Knight, Bernice et al.·JRSM short reports·2010

This study looked at whether doctors in ME/CFS clinics were accurately diagnosing psychiatric conditions like depression and anxiety in their ME/CFS patients. Researchers compared diagnoses made by clinic doctors with diagnoses made using a standardized psychiatric interview on 135 patients. They found that doctors missed psychiatric diagnoses in about 22% of patients, but incorrectly diagnosed them in only 10%—meaning missed diagnoses were more than twice as common as false diagnoses.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Vitamin D metabolites as clinical markers in autoimmune and chronic disease.

Blaney, Greg P, Albert, Paul J, Proal, Amy D·Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences·2009

This study measured two types of vitamin D in the blood of patients with autoimmune and chronic diseases, including ME/CFS. The researchers found that a specific form of vitamin D (1,25-D) at high levels was associated with these conditions, but the commonly-tested form of vitamin D (25-D) was not. This suggests doctors may need to test for the right type of vitamin D to properly assess autoimmune disease.

BiomarkersImmune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Detection of herpesviruses and parvovirus B19 in gastric and intestinal mucosa of chronic fatigue syndrome patients.

Frémont, Marc, Metzger, Kristine, Rady, Hamada et al.·In vivo (Athens, Greece)·2009

Researchers looked for viral DNA from four viruses (HHV-6, HHV-7, EBV, and parvovirus B19) in the stomach and intestine samples from 48 ME/CFS patients and 35 healthy controls. They found that parvovirus B19 was much more common in patients with ME/CFS (40%) compared to healthy people (less than 15%), suggesting it may play a role in the illness for some patients. The other viruses were found at similar rates in both groups.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Chronic fatigue syndrome combines increased exercise-induced oxidative stress and reduced cytokine and Hsp responses.

Jammes, Y, Steinberg, J G, Delliaux, S et al.·Journal of internal medicine·2009

This study found that people with ME/CFS experience unusual stress on their cells during exercise, particularly involving harmful molecules called free radicals. Their bodies also fail to mount normal protective responses—both in terms of producing protective proteins (heat shock proteins) and inflammatory markers that healthy people produce during exertion. This combination of excessive cellular damage and insufficient protective response may explain why exercise is so difficult for people with ME/CFS.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Are chronic fatigue and chronic fatigue syndrome valid clinical entities across countries and health-care settings?

Hickie, Ian, Davenport, Tracey, Vernon, Suzanne D et al.·The Australian and New Zealand journal of psychiatry·2009

This large international study analyzed data from nearly 38,000 people across 21 countries to determine whether chronic fatigue and ME/CFS are real, recognizable conditions. Researchers found that people with these conditions share a consistent pattern of five main symptom types—muscle pain and fatigue, thinking difficulties, inflammation-related symptoms, sleep problems, and mood changes—regardless of where they live or which type of doctor they see. This consistency across different countries and healthcare settings provides strong evidence that chronic fatigue and ME/CFS are genuine medical conditions, not just psychiatric problems.

Diagnostics

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM unclearObservational

The impact of energy modulation on physical functioning and fatigue severity among patients with ME/CFS.

Jason, Leonard, Benton, Mary, Torres-Harding, Susan et al.·Patient education and counseling·2009

This study looked at whether ME/CFS patients could improve by carefully managing their daily energy use to match their available energy. Researchers tracked patients who tried to stay within their "energy envelope"—basically not spending more energy than they have. Patients who were able to do this successfully reported feeling less tired and being more physically able to do daily activities.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCase-Control

Vaccination as teenagers against meningococcal disease and the risk of the chronic fatigue syndrome.

Magnus, Per, Brubakk, Oddbjørn, Nyland, Harald et al.·Vaccine·2009

This study investigated whether a meningococcal vaccine given to teenagers in Norway in 1988-1989 was linked to the later development of ME/CFS. Researchers compared 201 people diagnosed with ME/CFS to 389 people without the condition and found no meaningful difference in vaccination rates between the two groups. The findings suggest that receiving this particular vaccine as a teenager does not increase the risk of developing ME/CFS.

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Associations between pet ownership and self-reported health status in people suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome.

Wells, Deborah L·Journal of alternative and complementary medicine (New York, N.Y.)·2009

Researchers asked 193 people with ME/CFS whether they owned pets and how their health was doing. About 58% owned pets, mostly dogs and cats. While pet owners reported feeling that their animals helped their mental well-being, the study found no clear statistical link between owning a pet and having better health scores overall.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Increased d-lactic Acid intestinal bacteria in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Sheedy, John R, Wettenhall, Richard E H, Scanlon, Denis et al.·In vivo (Athens, Greece)·2009

This study found that people with ME/CFS have higher levels of specific bacteria in their gut that produce a substance called D-lactic acid. These bacteria were found in much larger quantities in stool samples from ME/CFS patients compared to healthy people. The researchers suggest this excess D-lactic acid might help explain why some ME/CFS patients experience brain fog and cognitive problems.

Gut MicrobiomeEnergy Metabolism

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredObservational

Effect of supplement with lactic-acid producing bacteria on fatigue and physical activity in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Sullivan, Asa, Nord, Carl E, Evengård, Birgitta·Nutrition journal·2009

This small study tested whether specific probiotic bacteria (live microorganisms that may benefit gut health) could reduce fatigue and improve physical activity in ME/CFS patients. Fifteen patients took probiotics for 4 weeks and were monitored for changes in fatigue, physical activity, and cognitive function. While some patients reported feeling better overall, the study did not find significant improvements in fatigue or activity levels, though cognitive function did improve.

Gut MicrobiomeImmune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Cardiovascular dysfunction with low cardiac output due to a small heart in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Miwa, Kunihisa, Fujita, Masatoshi·Internal medicine (Tokyo, Japan)·2009

This study found that many ME/CFS patients experience heart-related symptoms like shortness of breath, chest pain, fainting, and dizziness. Using heart imaging tests, researchers discovered that about one-third of ME/CFS patients had smaller-than-normal hearts that pump less blood than expected, which may contribute to their fatigue and other symptoms.

Autonomic Nervous System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Functional characterization of muscle fibres from patients with chronic fatigue syndrome: case-control study.

Pietrangelo, T, Toniolo, L, Paoli, A et al.·International journal of immunopathology and pharmacology·2009

This study looked at muscle tissue from ME/CFS patients and compared it to healthy controls. Researchers found that ME/CFS patients had a shift in their muscle fiber types—more of the fast-twitch fibers (which tire easily) and fewer slow-twitch fibers (which are better for endurance). However, the individual muscle fibers themselves worked normally; the problem was the wrong mix of fiber types, which could explain why ME/CFS patients get tired so quickly.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Illness intrusiveness in myalgic encephalomyelitis: an exploratory study.

Goudsmit, E M, Stouten, B, Howes, S·Journal of health psychology·2009

This study looked at how much ME disrupts different areas of patients' lives—work, social activities, hobbies, and relationships. Researchers asked 24 people with ME about their symptoms, how disabled they felt, and their mood. They found that ME significantly intrudes on daily life, and this intrusion was linked to fatigue, brain fog, disability, and depression. Patients who had ME plus other health conditions reported even more life disruption than those with ME alone.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Visible and near-infrared spectral changes in the thumb of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Sakudo, Akikazu, Kato, Yukiko Hakariya, Tajima, Seiki et al.·Clinica chimica acta; international journal of clinical chemistry·2009

Researchers used a special light-based scanning tool to examine the thumbs of ME/CFS patients and healthy people, looking for differences in blood and oxygen levels. They found that ME/CFS patients had higher oxygen-carrying proteins in their blood, less water in their tissues, and signs of faster energy use in their cells. These findings suggest that ME/CFS patients' bodies may be working harder than usual, even at rest.

Energy Metabolism

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Prevalence of rheumatologic manifestations of chronic hepatitis C virus infection among Egyptians.

Illness trajectories in the chronic fatigue syndrome: a longitudinal study of improvers versus non-improvers.

Longitudinal MRI shows no cerebral abnormality in chronic fatigue syndrome.

The increase of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone in the plasma of chronic fatigue syndrome patients.

Nitric oxide concentrations are normal and unrelated to activity level in chronic fatigue syndrome: a case-control study.

Being homebound with chronic fatigue syndrome: A multidimensional comparison with outpatients.

Psychiatric misdiagnoses in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Vitamin D metabolites as clinical markers in autoimmune and chronic disease.

Detection of herpesviruses and parvovirus B19 in gastric and intestinal mucosa of chronic fatigue syndrome patients.

Chronic fatigue syndrome combines increased exercise-induced oxidative stress and reduced cytokine and Hsp responses.

Are chronic fatigue and chronic fatigue syndrome valid clinical entities across countries and health-care settings?

The impact of energy modulation on physical functioning and fatigue severity among patients with ME/CFS.

Vaccination as teenagers against meningococcal disease and the risk of the chronic fatigue syndrome.

Associations between pet ownership and self-reported health status in people suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome.

Increased d-lactic Acid intestinal bacteria in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Effect of supplement with lactic-acid producing bacteria on fatigue and physical activity in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Cardiovascular dysfunction with low cardiac output due to a small heart in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Functional characterization of muscle fibres from patients with chronic fatigue syndrome: case-control study.

Illness intrusiveness in myalgic encephalomyelitis: an exploratory study.

Visible and near-infrared spectral changes in the thumb of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

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