ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

281–300 of 1,185 studies

E2 ModerateCohortPEM requiredCase-Control

Human Leukocyte Antigen alleles associated with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS).

Lande, Asgeir, Fluge, Øystein, Strand, Elin B et al.·Scientific reports·2020

Researchers studied immune system markers called HLA alleles in 426 Norwegian ME/CFS patients and compared them to healthy controls. They found that two specific immune markers (HLA-C*07:04 and HLA-DQB1*03:03) were more common in ME/CFS patients than in healthy people, suggesting the immune system may play a role in developing ME/CFS. About 1 in 5 ME/CFS patients carried one or both of these markers, compared to 1 in 8 healthy people.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCase-Control

Changes in DNA methylation profiles of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome patients reflect systemic dysfunctions.

Helliwell, A M, Sweetman, E C, Stockwell, P A et al.·Clinical epigenetics·2020

This study looked at chemical tags on DNA called methylation patterns in people with ME/CFS compared to healthy people. These tags can turn genes on or off without changing the DNA itself. Researchers found that people with ME/CFS have different methylation patterns, particularly in genes related to energy production, immune function, and brain chemistry, which may help explain why they experience the symptoms they do.

Energy MetabolismImmune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Plasma proteomic profiling suggests an association between antigen driven clonal B cell expansion and ME/CFS.

Milivojevic, Milica, Che, Xiaoyu, Bateman, Lucinda et al.·PloS one·2020

Researchers studied blood proteins in ME/CFS patients and healthy controls to look for disease markers. They found that certain immune-related proteins, particularly immunoglobulin proteins (which are part of the immune system), were abnormal in ME/CFS patients and could help identify who has the disease. The results suggest ME/CFS involves an overactive or dysregulated immune response.

BiomarkersImmune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Metabolic analysis of amino acids and vitamin B6 pathways in lymphoma survivors with cancer related chronic fatigue.

Fosså, Alexander, Smeland, Knut Halvor, Fluge, Øystein et al.·PloS one·2020

This study looked at blood chemicals called amino acids and B vitamins in lymphoma survivors who experienced lasting fatigue after cancer treatment. Researchers found that people with this fatigue had lower tryptophan (an amino acid) and signs of ongoing low-level immune activation and inflammation. The study suggests that persistent tiredness after lymphoma treatment may be caused by the body's immune system staying activated longer than expected.

BiomarkersImmune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCase-Control

Autoimmunity-Related Risk Variants in PTPN22 and CTLA4 Are Associated With ME/CFS With Infectious Onset.

Steiner, Sophie, Becker, Sonya C, Hartwig, Jelka et al.·Frontiers in immunology·2020

This study looked at specific genetic variations that are known to affect how the immune system works. Researchers compared DNA from ME/CFS patients and healthy controls, and found that certain genetic variations were more common in ME/CFS patients whose illness started with an infection. These genetic changes affect how immune cells are controlled, suggesting that autoimmunity may play a role specifically in ME/CFS cases that begin with an infection.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCase-Control

Cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr virus, and human herpesvirus-6 infections in patients with myalgic еncephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Shikova, Evelina, Reshkova, Valentina, Kumanova, Аntoniya et al.·Journal of medical virology·2020

Researchers tested 58 ME/CFS patients and 50 healthy people for three common viruses (EBV, CMV, and HHV-6) that have been suspected of triggering ME/CFS. They found that ME/CFS patients had significantly higher rates of active EBV infection in their bloodstream compared to healthy people, though most people in both groups carried these viruses in a dormant state. This suggests that for some patients, active EBV infection may play a role in ME/CFS development.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Autoantibodies to beta-adrenergic and muscarinic cholinergic receptors in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) patients - A validation study in plasma and cerebrospinal fluid from two Swedish cohorts.

Bynke, Annie, Julin, Per, Gottfries, Carl-Gerhard et al.·Brain, behavior, & immunity - health·2020

Researchers tested blood and spinal fluid samples from ME/CFS patients and healthy people to look for certain antibodies (immune proteins) that mistakenly attack nerve receptors in the body. They found higher levels of some of these antibodies in ME/CFS patients compared to healthy controls, particularly antibodies targeting muscarinic receptors (involved in nerve signaling). However, the amount of these antibodies did not match how severe patients' symptoms were.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM requiredCross-Sectional

The role of low-grade inflammation in ME/CFS (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) - associations with symptoms.

Jonsjö, Martin A, Olsson, Gunnar L, Wicksell, Rikard K et al.·Psychoneuroendocrinology·2020

This study looked at whether low-level inflammation in the blood is connected to ME/CFS symptoms like exhaustion after activity, brain fog, muscle pain, and flu-like illness. Researchers tested 53 ME/CFS patients for various inflammatory markers and found that several of these markers were associated with cognitive problems and pain, though they were surprisingly less connected to post-exertional fatigue. Interestingly, the connection between inflammation and symptoms was different for men and women in some cases.

BiomarkersCognitive ImpairmentImmune System

E2 ModerateMechanismPEM requiredMechanistic

Unravelling myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS): Gender-specific changes in the microRNA expression profiling in ME/CFS.

Cheema, Amanpreet K, Sarria, Leonor, Bekheit, Mina et al.·Journal of cellular and molecular medicine·2020

This study looked at tiny molecules called microRNAs in the blood of people with ME/CFS to understand how their immune system responds to exercise. The researchers discovered that men and women with ME/CFS show different patterns in these molecules, and they also found that nutritional status affects these patterns. These findings could help explain why some people experience worsening symptoms after exercise (post-exertional malaise) and suggest that treatment approaches may need to differ between men and women.

Post-Exertional MalaiseImmune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Patients with ME/CFS (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) and chronic pain report similar level of sickness behavior as individuals injected with bacterial endotoxin at peak inflammation.

Jonsjö, Martin A, Åström, Jenny, Jones, Michael P et al.·Brain, behavior, & immunity - health·2020

This study compared how 'sick' people with ME/CFS and chronic pain feel compared to other groups. Researchers found that ME/CFS and chronic pain patients reported feeling as sick as healthy people who were given a bacterial toxin to trigger temporary inflammation. These high levels of sickness feelings were similar across both conditions and higher than what primary care patients reported, suggesting that the persistent sickness sensation in ME/CFS and chronic pain may involve similar biological mechanisms related to inflammation and how the brain processes illness signals.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

MCP-1 is increased in patients with CFS and FM, whilst several other immune markers are significantly lower than healthy controls.

Groven, Nina, Fors, Egil Andreas, Stunes, Astrid Kamilla et al.·Brain, behavior, & immunity - health·2020

This study looked at immune system markers in the blood of people with ME/CFS and fibromyalgia compared to healthy people. Researchers found that one immune marker called MCP-1 was higher in patients, while many other immune markers were actually lower than in healthy controls. This suggests the immune system may work differently in these conditions, though the exact meaning of these differences is still unclear.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Identification of actin network proteins, talin-1 and filamin-A, in circulating extracellular vesicles as blood biomarkers for human myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Eguchi, Akiko, Fukuda, Sanae, Kuratsune, Hirohiko et al.·Brain, behavior, and immunity·2020

This study found that people with ME/CFS have higher levels of tiny particles called extracellular vesicles in their blood, which contain specific proteins (talin-1 and filamin-A) that appear to be unique markers of the disease. By measuring these particles and proteins in a simple blood test, researchers were able to correctly identify ME/CFS patients about 90-94% of the time, suggesting this could become a useful diagnostic tool.

BiomarkersImmune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Supervised machine learning to decipher the complex associations between neuro-immune biomarkers and quality of life in schizophrenia.

Kanchanatawan, Buranee, Sriswasdi, Sira, Maes, Michael·Metabolic brain disease·2019

This study looked at how chemical imbalances in the brain (called tryptophan breakdown products) and memory problems are connected to quality of life in people with schizophrenia. Researchers measured immune markers, cognitive function, and symptoms in 80 patients with schizophrenia and 40 healthy controls. They found that anxiety, fatigue-like symptoms, depression, and psychosis were the strongest predictors of lower quality of life, and these were linked to abnormal tryptophan metabolism and memory difficulties.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Multidimensional Comparison of Cancer-Related Fatigue and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: The Role of Psychophysiological Markers.

Park, Hye Youn, Jeon, Hong Jun, Bang, Young Rong et al.·Psychiatry investigation·2019

This study compared fatigue in people with cancer (CRF) and people with ME/CFS to see if these conditions are similar or different. Researchers measured fatigue levels, mood, stress, sleep quality, and specific biological markers like inflammation and brain activity. While both groups reported similar amounts of fatigue, they showed different underlying biological patterns, suggesting the two conditions may have different causes.

BiomarkersImmune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCase-Control

Immunosignature Analysis of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS).

Günther, Oliver P, Gardy, Jennifer L, Stafford, Phillip et al.·Molecular neurobiology·2019

Researchers used a specialized test to examine antibodies (immune proteins) in the blood of people with ME/CFS and healthy controls. They found a pattern of 256 specific protein signatures in ME/CFS patients' blood that was different from healthy people. This suggests the immune system may be reacting to past infections in a way that could help doctors diagnose ME/CFS in the future.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Searching for Serum Antibodies to Neuronal Proteins in Patients With Myalgic Encephalopathy/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Giannoccaro, Maria Pia, Cossins, Judith, Sørland, Kari et al.·Clinical therapeutics·2019

Researchers tested blood samples from 50 ME/CFS patients and 50 healthy people to see if ME/CFS patients had unusual antibodies (immune proteins) that attack nerve cells. While a small number of both patients and healthy people had some immune activity toward nerve proteins, only one ME/CFS patient had a specific antibody that could be clearly identified. Interestingly, the patients who did have these antibodies tended to have more severe symptoms and had become ill more recently.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Antibodies to Human Herpesviruses in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Patients.

Blomberg, Jonas, Rizwan, Muhammad, Böhlin-Wiener, Agnes et al.·Frontiers in immunology·2019

This study looked for evidence that common viruses called herpesviruses might be reactivated or causing problems in ME/CFS patients. Researchers tested blood samples from ME/CFS patients and healthy people to measure immune responses (antibodies) against several herpesviruses. While the overall antibody levels were similar between the two groups, the study found subtle differences in how ME/CFS patients' immune systems reacted to a few specific herpesvirus proteins.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM requiredLongitudinal

Whole blood human transcriptome and virome analysis of ME/CFS patients experiencing post-exertional malaise following cardiopulmonary exercise testing.

Bouquet, Jerome, Li, Tony, Gardy, Jennifer L et al.·PloS one·2019

Researchers gave ME/CFS patients and healthy controls exercise tests on two consecutive days, then tracked their blood samples for up to a week to look for signs of immune activation or virus reactivation during post-exertional malaise (PEM). Although ME/CFS patients felt significantly worse after exercise and some showed reduced oxygen use on day 2, blood tests revealed almost no differences in gene expression between patients and controls, and no evidence of viruses reactivating during PEM symptoms.

Immune SystemPost-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredLongitudinal

Increased risk of chronic fatigue syndrome in patients with inflammatory bowel disease: a population-based retrospective cohort study.

Tsai, Shin-Yi, Chen, Hsuan-Ju, Lio, Chon-Fu et al.·Journal of translational medicine·2019

This study found that people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are more than twice as likely to develop ME/CFS compared to people without IBD. The researchers looked at medical records from Taiwan and followed patients over time to see who developed ME/CFS. The increased risk was especially high in men and older adults with IBD who didn't have other chronic conditions.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Cellular Immune Function in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS).

Cliff, Jacqueline M, King, Elizabeth C, Lee, Ji-Sook et al.·Frontiers in immunology·2019

This study examined the immune system of ME/CFS patients by testing their blood for signs of infection and measuring different types of immune cells. Researchers compared 251 ME/CFS patients (including 54 with severe ME/CFS) to healthy people and multiple sclerosis patients. They found that ME/CFS patients had unusual patterns in their T cells—a type of immune cell—but not in natural killer cells, contrary to what some earlier studies suggested.

Immune System

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Human Leukocyte Antigen alleles associated with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS).

Changes in DNA methylation profiles of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome patients reflect systemic dysfunctions.

Plasma proteomic profiling suggests an association between antigen driven clonal B cell expansion and ME/CFS.

Metabolic analysis of amino acids and vitamin B6 pathways in lymphoma survivors with cancer related chronic fatigue.

Autoimmunity-Related Risk Variants in PTPN22 and CTLA4 Are Associated With ME/CFS With Infectious Onset.

Cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr virus, and human herpesvirus-6 infections in patients with myalgic еncephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Autoantibodies to beta-adrenergic and muscarinic cholinergic receptors in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) patients - A validation study in plasma and cerebrospinal fluid from two Swedish cohorts.

The role of low-grade inflammation in ME/CFS (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) - associations with symptoms.

Unravelling myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS): Gender-specific changes in the microRNA expression profiling in ME/CFS.

Patients with ME/CFS (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) and chronic pain report similar level of sickness behavior as individuals injected with bacterial endotoxin at peak inflammation.

MCP-1 is increased in patients with CFS and FM, whilst several other immune markers are significantly lower than healthy controls.

Identification of actin network proteins, talin-1 and filamin-A, in circulating extracellular vesicles as blood biomarkers for human myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Supervised machine learning to decipher the complex associations between neuro-immune biomarkers and quality of life in schizophrenia.

Multidimensional Comparison of Cancer-Related Fatigue and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: The Role of Psychophysiological Markers.

Immunosignature Analysis of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS).

Searching for Serum Antibodies to Neuronal Proteins in Patients With Myalgic Encephalopathy/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Antibodies to Human Herpesviruses in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Patients.

Whole blood human transcriptome and virome analysis of ME/CFS patients experiencing post-exertional malaise following cardiopulmonary exercise testing.

Increased risk of chronic fatigue syndrome in patients with inflammatory bowel disease: a population-based retrospective cohort study.

Cellular Immune Function in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS).

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