ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

2801–2820 of 6,188 studies

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Functional incapacity and physical and psychological symptoms: how they interconnect in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Priebe, Stefan, Fakhoury, Walid K H, Henningsen, Peter·Psychopathology·2008

This study asked whether the difficulty ME/CFS patients have doing daily activities is mainly caused by physical symptoms rather than emotional or psychological problems. Researchers surveyed 73 ME/CFS patients and analyzed their responses using statistical methods. They found that physical symptoms and loss of functioning clustered together as one main problem, while psychological symptoms formed a separate group, suggesting that the loss of ability to function is a core feature of ME/CFS driven primarily by physical symptoms.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Sympathetic cardiovascular control during orthostatic stress and isometric exercise in adolescent chronic fatigue syndrome.

Wyller, Vegard Bruun, Saul, J Philip, Walløe, Lars et al.·European journal of applied physiology·2008

This study looked at how the bodies of adolescents with ME/CFS respond to physical stress, specifically when lying down while pressure is applied to the legs and while squeezing a hand grip. Researchers found that ME/CFS patients had higher heart rates and stress hormone levels even at rest, and their cardiovascular system overreacted to the leg pressure test but underreacted during the hand grip exercise compared to healthy teenagers.

Autonomic Nervous System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

An IgM-mediated immune response directed against nitro-bovine serum albumin (nitro-BSA) in chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and major depression: evidence that nitrosative stress is another factor underpinning the comorbidity between major depression and CFS.

Maes, Michael, Mihaylova, Ivana, Kubera, Marta et al.·Neuro endocrinology letters·2008

This study looked for signs of damage from harmful molecules called nitrosative stress in people with ME/CFS and depression. Researchers found that people with ME/CFS and depression had higher levels of immune antibodies (IgM) attacking damaged proteins, suggesting their bodies are being harmed by these harmful molecules more than healthy people. The study also found a connection between this damage and leaky gut, where bacteria products leak through the intestinal barrier.

Immune System

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredLongitudinal

A longitudinal study of the relationship between psychological distress and recurrence of upper respiratory tract infections in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Faulkner, Susan, Smith, Andrew·British journal of health psychology·2008

This study tracked 21 ME/CFS patients and 18 healthy people over 15 weeks to see if stress affects how often they catch colds and respiratory infections. ME/CFS patients caught infections much more frequently than healthy people, and importantly, high stress levels in one week predicted who would get sick the next week. The same stress also made their fatigue symptoms worse.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredLongitudinal

Glucocorticoid sensitivity of immune cells in severely fatigued adolescent girls: a longitudinal study.

ter Wolbeek, Maike, van Doornen, Lorenz J P, Schedlowski, Manfred et al.·Psychoneuroendocrinology·2008

This study looked at whether teenagers with severe fatigue have differences in how their immune cells respond to stress hormones called cortisol and dexamethasone. Researchers tracked 65 fatigued girls and 60 non-fatigued girls over a year, measuring their stress hormone levels and testing immune cell responses. They found that only girls whose fatigue persisted had reduced immune cell sensitivity to these stress hormones, suggesting that long-lasting fatigue may involve a specific change in how the immune system responds to stress.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredObservational

Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome is an under-recognized condition in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Hoad, A, Spickett, G, Elliott, J et al.·QJM : monthly journal of the Association of Physicians·2008

This study looked at whether people with ME/CFS have a condition called POTS (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome), which causes the heart to beat much faster when standing up. Researchers tested 59 ME/CFS patients and compared them to 52 healthy people, measuring heart rate changes when they stood up. They found that 27% of ME/CFS patients had POTS, compared to only 9% of healthy controls, suggesting this condition is common but often missed in ME/CFS.

Autonomic Nervous System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearObservational

The economic impact of ME/CFS: individual and societal costs.

Jason, Leonard A, Benton, Mary C, Valentine, Lisa et al.·Dynamic medicine : DM·2008

This study looked at how much money ME/CFS costs both individual patients and society as a whole in the United States. Researchers examined medical bills, test costs, and medication expenses for ME/CFS patients in two different groups. They found that ME/CFS is very expensive—costing between $2,000 and $8,600 per patient per year in direct medical costs alone, and billions of dollars to society when you include lost work and productivity.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

A matched case control study of orthostatic intolerance in children/adolescents with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Galland, Barbara C, Jackson, Pamela M, Sayers, Rachel M et al.·Pediatric research·2008

This study looked at how the hearts and blood vessels of children and teenagers with ME/CFS respond when they stand up or are tilted upright. Researchers compared 26 young people with ME/CFS to similar healthy controls using a tilt table test. They found that children with ME/CFS were much more likely to experience dizziness and abnormal heart rate responses during the test, suggesting their bodies struggle to regulate blood pressure and heart function when upright.

Autonomic Nervous System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Negotiating the diagnostic uncertainty of contested illnesses: physician practices and paradigms.

Swoboda, Debra A·Health (London, England : 1997)·2008

This study surveyed 800 U.S. doctors to understand how they diagnose ME/CFS and similar illnesses that lack clear lab tests or agreed-upon causes. Researchers found that many doctors do diagnose these conditions, even without complete scientific consensus, by using practical strategies like consulting expert resources, ordering specific tests, and considering how the body might be affected. The study shows that doctors can rationally diagnose ME/CFS by using thoughtful decision-making processes, and that patients may benefit from seeing doctors who use these careful diagnostic approaches.

Diagnostics

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Deficits of interference control in adolescents with chronic fatigue syndrome.

van de Putte, Elise M, Böcker, Koen B, Buitelaar, Jan et al.·Archives of pediatrics & adolescent medicine·2008

This study looked at how well teenagers with ME/CFS could focus and filter out distractions compared to healthy teenagers. Researchers used brain activity tests to see if adolescents with ME/CFS had difficulty with tasks requiring concentration and filtering out irrelevant information. The findings suggest that ME/CFS in teenagers may affect how the brain controls attention and handles competing information.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredObservational

Neurocognitive and functional outcomes in persons recovering from West Nile virus illness.

Sejvar, James J, Curns, Aaron T, Welburg, Leonie et al.·Journal of neuropsychology·2008

This study looked at 54 people who had recovered from West Nile virus infection about 1.5 years after getting sick. Researchers tested their memory, thinking skills, and quality of life. They found that half of the mildly ill patients and three-quarters of those with more severe illness still had ongoing symptoms and problems with daily functioning, even though most performed normally on formal cognitive tests.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Disability associated with comorbid anxiety disorders in women with chronic physical illness in Ontario, Canada.

Gadalla, Tahany M·Women & health·2008

This study looked at data from over 40,000 Canadian adults to understand how anxiety disorders affect people with chronic illnesses, particularly women. The researchers found that women with chronic physical illnesses—including ME/CFS, fibromyalgia, and digestive problems—are much more likely to also experience anxiety disorders. When anxiety and physical illness occur together, people report more disability in daily activities and higher rates of suicidal thoughts.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearObservational

Chronic fatigue syndrome and related disorders in UK veterans of the Gulf War 1990-1991: results from a two-phase cohort study.

Ismail, K, Kent, K, Sherwood, R et al.·Psychological medicine·2008

This study looked at whether Gulf War veterans had higher rates of ME/CFS and related conditions compared to other military personnel. Researchers surveyed over 10,000 military personnel and then closely examined disabled Gulf War veterans and similarly disabled veterans who served elsewhere. They found that Gulf War veterans were about 8 times more likely to meet the criteria for ME/CFS than veterans who were not deployed to the Gulf.

Diagnostics

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Prefrontal cortex oxygenation during incremental exercise in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Patrick Neary, J, Roberts, Andy D W, Leavins, Nina et al.·Clinical physiology and functional imaging·2008

This study measured oxygen levels in the brain during exercise in people with ME/CFS compared to healthy controls. People with ME/CFS became exhausted much faster, at lower exercise levels, and showed lower oxygen and blood volume in their brain during and after exercise, suggesting that reduced blood flow to the brain may be part of what causes exercise problems in ME/CFS.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Towards standard setting for patient-reported outcomes in the NHS homeopathic hospitals.

Thompson, Elizabeth A, Mathie, Robert T, Baitson, Elizabeth S et al.·Homeopathy : the journal of the Faculty of Homeopathy·2008

This study collected information from five NHS homeopathic hospitals in the UK to understand what conditions patients were being treated for and whether they felt better. Researchers recorded data from nearly 1,800 patient visits over 4 weeks, including what health problems patients had and whether they noticed improvements in their daily life. Among patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), about 59% reported meaningful improvements in their daily functioning after 6 or more appointments.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredObservational

Chronic fatigue syndrome is associated with chronic enterovirus infection of the stomach.

Chia, J K S, Chia, A Y·Journal of clinical pathology·2008

This study examined stomach biopsies from 165 ME/CFS patients to look for enterovirus (a type of virus) because many patients report stomach problems. Researchers found that 82% of ME/CFS patients had signs of enterovirus in their stomach cells, compared to only 20% of healthy control patients. Some patients tested positive for the virus years apart, suggesting a persistent infection rather than a one-time illness.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Factors associated with depression among individuals with chronic fatigue syndrome: findings from a nationally representative survey.

Fuller-Thomson, Esme, Nimigon, Jodie·Family practice·2008

This study looked at how often depression occurs in people with ME/CFS and what factors make depression more likely. Researchers surveyed over 1,000 Canadians with ME/CFS and found that about 1 in 3 people with the condition also had depression. Depression was more common in women, younger people, those with lower incomes, and those who experienced significant pain.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

The awareness of chronic fatigue syndrome: a comparative study in Brazil and the United Kingdom.

Cho, Hyong Jin, Menezes, Paulo Rossi, Bhugra, Dinesh et al.·Journal of psychosomatic research·2008

This study compared how well doctors and the general public in Brazil and the United Kingdom recognize ME/CFS. Researchers found that far fewer people in Brazil were familiar with the condition compared to the UK—only 16% of Brazilian patients had heard of it, compared to 55% in Britain. Even among Brazilian specialist doctors, less than a third could identify ME/CFS from a typical case description.

Diagnostics

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

The Energy Envelope Theory and myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Jason, Leonard, Muldowney, Kathleen, Torres-Harding, Susan·AAOHN journal : official journal of the American Association of Occupational Health Nurses·2008

This study tested the Energy Envelope Theory, which suggests that ME/CFS symptoms get worse when people spend more energy than they have available. Researchers asked people with ME/CFS to track their daily energy use compared to their available energy, and found that those who exceeded their energy budget experienced more severe fatigue, pain, depression, anxiety, and reduced quality of life. The findings support the idea that staying within your energy limits may help manage ME/CFS symptoms.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredObservational

The neural correlates of fatigue: an exploratory imaginal fatigue provocation study in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Caseras, X, Mataix-Cols, D, Rimes, K A et al.·Psychological medicine·2008

This study used brain imaging to see how the brains of ME/CFS patients respond when they imagine feeling fatigued, compared to healthy people. Researchers found that patients with ME/CFS showed different patterns of brain activity during fatigue scenarios—some areas lit up more, while others lit up less—suggesting their brains may react more intensely to fatigue and have difficulty controlling these responses.

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Functional incapacity and physical and psychological symptoms: how they interconnect in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Sympathetic cardiovascular control during orthostatic stress and isometric exercise in adolescent chronic fatigue syndrome.

An IgM-mediated immune response directed against nitro-bovine serum albumin (nitro-BSA) in chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and major depression: evidence that nitrosative stress is another factor underpinning the comorbidity between major depression and CFS.

A longitudinal study of the relationship between psychological distress and recurrence of upper respiratory tract infections in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Glucocorticoid sensitivity of immune cells in severely fatigued adolescent girls: a longitudinal study.

Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome is an under-recognized condition in chronic fatigue syndrome.

The economic impact of ME/CFS: individual and societal costs.

A matched case control study of orthostatic intolerance in children/adolescents with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Negotiating the diagnostic uncertainty of contested illnesses: physician practices and paradigms.

Deficits of interference control in adolescents with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Neurocognitive and functional outcomes in persons recovering from West Nile virus illness.

Disability associated with comorbid anxiety disorders in women with chronic physical illness in Ontario, Canada.

Chronic fatigue syndrome and related disorders in UK veterans of the Gulf War 1990-1991: results from a two-phase cohort study.

Prefrontal cortex oxygenation during incremental exercise in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Towards standard setting for patient-reported outcomes in the NHS homeopathic hospitals.

Chronic fatigue syndrome is associated with chronic enterovirus infection of the stomach.

Factors associated with depression among individuals with chronic fatigue syndrome: findings from a nationally representative survey.

The awareness of chronic fatigue syndrome: a comparative study in Brazil and the United Kingdom.

The Energy Envelope Theory and myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

The neural correlates of fatigue: an exploratory imaginal fatigue provocation study in chronic fatigue syndrome.

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