ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

2821–2840 of 6,209 studies

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 requiredCross-Sectional

Validation of the energy index point score to serially measure the degree of disability in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Lerner, A Martin, Beqaj, Safedin H, Fitzgerald, James T·In vivo (Athens, Greece)·2008

Researchers tested a simple scoring system called the Energy Index (EI) to measure fatigue severity in ME/CFS patients. They compared it to another well-known fatigue measurement tool (the Fatigue Severity Score) in 56 patients and found the two methods produced similar results. This suggests the Energy Index is a reliable way for doctors and patients to track how severe fatigue is and whether treatments are helping.

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Attentional bias towards health-threat information in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Hou, Ruihua, Moss-Morris, Rona, Bradley, Brendan P et al.·Journal of psychosomatic research·2008

This study tested whether people with ME/CFS pay more attention to health-related threats compared to neutral information. Researchers used a simple computer task showing words and pictures related to health threats or neutral topics, and found that people with ME/CFS did indeed focus more on the health-threat information than healthy people did. This pattern of attention might help explain why some cognitive therapy approaches can be helpful for ME/CFS.

Cognitive Impairment

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 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

Enhanced vagal withdrawal during mild orthostatic stress in adolescents with chronic fatigue.

Wyller, Vegard Bruun, Barbieri, Riccardo, Thaulow, Erik et al.·Annals of noninvasive electrocardiology : the official journal of the International Society for Holter and Noninvasive Electrocardiology, Inc·2008

This study looked at how the nervous system controls heart rate in adolescents with ME/CFS, particularly during mild physical stress (tilting on a table). Researchers found that teenagers with ME/CFS showed an unusual heart rate pattern—their bodies shifted too quickly toward stress-mode responses compared to healthy teens. This suggests their autonomic nervous system, which normally helps regulate heart rate and blood pressure, may not be working properly.

Autonomic Nervous System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Sexual dysfunction as related to severity of fatigue in women with CFS.

Blazquez, A, Ruiz, E, Vazquez, A et al.·Journal of sex & marital therapy·2008

This study looked at whether sexual function problems are connected to fatigue severity in women with ME/CFS. Researchers compared 27 women with ME/CFS to 15 healthy women and used questionnaires to measure sexual satisfaction, interest, and comfort. They found that women with more severe fatigue reported more sexual problems, including less satisfaction, avoiding sexual activity, and viewing sex negatively.

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 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

'Physical or psychological?'- a comparative study of causal attribution for chronic fatigue in Brazilian and British primary care patients.

Cho, H J, Bhugra, D, Wessely, S·Acta psychiatrica Scandinavica·2008

This study compared how patients with long-term unexplained fatigue in Brazil and Britain understand what caused their illness. British patients were more likely to believe their fatigue had a physical cause, while both groups experienced similar levels of disability despite their different beliefs about its origin. The findings suggest that culture and society influence how people understand and talk about their chronic fatigue.

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredObservational

Implementing cognitive behavior therapy for chronic fatigue syndrome in mental health care: a costs and outcomes analysis.

Scheeres, Korine, Wensing, Michel, Bleijenberg, Gijs et al.·BMC health services research·2008

This study tested whether cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), a talk-based treatment, could be successfully offered to ME/CFS patients at a mental health center and whether it was worth the cost. Researchers tracked 125 patients before and after treatment and found that 37% recovered from CFS, patients' healthcare costs went down, and overall costs to society were lower. The study suggests that offering CBT for ME/CFS in mental health settings could be both helpful and financially reasonable.

Interventions

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Memory for fatigue in chronic fatigue syndrome: relationships to fatigue variability, catastrophizing, and negative affect.

Sohl, Stephanie J, Friedberg, Fred·Behavioral medicine (Washington, D.C.)·2008

This study explored how ME/CFS patients remember their fatigue compared to what they actually experience day-to-day. Over 3 weeks, 53 patients recorded their fatigue levels as they happened, then recalled how fatigued they had been the previous week. The research found that people who had more variable fatigue, as well as those struggling with worry, depression, or anxiety, tended to remember their fatigue differently than they actually experienced it.

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredLongitudinal

Physical health 25 years later: the predictive ability of neuroticism.

Charles, Susan Turk, Gatz, Margaret, Kato, Kenji et al.·Health psychology : official journal of the Division of Health Psychology, American Psychological Association·2008

This study followed over 21,000 people for 25 years to see if personality traits measured in 1973 could predict physical health problems in 1998–2002. The researchers found that people who scored higher on neuroticism—a trait involving worry, emotional sensitivity, and stress—were more likely to report having chronic conditions, including chronic fatigue syndrome. However, when family history was considered, some of these connections weakened, suggesting that genetics may partly explain why certain personality traits and health problems run in families.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Genetic evaluation of the serotonergic system in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Smith, Alicia K, Dimulescu, Irina, Falkenberg, Virginia R et al.·Psychoneuroendocrinology·2008

This study looked at genes related to serotonin (a brain chemical) to see if certain genetic variations are more common in people with ME/CFS. Researchers compared 40 ME/CFS patients with 97 control subjects and found that specific genetic markers in the HTR2A gene were associated with ME/CFS and with severity of fatigue and disability. These genetic variations may increase how active the serotonin system is in the brain, which could play a role in ME/CFS.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Chronic fatigue syndrome in male Gulf war veterans and civilians: a further test of the single syndrome hypothesis.

Ciccone, Donald S, Weissman, Lois, Natelson, Benjamin H·Journal of health psychology·2008

This study looked at whether ME/CFS is the same disease in everyone or if it might be different depending on how it starts. Researchers compared 45 male veterans with ME/CFS to 84 male civilians with ME/CFS and found some interesting differences: civilians were more likely to get ME/CFS suddenly (like after the flu), while veterans developed it differently. Civilians also had more fibromyalgia alongside their ME/CFS. These differences suggest that ME/CFS might not be one single disease affecting everyone the same way.

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.

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredLongitudinal

The relationship between prior psychiatric disorder and chronic fatigue: evidence from a national birth cohort study.

Harvey, S B, Wadsworth, M, Wessely, S et al.·Psychological medicine·2008

This study followed over 5,000 people from birth into their 50s to understand whether psychiatric conditions like depression and anxiety occur before ME/CFS develops. Researchers found that people who experienced depression or anxiety between ages 15-36 were about 2.5 times more likely to develop ME/CFS later in life. The more severe the psychiatric symptoms were, the higher the risk of developing ME/CFS.

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 not requiredCase-Control

Combined dexamethasone/corticotropin-releasing factor test in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Van Den Eede, F, Moorkens, G, Hulstijn, W et al.·Psychological medicine·2008

This study tested how well the stress-response system (HPA axis) works in ME/CFS patients compared to healthy people. Researchers gave patients a special test involving two hormones and measured cortisol levels in saliva. They found that ME/CFS patients had lower cortisol responses than healthy controls, suggesting their stress-response system may not be working properly—but this was especially true for patients without a history of childhood trauma.

Endocrine Disruption

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Symptoms, impairment and illness intrusiveness--their relationship with depression in women with CFS/ME.

Dancey, Christine P, Friend, Julie·Psychology & health·2008

This study looked at how ME/CFS symptoms and daily limitations affect depression in women with the illness. The researchers found that ME/CFS is particularly intrusive—it disrupts many areas of life more than other chronic illnesses do. How much the illness disrupts daily life turned out to be the strongest predictor of whether someone develops depression, more so than the symptoms or impairments alone.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Dynamics of sleep stage transitions in healthy humans and patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Kishi, Akifumi, Struzik, Zbigniew R, Natelson, Benjamin H et al.·American journal of physiology. Regulatory, integrative and comparative physiology·2008

This study examined sleep patterns in people with ME/CFS compared to healthy people by recording brain activity during sleep. Researchers found that people with ME/CFS have disrupted transitions between different types of sleep, particularly trouble maintaining lighter sleep and REM sleep, and instead wake up more frequently. This suggests that the brain's sleep regulation mechanisms work differently in ME/CFS.

Sleep

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

Validation of the energy index point score to serially measure the degree of disability in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Attentional bias towards health-threat information in 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.

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

Enhanced vagal withdrawal during mild orthostatic stress in adolescents with chronic fatigue.

Sexual dysfunction as related to severity of fatigue in women with CFS.

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

'Physical or psychological?'- a comparative study of causal attribution for chronic fatigue in Brazilian and British primary care patients.

Implementing cognitive behavior therapy for chronic fatigue syndrome in mental health care: a costs and outcomes analysis.

Memory for fatigue in chronic fatigue syndrome: relationships to fatigue variability, catastrophizing, and negative affect.

Physical health 25 years later: the predictive ability of neuroticism.

Genetic evaluation of the serotonergic system in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Chronic fatigue syndrome in male Gulf war veterans and civilians: a further test of the single syndrome hypothesis.

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

The relationship between prior psychiatric disorder and chronic fatigue: evidence from a national birth cohort study.

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

Combined dexamethasone/corticotropin-releasing factor test in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Symptoms, impairment and illness intrusiveness--their relationship with depression in women with CFS/ME.

Dynamics of sleep stage transitions in healthy humans and patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

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