ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

2961–2980 of 6,188 studies

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearObservational

Azithromycin in chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), an analysis of clinical data.

Vermeulen, Ruud C W, Scholte, Hans R·Journal of translational medicine·2006

This study looked at whether azithromycin, an antibiotic with immune-modulating properties, could help ME/CFS patients. Researchers reviewed medical records from 99 patients who tried azithromycin after other treatments weren't sufficient. About 58 patients (roughly 59%) reported feeling better, and these responders had lower levels of a substance called acetylcarnitine in their blood.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Diurnal excretion of urinary cortisol, cortisone, and cortisol metabolites in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Jerjes, Walid K, Peters, Timothy J, Taylor, Norman F et al.·Journal of psychosomatic research·2006

This study measured stress hormone levels in urine samples from ME/CFS patients and healthy people throughout the day. Researchers found that ME/CFS patients had lower levels of certain stress hormones (cortisol and cortisone) compared to healthy controls, though the daily pattern of these hormones was normal. Interestingly, when they looked at other related hormone measurements, they didn't see the same difference, which suggests the stress response system may not be working as hard in ME/CFS.

Endocrine Disruption

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Well-being in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome: the role of acceptance.

Van Damme, Stefaan, Crombez, Geert, Van Houdenhove, Boudewijn et al.·Journal of psychosomatic research·2006

This study looked at whether accepting ME/CFS—rather than fighting against it—might help patients feel better overall. Ninety-seven patients answered questionnaires about their fatigue, daily functioning, mood, and how much they accepted their illness. The researchers found that patients who accepted their condition reported better emotional health and less anxiety, even when accounting for how severe their fatigue was.

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredLongitudinal

Chronic fatigue syndrome: the role of positivity to illness in chronic fatigue syndrome patients.

Hyland, Michael E, Sodergren, Samantha C, Lewith, George T·Journal of health psychology·2006

This study followed 53 ME/CFS patients for 12 months to see if having a positive outlook about their illness helped reduce fatigue. Researchers found that patients who developed a more positive perspective on their condition did experience improvements in mental fatigue later on. However, the study suggests that positivity itself may not be the direct cause of feeling better—instead, supportive care from healthcare providers may help patients feel more positive, which then happens before mental fatigue improves.

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredObservational

Linkages between goal attainment and quality of life for individuals with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Query, Michelle, Taylor, Renée R·Occupational therapy in health care·2006

This study looked at whether setting and achieving personal goals could improve quality of life for people with ME/CFS. Forty-seven participants attended eight group sessions where they set goals and tracked their progress. The researchers found that people who made progress toward their goals reported better quality of life, regardless of how severe their fatigue or other symptoms were.

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredLongitudinal

Long-term outcomes of an integrative rehabilitation program on quality of life: a follow-up study.

Taylor, Renee R, Thanawala, Sachi G, Shiraishi, Yukiko et al.·Journal of psychosomatic research·2006

This study tested whether a counseling program could improve quality of life for people with ME/CFS. Twenty-three participants attended 8 group sessions about managing their illness, followed by 7 months of one-on-one counseling. When researchers checked in at multiple points over a year, they found that people reported better quality of life for up to 12 months after completing the program.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Linear data mining the Wichita clinical matrix suggests sleep and allostatic load involvement in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Gurbaxani, Brian M, Jones, James F, Goertzel, Benjamin N et al.·Pharmacogenomics·2006

Researchers analyzed clinical data from 164 ME/CFS patients and controls to identify patterns that distinguish the condition from health. Using mathematical techniques to find which body measurements best separated the two groups, they found that sleep problems and markers of physical stress (allostatic load) were important—though no single measurement was strongly predictive on its own. The study suggests that ME/CFS may involve multiple interconnected biological changes rather than one simple cause.

Sleep

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCase-Control

Premorbid predictors of chronic fatigue.

Kato, Kenji, Sullivan, Patrick F, Evengård, Birgitta et al.·Archives of general psychiatry·2006

This study looked at whether stress and personality traits before someone got sick could predict who would develop chronic fatigue later. Researchers followed nearly 20,000 Swedish twins for 25+ years, measuring their stress levels and personalities in the 1970s, then checking in the late 1990s to see who had developed chronic fatigue-like illness. They found that people who reported higher stress before getting sick were significantly more likely to develop chronic fatigue, though genetic factors played an important role in this relationship.

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredObservational

To "lump" or to "split" the functional somatic syndromes: can infectious and emotional risk factors differentiate between the onset of chronic fatigue syndrome and irritable bowel syndrome?

Moss-Morris, Rona, Spence, Meagan·Psychosomatic medicine·2006

This study followed nearly 600 people who had food poisoning and 240 people who had infectious mononucleosis to see which infections were more likely to lead to chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). They found that food poisoning was more likely to trigger IBS, while mononucleosis was more likely to trigger CFS. Anxiety and depression before infection were stronger predictors of developing CFS, while the type of infection itself was the strongest predictor of IBS.

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM unclearObservational

[Favourable results of a rehabilitation programme with cognitive behavioural therapy and graded physical activity in patients with the chronic-fatigue syndrome].

Torenbeek, M, Mes, C A J, van Liere, M J et al.·Nederlands tijdschrift voor geneeskunde·2006

Researchers tested whether a rehabilitation program combining cognitive behavioral therapy (talking-based therapy to change thought patterns) and gradually increased physical activity could help ME/CFS patients feel less fatigued and function better. After completing the program, 70% of patients reported less fatigue, 68% experienced less disability, and 55% had improved physical function, though some patients did not improve.

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Screening for psychological distress using internet administration of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) in individuals with chronic fatigue syndrome.

McCue, Patricia, Buchanan, Tom, Martin, Colin R·The British journal of clinical psychology·2006

This study tested whether an online questionnaire called the HADS (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale) accurately measures anxiety and depression in people with ME/CFS. Researchers found that people with ME/CFS did have higher anxiety and depression scores than healthy controls, but the online format may have artificially inflated these scores. The questionnaire appears useful for screening but measures three different aspects of emotional distress rather than just two as previously thought.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Probing the working memory system in chronic fatigue syndrome: a functional magnetic resonance imaging study using the n-back task.

Caseras, Xavier, Mataix-Cols, David, Giampietro, Vincent et al.·Psychosomatic medicine·2006

Researchers used brain imaging to study how people with ME/CFS perform memory tasks. Although patients and healthy people did equally well on the tasks, their brains used different patterns of activity—patients showed unusual activation in certain brain regions during easier tasks and reduced activity in key memory areas during harder tasks. This suggests that people with ME/CFS may need to work harder mentally to achieve the same results.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCase-Control

A case-control study of risk factors for arm pain presenting to primary care services.

Ryall, Claire, Coggon, David, Peveler, Robert et al.·Occupational medicine (Oxford, England)·2006

This study looked at why some people develop arm pain and sought medical help for it. Researchers compared 132 people with arm pain to 127 people without arm pain and found that anxiety, depression, health worry, and having other conditions like chronic fatigue syndrome were all strongly linked to arm pain. Some physical activities like repetitive wrist movements and carrying heavy items were also associated with arm pain, especially when there was a specific diagnosis.

Pain and Sensitization

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredObservational

[The peculiarities of formation and approaches to the treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome in young patients with focal brain damage].

Boĭko, A N, Batysheva, T T, Matvievskaia, O V et al.·Zhurnal nevrologii i psikhiatrii imeni S.S. Korsakova·2006

This study looked at chronic fatigue (tiredness that doesn't go away) in young patients who had brain injuries or diseases like multiple sclerosis or other brain conditions. Researchers tested whether a medication called Fezam (made from piracetam and cinnarizin) could help reduce this fatigue. The medication did help reduce fatigue severity, particularly in MS patients, though some patients experienced mild side effects like sleep problems.

Interventions

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredObservational

Evaluation of autoantibodies to common and neuronal cell antigens in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Vernon, Suzanne D, Reeves, William C·Journal of autoimmune diseases·2005

Researchers tested blood samples from people with ME/CFS and healthy controls to look for autoantibodies—proteins the immune system makes that can attack the body's own cells. They found that some people with ME/CFS had higher levels of antibodies against two specific targets: a brain protein called MAP2 and a component of DNA. However, most common autoantibodies were not elevated in ME/CFS patients.

BiomarkersImmune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

The definition of disabling fatigue in children and adolescents.

Fowler, Tom, Duthie, Pamela, Thapar, Anita et al.·BMC family practice·2005

This study looked at how disabling fatigue in children and teens should be defined, since the current definition used for adults might not fit young people well. Researchers found that children with disabling fatigue that didn't quite meet the strict adult criteria still suffered just as much and missed just as much school as those who did meet the strict criteria. The study suggests that doctors should use a broader, less restrictive definition to catch all children who need help.

Diagnostics

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Exercise capacity and immune function in male and female patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS).

Snell, Christopher R, Vanness, J Mark, Strayer, David R et al.·In vivo (Athens, Greece)·2005

This study looked at whether a specific immune system problem affects how much exercise people with ME/CFS can do. Researchers tested 106 ME/CFS patients (35 men and 71 women) on exercise machines and found that patients with abnormal immune activity had noticeably lower exercise capacity than those with normal immune function. The difference was about the same for both men and women.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Normal opioid tone and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis function in chronic fatigue syndrome despite marked functional impairment.

Inder, Warrick J, Prickett, Timothy C R, Mulder, Roger T·Clinical endocrinology·2005

This study tested whether ME/CFS is caused by low levels of pain-relieving chemicals (opioids) in the brain or problems with the stress hormone system. Researchers measured hormone levels and responses in 12 ME/CFS patients and 11 healthy people, and found no differences between the groups, suggesting these hormonal systems are working normally in ME/CFS despite severe fatigue and physical limitations.

Endocrine Disruption

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Awareness and knowledge of fibromyalgia among French rheumatologists and general practitioners.

Blotman, F, Thomas, E, Myon, E et al.·Clinical and experimental rheumatology·2005

This study asked French doctors (both general practitioners and specialists called rheumatologists) how much they knew about fibromyalgia, a condition with widespread muscle pain and fatigue. The results showed that most doctors had never formally learned about this condition in medical school, and many did not fully recognize it as a legitimate disease. The study highlights that doctors need better training to understand and properly diagnose fibromyalgia.

Diagnostics

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Brain 5-HT1A receptor binding in chronic fatigue syndrome measured using positron emission tomography and [11C]WAY-100635.

Cleare, Anthony J, Messa, Cristina, Rabiner, Eugenii A et al.·Biological psychiatry·2005

This study used brain imaging to measure a specific receptor (5-HT1A) that helps regulate serotonin, a chemical messenger in the brain. Researchers compared 10 ME/CFS patients with 10 healthy people and found that ME/CFS patients had significantly fewer of these receptors, especially in a brain region called the hippocampus (involved in memory and emotion). This suggests that serotonin regulation in the brain may work differently in ME/CFS.

← Previous Next 20 studies →

Or browse by topic

PEM Immune Neuro Metabolic Biomarkers Severe ME Long COVID Cognitive

Evidence Atlas

Evidence browser

Azithromycin in chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), an analysis of clinical data.

Diurnal excretion of urinary cortisol, cortisone, and cortisol metabolites in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Well-being in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome: the role of acceptance.

Chronic fatigue syndrome: the role of positivity to illness in chronic fatigue syndrome patients.

Linkages between goal attainment and quality of life for individuals with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Long-term outcomes of an integrative rehabilitation program on quality of life: a follow-up study.

Linear data mining the Wichita clinical matrix suggests sleep and allostatic load involvement in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Premorbid predictors of chronic fatigue.

To "lump" or to "split" the functional somatic syndromes: can infectious and emotional risk factors differentiate between the onset of chronic fatigue syndrome and irritable bowel syndrome?

[Favourable results of a rehabilitation programme with cognitive behavioural therapy and graded physical activity in patients with the chronic-fatigue syndrome].

Screening for psychological distress using internet administration of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) in individuals with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Probing the working memory system in chronic fatigue syndrome: a functional magnetic resonance imaging study using the n-back task.

A case-control study of risk factors for arm pain presenting to primary care services.

[The peculiarities of formation and approaches to the treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome in young patients with focal brain damage].

Evaluation of autoantibodies to common and neuronal cell antigens in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

The definition of disabling fatigue in children and adolescents.

Exercise capacity and immune function in male and female patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS).

Normal opioid tone and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis function in chronic fatigue syndrome despite marked functional impairment.

Awareness and knowledge of fibromyalgia among French rheumatologists and general practitioners.

Brain 5-HT1A receptor binding in chronic fatigue syndrome measured using positron emission tomography and [11C]WAY-100635.

Curated Collections

Neuroinflammation Evidence

Metabolism & Mitochondria

Biomarkers

PEM-Specific Research