ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

3041–3060 of 6,188 studies

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Cellular and humoral immune abnormalities in Gulf War veterans.

Vojdani, Aristo, Thrasher, Jack D·Environmental health perspectives·2004

Researchers compared immune system markers in 100 Gulf War veterans with symptoms to 100 healthy controls. They found that Gulf War veterans had lower natural killer cell activity, higher B cells, more immune complexes, and stronger antibody responses to multiple viruses—changes that persisted 2–8 years after the war. These findings suggest that Gulf War syndrome involves multiple immune system abnormalities similar to those seen in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredObservational

Disability evaluation in chronic fatigue syndrome: associations between exercise capacity and activity limitations/participation restrictions.

Nijs, J, De Meirleir, K, Wolfs, S et al.·Clinical rehabilitation·2004

This study looked at whether ME/CFS patients with lower exercise capacity also have more difficulty with daily activities. Researchers tested 77 patients on an exercise bike and asked them to report how limited they were in everyday life. They found a modest connection between poor exercise performance and activity limitations, but the link was not strong enough to predict disability from exercise tests alone.

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredObservational

Kinesiophobia in chronic fatigue syndrome: assessment and associations with disability.

Nijs, Jo, De Meirleir, Kenny, Duquet, William·Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation·2004

This study looked at whether ME/CFS patients who fear movement (kinesiophobia) have more activity limitations than others. Researchers used a questionnaire to measure fear of movement and found that patients with higher fear of movement reported more difficulty with daily activities, but this fear did not actually relate to how much exercise capacity they had when tested on a bike.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

The specificity of the CDC-1994 criteria for chronic fatigue syndrome: comparison of health status in three groups of patients who fulfill the criteria.

Kennedy, Gwen, Abbot, Neil C, Spence, Vance et al.·Annals of epidemiology·2004

This study looked at whether the standard definition of ME/CFS is specific enough to identify a single disease. Researchers compared three groups of patients who all met the official diagnostic criteria but got sick in different ways: some had gradual onset, some developed symptoms after Gulf War service, and some after pesticide exposure. They found important differences between these groups in their physical symptoms and emotional health, suggesting the current definition may be catching different conditions.

Diagnostics

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCase-Control

Physiological responses during a submaximal cycle test in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Wallman, Karen E, Morton, Alan R, Goodman, Carmel et al.·Medicine and science in sports and exercise·2004

This study compared how people with ME/CFS and healthy people without the condition respond to exercise on a stationary bike. The main finding was that people with ME/CFS felt much more exhausted during the same amount of exercise, and they couldn't exercise as hard before becoming tired. Both groups were matched carefully so they had similar activity levels before the study, which makes the comparison more fair.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Use of time-frequency analysis to investigate temporal patterns of cardiac autonomic response during head-up tilt in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Yoshiuchi, Kazuhiro, Quigley, Karen S, Ohashi, Kyoko et al.·Autonomic neuroscience : basic & clinical·2004

This study looked at how the nervous system that controls heart rate and blood pressure responds when people stand up from lying down. Researchers tested people with ME/CFS (with and without a condition called POTS), and compared them to healthy volunteers. They found that even ME/CFS patients without POTS showed subtle differences in how their heart rate changed during the standing test, suggesting their autonomic nervous system may not work quite normally.

Autonomic Nervous System

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Chronic fatigue syndrome: lack of association between pain-related fear of movement and exercise capacity and disability.

Nijs, Jo, Vanherberghen, Katrien, Duquet, William et al.·Physical therapy·2004

Many ME/CFS patients with pain avoid movement because they fear it will make them worse (a condition called kinesiophobia). This study tested whether this fear of movement actually relates to how much exercise patients can do or how disabled they are. Researchers found that fear of movement was common in ME/CFS patients, but surprisingly, it did not predict exercise capacity or activity limitations.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Neuropsychological deficits in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Busichio, Kim, Tiersky, Lana A, Deluca, John et al.·Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society : JINS·2004

This study tested how thinking and memory work in people with ME/CFS compared to healthy people. Researchers gave 141 ME/CFS patients and 76 healthy volunteers a series of brain function tests. They found that ME/CFS patients performed noticeably worse on tests measuring attention, processing speed, and motor skills, with some showing significant difficulties across multiple areas.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearLongitudinal

Childhood predictors of self reported chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis in adults: national birth cohort study.

Viner, Russell, Hotopf, Matthew·BMJ (Clinical research ed.)·2004

This study followed over 11,000 children born in 1970 into adulthood to understand what childhood factors might lead to developing ME/CFS later in life. Researchers found that people who were less active as children, had long-term health conditions in childhood, or were female had higher chances of developing ME/CFS by age 30. Importantly, childhood stress or psychological problems were not found to be risk factors, contrary to some earlier beliefs.

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredObservational

Regional prevalence of fatiguing illnesses in the United States before and after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.

Heim, Christine, Bierl, Cynthia, Nisenbaum, Rosane et al.·Psychosomatic medicine·2004

This study examined whether severe fatigue and ME/CFS-like illness were more or less common in different U.S. regions before and after the September 11 terrorist attacks. Researchers interviewed over 7,000 people about fatigue symptoms and found that reported cases of prolonged fatigue and chronic fatigue actually decreased after the attacks, which was unexpected. The authors suggest that the extreme stress of the attacks may have temporarily changed how people experienced or reported fatigue symptoms.

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredLongitudinal

Predictors of outcome in fatigued employees on sick leave: results from a randomised trial.

Huibers, Marcus J H, Bleijenberg, Gijs, van Amelsvoort, Ludovic G P M et al.·Journal of psychosomatic research·2004

This study followed 151 tired employees on sick leave for one year to see who recovered and who returned to work. The researchers found that about 43% of people stopped having persistent fatigue, and 62% went back to work. Interestingly, getting better from fatigue and returning to work were driven by different factors—people who recovered from fatigue tended to view their condition differently psychologically, while those who returned to work tended to be younger, male, and have fewer thinking/memory problems.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCase-Control

Hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis hormones and cortisol in both menstrual phases of women with chronic fatigue syndrome and effect of depressive mood on these hormones.

Cevik, Remzi, Gur, Ali, Acar, Suat et al.·BMC musculoskeletal disorders·2004

This study examined hormone levels in women with ME/CFS, focusing on hormones that control the menstrual cycle and stress response. Researchers found that women with ME/CFS had lower stress hormone (cortisol) levels than healthy women, while menstrual cycle hormones were normal. Depression symptoms did not change these hormone patterns.

Endocrine Disruption

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Objective assessment of personality disorder in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Henderson, Max, Tannock, Charles·Journal of psychosomatic research·2004

This study looked at whether people with ME/CFS have personality traits that might be associated with mental health conditions. Researchers interviewed 61 ME/CFS patients, 40 people with depression, and 45 healthy students using a structured clinical assessment tool. They found that 39% of ME/CFS patients had identifiable personality patterns, which was higher than healthy people but lower than those with depression—and importantly, this wasn't simply explained by having depression alongside ME/CFS.

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredLongitudinal

Development of the chronic fatigue syndrome in severely fatigued employees: predictors of outcome in the Maastricht cohort study.

Huibers, Marcus J H, Kant, I Jmert, Knottnerus, J André et al.·Journal of epidemiology and community health·2004

This study followed over 1,100 Dutch workers who reported unexplained fatigue for 3.7 years to see who would develop ME/CFS and who would recover. About 8% developed ME/CFS-like illness, 40% continued to have fatigue without meeting ME/CFS criteria, and 52% recovered completely. The study found that people at higher risk of developing ME/CFS tended to be older, female, less educated, and reported feeling exhausted and in poor health.

E2 ModerateMechanismPEM not requiredMechanistic

Reduction of serotonin transporters of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Yamamoto, Shigeyuki, Ouchi, Yasuomi, Onoe, Hirotaka et al.·Neuroreport·2004

Researchers used brain imaging (PET scans) to study a chemical messenger in the brain called serotonin in ME/CFS patients compared to healthy people. They found that ME/CFS patients had lower levels of serotonin transporters—the proteins that carry serotonin—in a specific brain region called the rostral anterior cingulate. This suggests that serotonin system dysfunction may be involved in ME/CFS symptoms.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCase-Control

Prevalence of abnormal cardiac wall motion in the cardiomyopathy associated with incomplete multiplication of Epstein-barr Virus and/or cytomegalovirus in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Lerner, A Martin, Dworkin, Howard J, Sayyed, Tawfeeq et al.·In vivo (Athens, Greece)·2004

This study examined whether certain ME/CFS patients have heart problems caused by incomplete viral infections with Epstein-Barr virus or cytomegalovirus. Researchers found that ME/CFS patients with specific viral antibodies in their blood were more likely to show abnormal heart wall movement compared to control patients without ME/CFS. Some ME/CFS patients even showed heart tissue damage (cardiomyopathy) on biopsy.

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Death of a lifestyle: the effects of social support and healthcare support on the quality of life of persons with fibromyalgia and/or chronic fatigue syndrome.

Schoofs, Nancy, Bambini, Deborah, Ronning, Pamela et al.·Orthopedic nursing·2004

This study looked at how relationships with family, friends, and healthcare providers affect quality of life for people with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome. Researchers found that having strong social support from loved ones was linked to better quality of life, but surprisingly, support from healthcare providers was not strongly connected to this outcome. The study also showed that many people with these conditions don't feel they have enough social support.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredObservational

Health effects of dental amalgam exposure: a retrospective cohort study.

Bates, Michael N, Fawcett, Jackie, Garrett, Nick et al.·International journal of epidemiology·2004

This study looked at whether mercury in dental fillings causes health problems like chronic fatigue syndrome, multiple sclerosis, or Alzheimer's disease. Researchers tracked 20,000 New Zealand Defence Force members for about 20 years and compared how many dental fillings they received to whether they developed these illnesses. The study found no link between dental fillings and chronic fatigue syndrome, suggesting that amalgam fillings are unlikely to cause ME/CFS.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredLongitudinal

Illness and disability in Danish Chronic Fatigue Syndrome patients at diagnosis and 5-year follow-up.

Andersen, M M, Permin, H, Albrecht, F·Journal of psychosomatic research·2004

This study followed 33 people with ME/CFS for 5 years to see how their illness affected their daily lives. Researchers found that most people remained severely disabled, with very few experiencing meaningful recovery. While emotional well-being sometimes improved over time, problems like difficulty reading and allergies often got worse.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Chronic fatigue syndrome and sexual dysfunction.

Vermeulen, Ruud C W, Scholte, Hans R·Journal of psychosomatic research·2004

This study examined whether women with ME/CFS experience more sexual problems than healthy women. Researchers surveyed 35 women with ME/CFS and 36 healthy women using questionnaires about fatigue and sexual function. Interestingly, the women with ME/CFS reported similar levels of sexual satisfaction as healthy women, even though they had significantly higher fatigue levels.

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Cellular and humoral immune abnormalities in Gulf War veterans.

Disability evaluation in chronic fatigue syndrome: associations between exercise capacity and activity limitations/participation restrictions.

Kinesiophobia in chronic fatigue syndrome: assessment and associations with disability.

The specificity of the CDC-1994 criteria for chronic fatigue syndrome: comparison of health status in three groups of patients who fulfill the criteria.

Physiological responses during a submaximal cycle test in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Use of time-frequency analysis to investigate temporal patterns of cardiac autonomic response during head-up tilt in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Chronic fatigue syndrome: lack of association between pain-related fear of movement and exercise capacity and disability.

Neuropsychological deficits in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Childhood predictors of self reported chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis in adults: national birth cohort study.

Regional prevalence of fatiguing illnesses in the United States before and after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.

Predictors of outcome in fatigued employees on sick leave: results from a randomised trial.

Hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis hormones and cortisol in both menstrual phases of women with chronic fatigue syndrome and effect of depressive mood on these hormones.

Objective assessment of personality disorder in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Development of the chronic fatigue syndrome in severely fatigued employees: predictors of outcome in the Maastricht cohort study.

Reduction of serotonin transporters of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Prevalence of abnormal cardiac wall motion in the cardiomyopathy associated with incomplete multiplication of Epstein-barr Virus and/or cytomegalovirus in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Death of a lifestyle: the effects of social support and healthcare support on the quality of life of persons with fibromyalgia and/or chronic fatigue syndrome.

Health effects of dental amalgam exposure: a retrospective cohort study.

Illness and disability in Danish Chronic Fatigue Syndrome patients at diagnosis and 5-year follow-up.

Chronic fatigue syndrome and sexual dysfunction.

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