Evidence browser

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredObservational

Treatments for chronic fatigue syndrome and the Internet: a systematic survey of what your patients are reading.

Kisely, Stephen R·The Australian and New Zealand journal of psychiatry·2002

Researchers looked at what information about ME/CFS treatments people were finding on the Internet in 2000. They found that most websites did not provide balanced or accurate information compared to what scientific research actually shows. Only a few websites told readers to check the information with their doctor, and many lacked proper author credentials or sources.

Caring for a relative with chronic fatigue syndrome: difficulties, cognition and acceptance over time.

Ax, S, Gregg, V H, Jones, D·The journal of the Royal Society for the Promotion of Health·2002

This study spoke with 17 family members who care for people with ME/CFS to understand how the illness affects their lives. Surprisingly, many caregivers said their own daily lives weren't drastically changed, even though they all developed specific ways to cope and manage stress. Over time, caregivers learned to accept the illness, though this acceptance felt more like resignation than genuine understanding or appreciation of what the illness truly means.

High prevalence of Mycoplasma infections among European chronic fatigue syndrome patients. Examination of four Mycoplasma species in blood of chronic fatigue syndrome patients.

Nijs, Jo, Nicolson, Garth L, De Becker, Pascale et al.·FEMS immunology and medical microbiology·2002

This study looked for four types of bacteria called Mycoplasma in the blood of 261 ME/CFS patients in Europe and compared them to 36 healthy people. The researchers found that about 69% of ME/CFS patients had at least one type of Mycoplasma bacteria, compared to only 6% of healthy controls. The most common type found was M. hominis, followed by M. pneumoniae and M. fermentans.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredObservational

Low-dose dexamethasone suppression test in chronic fatigue syndrome and health.

Gaab, Jens, Hüster, Dominik, Peisen, Renate et al.·Psychosomatic medicine·2002

This study looked at how the body's stress-response system (called the HPA axis) works differently in ME/CFS patients compared to healthy people. Researchers measured cortisol levels in saliva at different times of day, and then gave participants a small dose of a steroid medication to see how well the body could shut down cortisol production. They found that ME/CFS patients' cortisol levels dropped much more dramatically and stayed suppressed longer after the medication, suggesting their stress system may be working overtime to control itself.

Endocrine Disruption

A six-month trial of valacyclovir in the Epstein-Barr virus subset of chronic fatigue syndrome: improvement in left ventricular function.

Lerner, A Martin, Beqaj, Safedin H, Deeter, Robert G et al.·Drugs of today (Barcelona, Spain : 1998)·2002

This small study tested whether an antiviral medication called valacyclovir could help ME/CFS patients who had persistent Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection. Researchers gave 25 patients valacyclovir for 6 months and found that those with only EBV infection showed improvement in heart function and energy levels, but those with both EBV and cytomegalovirus infections did not improve.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Immunological variables mediate cognitive dysfunction in gulf war veterans but not civilians with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Brimacombe, Michael, Zhang, QuanWu, Lange, Gudrun et al.·Neuroimmunomodulation·2002

This study compared immune system markers and thinking/memory problems in Gulf War veterans with ME/CFS and civilians with ME/CFS. The researchers found that in Gulf War veterans, certain immune system patterns were connected to cognitive problems like slower reaction times, and these immune changes seemed to affect how well they could function. Interestingly, this same immune-cognition relationship was not found in civilians with ME/CFS, suggesting the two groups may have different underlying causes for their illness.

IgM serum antibodies to human cytomegalovirus nonstructural gene products p52 and CM2(UL44 and UL57) are uniquely present in a subset of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Lerner, A Martin, Beqaj, Safedin H, Deeter, Robert G et al.·In vivo (Athens, Greece)·2002

Researchers tested blood samples from ME/CFS patients and healthy controls for specific antibodies to cytomegalovirus (CMV), a common virus. They found that 16 ME/CFS patients had unique antibodies to two CMV proteins (p52 and CM2) that were not found in 77 control subjects, including other ME/CFS patients and healthy people. This suggests these antibodies might be a specific marker for a subset of ME/CFS patients and could indicate an ongoing or incomplete CMV infection in this group.

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredObservational

Joint hypermobility is more common in children with chronic fatigue syndrome than in healthy controls.

Barron, Diana F, Cohen, Bernard A, Geraghty, Michael T et al.·The Journal of pediatrics·2002

This study compared how flexible the joints are in children with ME/CFS versus healthy children. Researchers found that children with ME/CFS had much more joint flexibility than healthy children—60% of children with ME/CFS had highly flexible joints compared to only 24% of healthy children. This suggests that joint hypermobility (unusually flexible joints) may be more common in ME/CFS.

The prognosis after multidisciplinary treatment for patients with postinfectious chronic fatigue syndrome and noninfectious chronic fatigue syndrome.

Masuda, Akinori, Nakayama, Takashi, Yamanaka, Takao et al.·Journal of behavioral medicine·2002

This study compared two types of ME/CFS patients: those whose illness started after an infection and those whose didn't. After multidisciplinary treatment, patients who developed ME/CFS after infection showed better improvement in symptoms and were more likely to return to work. Importantly, a marker of immune function called NK cell activity also showed more improvement in the post-infectious group, suggesting their bodies may respond differently to treatment.

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Fatigue in chronic migraine patients.

Peres, M F P, Zukerman, E, Young, W B et al.·Cephalalgia : an international journal of headache·2002

This study looked at fatigue in 63 patients with chronic migraine headaches. The researchers found that most of these patients experienced significant fatigue, and many met the diagnostic criteria for chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). The study suggests that fatigue and migraines may be connected conditions that should be recognized and treated together.

Cellular immunity in monozygotic twins discordant for chronic fatigue syndrome.

Sabath, Daniel E, Barcy, Serge, Koelle, David M et al.·The Journal of infectious diseases·2002

This study looked at immune system differences in identical twins where one twin had ME/CFS and the other didn't. By comparing identical twins, researchers could focus on immune changes related to the illness rather than genetic differences. The study found that certain immune cells were more variable in twins with ME/CFS, suggesting the immune system may be less stable in this condition.

E2 ModerateDiagnosticPEM not requiredMethods-Paper

[Asthenia in adolescents].

De Sanctis, V, Mangiagli, A, Campisi, S et al.·Minerva pediatrica·2002

This study looked at how common fatigue is among Italian teenagers aged 12-15 by surveying students in schools. Researchers found that about 70% of adolescents reported experiencing fatigue. The study explains that while fatigue after infections is common, severe or long-lasting fatigue in teenagers should be evaluated by doctors to find out if there's an underlying cause, and it briefly describes chronic fatigue syndrome using standard diagnostic criteria.

Validation of a telephone cognitive assessment test battery for use in chronic fatigue syndrome.

McCue, P, Scholey, A B, Herman, C et al.·Journal of telemedicine and telecare·2002

This study tested whether a telephone-based brain function test could accurately detect thinking problems in people with ME/CFS. Researchers compared two versions of the same test—one on a computer and one done by telephone—in 30 people with ME/CFS and 30 healthy people. Both versions showed that people with ME/CFS were significantly slower at thinking tasks involving attention, memory, and focus, confirming that cognitive problems are real and measurable in this illness.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Antinuclear autoantibodies (ANA) in Gulf War-related illness and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) patients.

Skowera, A, Stewart, E, Davis, E T et al.·Clinical and experimental immunology·2002

This study looked for a specific type of immune protein called antinuclear autoantibodies (ANAs) in people with ME/CFS and Gulf War veterans with multiple symptoms. Researchers compared blood samples from ME/CFS patients, symptomatic Gulf War veterans, and healthy controls. They found no significant differences in ANA levels between any of the groups, and none of the patients had the specific nuclear envelope ANA type that had been suggested as a possible ME/CFS marker.

Cytokines in nasal lavage fluids from acute sinusitis, allergic rhinitis, and chronic fatigue syndrome subjects.

Repka-Ramirez, Susana, Naranch, Kristina, Park, Yong-Jin et al.·Allergy and asthma proceedings·2002

Researchers measured inflammation markers in nasal fluid samples from people with ME/CFS, allergic rhinitis, acute sinusitis, and healthy controls. They found that people with acute sinusitis had significantly higher levels of inflammatory substances, but people with ME/CFS did not show elevated inflammation in their nasal passages compared to healthy controls.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Latent class analysis of symptoms associated with chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia.

Sullivan, P F, Smith, W, Buchwald, D·Psychological medicine·2002

Researchers studied 646 patients with ME/CFS and/or fibromyalgia to see if these are truly separate conditions or if they overlap significantly. Using statistical analysis of 32 common symptoms, they found that patients fell into four groups that differed in severity rather than type—suggesting these conditions are more similar to each other than previously thought. This challenges the traditional belief that ME/CFS and fibromyalgia are distinct disorders.

Diagnostics

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredObservational

Dry eyes and mouth syndrome--a subgroup of patients presenting with sicca symptoms.

Price, E J, Venables, P J W·Rheumatology (Oxford, England)·2002

This study looked at 34 patients who had dry eyes and dry mouth symptoms but did not meet the standard criteria for Sjögren's syndrome. These patients had many symptoms on questionnaires but few objective physical findings, and most of them also had features more typical of fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome rather than Sjögren's.

Diagnostics

Radiophobia: long-term psychological consequences of Chernobyl.

Pastel, Ross H·Military medicine·2002

After the Chernobyl nuclear accident, many people experienced psychological distress and developed symptoms like extreme fatigue, sleep problems, mood changes, memory difficulties, and muscle or joint pain. These symptom patterns resembled chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia. Importantly, these symptoms appeared in people across both highly and minimally contaminated areas and didn't increase with radiation exposure levels, suggesting psychological stress rather than radiation damage caused the illness.

High rates of autoimmune and endocrine disorders, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome and atopic diseases among women with endometriosis: a survey analysis.

Sinaii, N, Cleary, S D, Ballweg, M L et al.·Human reproduction (Oxford, England)·2002

This study found that women with endometriosis—a painful condition where tissue grows outside the uterus—have much higher rates of ME/CFS, fibromyalgia, and autoimmune diseases compared to the general population. Researchers surveyed nearly 3,700 women with endometriosis and compared their health conditions to published data about women without endometriosis. Women with endometriosis were 150 times more likely to have ME/CFS and nearly twice as likely to have fibromyalgia.