ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

3201–3220 of 6,161 studies

E2 ModeratePEM not requiredRegistry-Resource

The Mid-Atlantic Twin Registry.

Anderson, Lisa S, Beverly, William T, Corey, Linda A et al.·Twin research : the official journal of the International Society for Twin Studies·2002

The Mid-Atlantic Twin Registry is a large database of over 51,000 twin pairs born in Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina between 1913 and 2000. Researchers use this registry to study many health conditions, including chronic fatigue syndrome, by comparing identical and fraternal twins to understand which health problems may run in families or be inherited. The registry carefully protects participant privacy and allows qualified researchers to recruit twins for specific studies.

E2 ModerateReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

Influenza vaccination: is it appropriate in chronic fatigue syndrome?

Sleigh, Kenna M, Marra, Fawziah H, Stiver, H Grant·American journal of respiratory medicine : drugs, devices, and other interventions·2002

This study looked at whether people with ME/CFS should get the flu vaccine, since many patients worry it might worsen their symptoms or harm their already-altered immune system. Researchers reviewed patient concerns and clinical trial data and found that flu vaccination actually produces protective antibodies in ME/CFS patients without making their symptoms worse, though some patients reported more side effects after the shot (which turned out to overlap with ME/CFS symptoms they already had).

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

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

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.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

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.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences and circulating cell-free DNA from plasma of chronic fatigue syndrome and non-fatigued subjects.

Vernon, Suzanne D, Shukla, Sanjay K, Conradt, Jennifer et al.·BMC microbiology·2002

Researchers tested whether bacteria in the bloodstream might be linked to ME/CFS by analyzing blood samples from people with ME/CFS and healthy controls. They found that healthy people had more detectable bacterial DNA in their blood than ME/CFS patients did, and no unique or unusual bacteria were found in either group. This suggests that a specific bacterial infection is unlikely to be a primary cause of ME/CFS.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCase-Control

Chronic fatigue syndrome and immune dysfunction: cause or effect?

Pollack, Shimon·The Israel Medical Association journal : IMAJ·2002

This study examined whether immune system problems in ME/CFS patients are a cause of the illness or a result of having the illness. Researchers compared immune markers between people with ME/CFS and healthy controls to understand this relationship better. The study helps clarify an important question: does a faulty immune system trigger ME/CFS, or does having ME/CFS damage the immune system over time?

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Quantitative assessment of cerebral ventricular volumes in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Lange, G, Holodny, A I, DeLuca, J et al.·Applied neuropsychology·2001

This study looked at brain scans from people with ME/CFS to measure the size of fluid-filled spaces (ventricles) in their brains. Researchers found that people with ME/CFS had slightly larger ventricles compared to healthy controls, suggesting there may be subtle physical changes in the brains of some ME/CFS patients. While this difference was close to being statistically significant, it provides another piece of evidence that ME/CFS involves measurable brain changes.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

A family history study of chronic fatigue syndrome.

Walsh, C M, Zainal, N Z, Middleton, S J et al.·Psychiatric genetics·2001

This study examined whether ME/CFS runs in families by comparing relatives of people with ME/CFS to relatives of people with other medical conditions. Researchers found that relatives of ME/CFS patients were significantly more likely to also have ME/CFS, suggesting that family history and possibly genetics play a role in developing the condition.

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Psychological adjustment of adolescent girls with chronic fatigue syndrome.

van Middendorp, H, Geenen, R, Kuis, W et al.·Pediatrics·2001

This study looked at how 36 teenage girls with ME/CFS were coping emotionally and psychologically. The researchers found that most girls had experienced problems before getting sick, but they generally maintained healthy self-esteem and social skills despite their illness. However, the girls struggled with activities typical for teenagers, like sports and dating, and many kept their emotions bottled up rather than expressing them openly.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Is physical deconditioning a perpetuating factor in chronic fatigue syndrome? A controlled study on maximal exercise performance and relations with fatigue, impairment and physical activity.

Bazelmans, E, Bleijenberg, G, Van Der Meer, J W et al.·Psychological medicine·2001

This study tested whether ME/CFS patients are in poor physical condition compared to healthy people, and whether being out of shape might be making their illness worse. Researchers had 20 ME/CFS patients and 20 healthy controls perform exercise tests while measuring heart rate, oxygen use, and other body functions. The study found no significant difference in physical fitness between the two groups, suggesting that poor fitness is not the main reason ME/CFS patients struggle with exercise.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Divided attention deficits in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Ross, S, Fantie, B, Straus, S F et al.·Applied neuropsychology·2001

This study compared thinking and attention abilities in people with ME/CFS and healthy controls. Researchers found that ME/CFS patients had specific trouble with divided attention—the ability to focus on two things at once (like listening to someone while reading). However, they performed normally on other cognitive tests like memory and word-finding. This suggests that ME/CFS affects one particular type of thinking rather than overall intelligence.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Causal attributions for somatic sensations in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome and their partners.

Butler, J A, Chalder, T, Wessely, S·Psychological medicine·2001

This study looked at how people with ME/CFS explain their symptoms—whether they believe physical causes are responsible versus other factors. Researchers found that patients with ME/CFS tend to blame physical causes for their symptoms more often than healthy controls do. Interestingly, family members living with ME/CFS patients also blamed physical causes for the patients' symptoms, but not for their own symptoms. The researchers suggest that how partners view the illness might affect how well patients recover.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredLongitudinal

Thirteen-year follow-up of children and adolescents with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Bell, D S, Jordan, K, Robinson, M·Pediatrics·2001

This study followed 35 children and teenagers who developed ME/CFS, checking in with them about 13 years after they first got sick. Most participants (80%) felt they had recovered or were doing reasonably well by the follow-up, though many still had some lingering symptoms. However, about 20% remained significantly ill with ongoing fatigue and activity limitations a decade and a half later.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Antioxidant status and lipoprotein peroxidation in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Manuel y Keenoy, B, Moorkens, G, Vertommen, J et al.·Life sciences·2001

This study looked at whether oxidative stress—a type of cellular damage—might contribute to ME/CFS. Researchers compared 33 people with ME/CFS to 28 people with similar symptoms who didn't meet ME/CFS criteria. They found that people with ME/CFS had higher levels of fat damage in their blood particles and lower levels of a protective protein called transferrin, suggesting their bodies may be more vulnerable to oxidative damage.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Circadian rhythm of core body temperature in subjects with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Hamilos, D L, Nutter, D, Gershtenson, J et al.·Clinical physiology (Oxford, England)·2001

Researchers wanted to know if ME/CFS might be caused by broken internal body clocks, similar to jet lag. They measured core body temperature continuously in 10 ME/CFS patients and 10 healthy controls over 48 hours and analyzed the patterns. The body temperature rhythms in ME/CFS patients looked almost identical to healthy people, suggesting a disrupted body clock is unlikely to be the main cause of ME/CFS symptoms.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Cognitive compromise following exercise in monozygotic twins discordant for chronic fatigue syndrome: fact or artifact?

Claypoole, K, Mahurin, R, Fischer, M E et al.·Applied neuropsychology·2001

This study asked whether exercise makes thinking and memory problems worse in people with ME/CFS. Researchers tested 21 pairs of identical twins where one twin had ME/CFS and one did not, asking them to exercise until exhausted and then testing their memory, attention, and thinking speed. The twins with ME/CFS did not show worse cognitive decline after exercise compared to their healthy twin, suggesting that exercise itself does not damage thinking ability.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Working memory deficits associated with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Dobbs, B M, Dobbs, A R, Kiss, I·Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society : JINS·2001

This study tested memory and thinking skills in 20 people with ME/CFS and compared them to 20 healthy people. The researchers found that people with ME/CFS performed worse on difficult memory tasks, particularly those requiring quick mental switching and staying focused despite distractions. However, their basic memory storage ability was normal.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Assessment of pentachlorophenol-exposed timber workers using a test-of-poisoning model.

Gorman, D, Monigatti, J, Glass, B et al.·International journal of occupational and environmental health·2001

This study looked at 62 former timber workers in New Zealand who were exposed to a toxic chemical called pentachlorophenol (PCP) during their jobs. Researchers found that some workers developed a cluster of symptoms including fever, headaches, breathing problems, and skin issues, while others developed a long-lasting fatigue that started while they were still working. However, the researchers concluded that these fatigue syndromes didn't clearly match what doctors expect from PCP poisoning, and many other factors could have caused the symptoms.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Lack of association between HLA genotype and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Underhill, J A, Mahalingam, M, Peakman, M et al.·European journal of immunogenetics : official journal of the British Society for Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics·2001

Researchers tested whether certain immune system genes (HLA genes) were more common in ME/CFS patients compared to healthy people. They studied 58 ME/CFS patients and 134 healthy controls using modern genetic testing methods. They found no significant differences in HLA genes between the two groups, suggesting that these particular immune genes are not a major cause of ME/CFS.

Immune System

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The Mid-Atlantic Twin Registry.

Influenza vaccination: is it appropriate in chronic fatigue syndrome?

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

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

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

Analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences and circulating cell-free DNA from plasma of chronic fatigue syndrome and non-fatigued subjects.

Chronic fatigue syndrome and immune dysfunction: cause or effect?

Quantitative assessment of cerebral ventricular volumes in chronic fatigue syndrome.

A family history study of chronic fatigue syndrome.

Psychological adjustment of adolescent girls with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Is physical deconditioning a perpetuating factor in chronic fatigue syndrome? A controlled study on maximal exercise performance and relations with fatigue, impairment and physical activity.

Divided attention deficits in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Causal attributions for somatic sensations in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome and their partners.

Thirteen-year follow-up of children and adolescents with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Antioxidant status and lipoprotein peroxidation in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Circadian rhythm of core body temperature in subjects with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Cognitive compromise following exercise in monozygotic twins discordant for chronic fatigue syndrome: fact or artifact?

Working memory deficits associated with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Assessment of pentachlorophenol-exposed timber workers using a test-of-poisoning model.

Lack of association between HLA genotype and chronic fatigue syndrome.

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