ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

3201–3220 of 6,188 studies

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Underlying self-esteem in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Creswell, Cathy, Chalder, Trudie·Journal of psychosomatic research·2002

This study looked at whether people with ME/CFS have low self-esteem, using two different types of tests. When asked directly, people with ME/CFS reported lower self-esteem than healthy people and those with other chronic illnesses. However, a special test that measures unconscious reactions suggested their true underlying self-esteem was even lower than what they reported, possibly because they use mental defense mechanisms to protect themselves.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

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.

Immune System

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Patients' strategies for coping with psoriasis.

Fortune, D G, Richards, H L, Main, C J et al.·Clinical and experimental dermatology·2002

This study looked at how people with psoriasis (a skin condition) cope with their illness by comparing their coping strategies to healthy people and those with other diseases. Researchers found that psoriasis patients most often use acceptance and planning to manage their condition, while least often turning to alcohol, drugs, or denial. Interestingly, people with psoriasis used fewer active coping strategies than healthy controls, but used similar coping approaches to patients with other conditions like chronic fatigue syndrome and cancer.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

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.

E2 ModerateDiagnosticPEM not requiredMethods-Paper

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 not requiredCross-Sectional

Subclinical Sjögren's syndrome and anti-Ro/SSA-positive autoimmune fatigue syndrome in children.

Itoh, Y, Imai, T, Fujino, O et al.·Modern rheumatology·2002

This study looked at children with severe fatigue and found that some had a specific antibody (anti-Ro/SSA) in their blood that is also found in Sjögren's syndrome, an autoimmune condition affecting moisture-producing glands. Eight children with fatigue syndrome tested positive for this antibody, and two of them showed actual gland damage on biopsy similar to Sjögren's syndrome, suggesting that some fatigue cases may actually be caused by an autoimmune condition affecting the glands.

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 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 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Fatigue after breast cancer and in chronic fatigue syndrome: similarities and differences.

Servaes, Petra, Prins, Judith, Verhagen, Stans et al.·Journal of psychosomatic research·2002

This study compared 57 women with ME/CFS to 57 women who had breast cancer and were experiencing severe fatigue after treatment. Researchers measured fatigue, physical activity, mood, sleep, and concentration using questionnaires, tests, and activity monitors worn for 12 days. While both groups experienced significant fatigue, ME/CFS patients generally had more severe symptoms overall, though some breast cancer survivors reported similar problems with sleep and concentration.

SleepCognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Blood volume and its relation to peak O(2) consumption and physical activity in patients with chronic fatigue.

Farquhar, William B, Hunt, Brian E, Taylor, J Andrew et al.·American journal of physiology. Heart and circulatory physiology·2002

This study looked at whether people with ME/CFS have lower blood volume (the amount of fluid circulating in their bodies) and whether this might explain their exercise problems. Researchers compared 17 ME/CFS patients with 17 healthy controls, measuring blood volume and fitness capacity. They found that ME/CFS patients had significantly reduced exercise capacity and a trend toward lower blood volume, and these two measurements were strongly related to each other.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Cognitive functioning in chronic fatigue syndrome and the role of depression, anxiety, and fatigue.

Short, Keryn, McCabe, Marita, Tooley, Greg·Journal of psychosomatic research·2002

This study tested whether people with ME/CFS have actual problems with memory and thinking skills, or whether the difficulty they experience is mainly related to depression, anxiety, or fatigue. Researchers compared 23 people with ME/CFS to 23 healthy people using both objective tests (like memory tasks) and subjective reports (how people felt their thinking was affected). The findings showed that on actual cognitive tests, people with ME/CFS performed just as well as healthy controls, though they reported feeling that their thinking was worse.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Utility of the blood for gene expression profiling and biomarker discovery in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Vernon, Suzanne D, Unger, Elizabeth R, Dimulescu, Irina M et al.·Disease markers·2002

Researchers examined blood cells from people with ME/CFS and healthy volunteers to see if they could find differences in how genes are turned on or off. They found that blood cells from ME/CFS patients showed different gene activity patterns compared to healthy people, and some of these differences involved immune system genes. This suggests that ME/CFS involves problems with how the immune system is functioning.

BiomarkersImmune System

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredObservational

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.

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Perception of cognitive performance in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Metzger, Fredric A, Denney, Douglas R·Annals of behavioral medicine : a publication of the Society of Behavioral Medicine·2002

This study looked at how accurately people with ME/CFS judge their own mental performance. When patients with ME/CFS completed a challenging thinking task, they consistently thought they did worse than they actually did, even though their actual performance matched healthy people's performance. This gap between what they thought they could do and what they actually accomplished was linked to how mentally tired and fatigued the task made them feel.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

[Utilization of national insurance in connection with functional somatic disorders].

Brage, Søren·Tidsskrift for den Norske laegeforening : tidsskrift for praktisk medicin, ny raekke·2002

This study looked at how much money Norway's national insurance system spent on people with chronic fatigue syndrome and other similar long-term conditions in the year 2000. Researchers found that these conditions caused about 3% of all sick leave taken by workers and affected about 6% of people newly approved for disability payments. The study shows that these conditions, particularly fibromyalgia, have a significant financial impact on healthcare systems.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM requiredLongitudinal

Prognosis of chronic fatigue in a community-based sample.

Taylor, Renee R, Jason, Leonard A, Curie, Carrie J·Psychosomatic medicine·2002

Researchers followed up with people from a large community study to see which factors predict whether chronic fatigue gets better or worse over time. They found that how severe fatigue was at the start, and especially whether exercise made symptoms worse for 24 hours or more (a symptom called postexertional malaise), were the strongest predictors of whether someone would still have chronic fatigue years later.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Fractal analysis and recurrence quantification analysis of heart rate and pulse transit time for diagnosing chronic fatigue syndrome.

Naschitz, Jochanan E, Sabo, Edmond, Naschitz, Shaul et al.·Clinical autonomic research : official journal of the Clinical Autonomic Research Society·2002

This study tested a new way to diagnose ME/CFS by measuring how the heart and blood vessels respond to a simple tilt test (lying down then standing up). Researchers used mathematical analysis of heart rate patterns and blood flow timing to create a scoring system that could correctly identify ME/CFS patients 70% of the time. The test was safe and well-tolerated by participants.

Autonomic Nervous System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

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.

Immune System

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Underlying self-esteem in chronic fatigue syndrome.

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

Patients' strategies for coping with psoriasis.

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

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

Subclinical Sjögren's syndrome and anti-Ro/SSA-positive autoimmune fatigue syndrome in children.

Chronic fatigue syndrome and immune dysfunction: cause or effect?

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.

Fatigue after breast cancer and in chronic fatigue syndrome: similarities and differences.

Blood volume and its relation to peak O(2) consumption and physical activity in patients with chronic fatigue.

Cognitive functioning in chronic fatigue syndrome and the role of depression, anxiety, and fatigue.

Utility of the blood for gene expression profiling and biomarker discovery in chronic fatigue syndrome.

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

Perception of cognitive performance in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

[Utilization of national insurance in connection with functional somatic disorders].

Prognosis of chronic fatigue in a community-based sample.

Fractal analysis and recurrence quantification analysis of heart rate and pulse transit time for diagnosing chronic fatigue syndrome.

Cellular immunity in monozygotic twins discordant for chronic fatigue syndrome.

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