ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

3281–3300 of 6,188 studies

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Multiple chemical sensitivity and chronic fatigue syndrome in British Gulf War veterans.

Reid, S, Hotopf, M, Hull, L et al.·American journal of epidemiology·2001

This study looked at how often ME/CFS and multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS—a condition where people react badly to everyday chemicals) occurred in British military personnel who served in the Gulf War. Researchers compared three groups: those deployed to the Gulf, those sent to Bosnia, and those who served during the Gulf War period but weren't deployed. They found that both conditions were more common in Gulf veterans, and MCS was strongly linked to pesticide exposure.

Pain and Sensitization

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredObservational

The use of a symptom "self-report" inventory to evaluate the acceptability and efficacy of a walking program for patients suffering with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Coutts, R, Weatherby, R, Davie, A·Journal of psychosomatic research·2001

This study tested whether a walking program could help people with ME/CFS feel better. Twenty patients with ME/CFS walked for 12 weeks at a pace matched to their fitness level. The researchers found that patients reported improvements in psychological stress and some other symptoms, and importantly, the walking did not make their ME/CFS symptoms worse.

Interventions

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Discriminating between chronic fatigue syndrome and depression: a cognitive analysis.

Moss-Morris, R, Petrie, K J·Psychological medicine·2001

This study compared how people with ME/CFS think and feel about their illness compared to people with depression and healthy people. The researchers found that people with ME/CFS and people with depression have different thought patterns: people with depression tend to blame themselves and doubt their worth, while people with ME/CFS focus on their physical symptoms, see themselves as sick, and tend to rest more to manage their condition. These different thinking patterns stayed consistent over 6 months and were linked to how much disability and fatigue people experienced.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Co-existence of chronic fatigue syndrome with fibromyalgia syndrome in the general population. A controlled study.

White, K P, Speechley, M, Harth, M et al.·Scandinavian journal of rheumatology·2000

This study looked at how often fibromyalgia and ME/CFS occur together in people from the general population. Researchers found that about 58% of women with fibromyalgia also met the criteria for ME/CFS, compared to much lower rates in people with other types of pain. People who had both conditions reported worse overall health and more symptoms than those with fibromyalgia alone.

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Chronic fatigue syndrome: an examination of the phases.

Jason, L A, Fricano, G, Taylor, R R et al.·Journal of clinical psychology·2000

This study tested a tool called the Fennell Phase Inventory, which measures four distinct phases that people with ME/CFS typically go through: Crisis, Stabilization, Resolution, and Integration. Researchers gave 65 patients diagnosed by doctors the inventory along with other questionnaires about their symptoms, daily functioning, and coping strategies. The results supported the theory that ME/CFS patients progress through these predictable phases, with each phase showing different levels of disability and different ways of coping.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Self-reported sensitivity to chemical exposures in five clinical populations and healthy controls.

Nawab, S S, Miller, C S, Dale, J K et al.·Psychiatry research·2000

This study asked 225 people—including those with ME/CFS, SAD, and other conditions, plus healthy volunteers—to report how sensitive they are to everyday chemical exposures like perfumes, cleaning products, and other odors. People with ME/CFS reported significantly higher chemical sensitivity than healthy controls, and women reported more sensitivity than men. The researchers suggest that chemical sensitivity may be connected to how the body's stress-response system (the HPA axis) functions.

Pain and Sensitization

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Psychiatric correlates in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Axe, E, Satz, P·Annals of epidemiology·2000

This study looked at whether people with ME/CFS have higher rates of depression and other psychiatric conditions. Researchers found that psychiatric disorders were common in people with fatiguing illnesses, but surprisingly, depression was not linked to having worse ME/CFS symptoms. The study suggests that when psychiatric conditions do occur alongside ME/CFS, they often start around the same time as the illness itself.

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Coping strategies in twins with chronic fatigue and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Afari, N, Schmaling, K B, Herrell, R et al.·Journal of psychosomatic research·2000

This study looked at how twins handle stress when one twin has chronic fatigue or ME/CFS and the other doesn't. Researchers found that twins with fatigue tend to cope by avoiding problems more often than their healthy siblings do. While both groups used similar overall coping methods, the fatigued twins relied more heavily on avoidance strategies rather than trying to solve problems directly.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredObservational

Characterization of pituitary function with emphasis on GH secretion in the chronic fatigue syndrome.

Moorkens, G, Berwaerts, J, Wynants, H et al.·Clinical endocrinology·2000

This study examined hormone levels in 73 people with ME/CFS compared to 21 healthy people. Researchers found that people with ME/CFS had lower growth hormone (GH) levels, especially at night and when their body was stressed by low blood sugar. They also had higher levels of prolactin and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), suggesting their brain chemistry may be imbalanced. These hormone changes were associated with increased belly fat in ME/CFS patients.

Endocrine Disruption

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Normal carnitine levels in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Soetekouw, P M, Wevers, R A, Vreken, P et al.·The Netherlands journal of medicine·2000

This study tested whether a chemical called carnitine, which helps muscles produce energy, was missing in people with ME/CFS. Researchers measured carnitine levels in 25 women with ME/CFS and compared them to 25 healthy women. They found that carnitine levels were actually normal in the ME/CFS patients, which contradicted earlier studies that suggested carnitine deficiency might cause the condition.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

A neuropsychological study of the postpolio syndrome: support for depression without neuropsychological impairment.

Hazendonk, K M, Crowe, S F·Neuropsychiatry, neuropsychology, and behavioral neurology·2000

This study compared how well people with postpolio syndrome could think and remember compared to polio survivors without the condition and healthy controls. Although people with postpolio syndrome reported mental fatigue and memory problems, standard tests of thinking and memory showed no real differences between the groups. The researchers found that depression and worry about illness were more common in the postpolio syndrome group and may explain why patients feel cognitively impaired.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Blood parameters indicative of oxidative stress are associated with symptom expression in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Richards, R S, Roberts, T K, McGregor, N R et al.·Redox report : communications in free radical research·2000

Researchers compared blood samples from 33 people with ME/CFS and 27 healthy people, looking for signs of oxidative stress—a type of cellular damage caused by unstable molecules called free radicals. They found that people with ME/CFS had higher levels of certain markers of this damage, particularly a substance called methaemoglobin. The levels of these damage markers were strongly linked to how severe patients' symptoms were, including fatigue, pain, sleep problems, and cognitive difficulties.

Biomarkers

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearObservational

[Relationship between fatigue in multiple sclerosis and the chronic fatigue syndrome].

Grimaud, J·Revue neurologique·2000

This study examined whether the severe tiredness experienced by people with multiple sclerosis (MS) is similar to the fatigue seen in ME/CFS. The research looked at how fatigue presents differently in these two conditions and whether they share common features. Understanding these similarities and differences can help doctors better recognize and treat fatigue in both diseases.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Strength and physiological response to exercise in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Fulcher, K Y, White, P D·Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry·2000

This study compared muscle strength and exercise capacity in people with ME/CFS to healthy sedentary people and people with depression. Researchers found that ME/CFS patients were weaker and could not exercise as long, even though they were as physically deconditioned as the sedentary controls. After exercise therapy, patients improved—mainly by having lower heart rate responses during activity—suggesting that rebuilding physical fitness can help restore function.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCase-Control

Dysautonomia in chronic fatigue syndrome vs. fibromyalgia.

Rosner, I, Rozenbaum, M, Naschitz, J E et al.·The Israel Medical Association journal : IMAJ·2000

This study compared how the nervous systems of people with ME/CFS and fibromyalgia function differently, focusing on dysautonomia—problems with the automatic nervous system that controls heart rate, blood pressure, and other body functions. Researchers used a case-control design to examine whether these two conditions show distinct patterns of autonomic dysfunction. The findings help clarify whether ME/CFS and fibromyalgia are separate conditions with different underlying nervous system problems.

Autonomic Nervous System

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Significant other responses are associated with fatigue and functional status among patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Schmaling, K B, Smith, W R, Buchwald, D S·Psychosomatic medicine·2000

This study looked at how partners' responses to ME/CFS symptoms affect patients' outcomes. Researchers found that when partners were very helpful and supportive (called 'solicitous' responses), patients actually reported worse fatigue and disability—especially in relationships that were otherwise satisfying. The study couldn't determine whether supportive partners inadvertently discourage activity, or whether sicker patients simply receive more support.

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Couples' perceptions of wives' CFS symptoms, symptom change, and impact on the marital relationship.

Goodwin, S S·Issues in mental health nursing·2000

This study looked at how 131 couples with wives who have ME/CFS perceived the illness differently. Wives reported more severe physical symptoms (like fatigue, brain fog, and muscle pain) than their husbands noticed, while husbands were more concerned about mood changes. When symptoms got worse, both partners reported more relationship conflict and less emotional support from each other.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Chronic fatigue syndrome: occupation, medical utilization, and subtypes in a community-based sample.

Jason, L A, Taylor, R R, Kennedy, C L et al.·The Journal of nervous and mental disease·2000

This study looked at people with ME/CFS living in the Chicago community to understand how the condition affects their work, healthcare use, and daily life. Researchers randomly surveyed over 18,000 people, identified those with ME/CFS symptoms, and had doctors confirm their diagnosis. They found that people with ME/CFS differed significantly from each other in how sick they were, when their illness started, and whether a stressful event triggered it.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

The capnography head-up tilt test for evaluation of chronic fatigue syndrome.

Naschitz, J E, Rosner, I, Rozenbaum, M et al.·Seminars in arthritis and rheumatism·2000

This study tested whether a special tilt table test that measures blood pressure, heart rate, breathing, and carbon dioxide levels could help diagnose ME/CFS. Researchers compared 32 ME/CFS patients to 32 healthy people during this test. ME/CFS patients showed abnormal responses—like drops in blood pressure, increases in heart rate, faster breathing, and lower carbon dioxide levels—while healthy people did not, suggesting this test might help identify ME/CFS.

Autonomic Nervous System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, and multiple chemical sensitivities in a community-based sample of persons with chronic fatigue syndrome-like symptoms.

Jason, L A, Taylor, R R, Kennedy, C L·Psychosomatic medicine·2000

This study looked at how often people with ME/CFS (chronic fatigue syndrome) also have fibromyalgia or chemical sensitivities, and how these conditions affect daily functioning. Researchers interviewed nearly 19,000 people in Chicago and then examined those with CFS-like symptoms in more detail. They found that people with multiple conditions experienced worse fatigue and disability than those with just one condition.

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Multiple chemical sensitivity and chronic fatigue syndrome in British Gulf War veterans.

The use of a symptom "self-report" inventory to evaluate the acceptability and efficacy of a walking program for patients suffering with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Discriminating between chronic fatigue syndrome and depression: a cognitive analysis.

Co-existence of chronic fatigue syndrome with fibromyalgia syndrome in the general population. A controlled study.

Chronic fatigue syndrome: an examination of the phases.

Self-reported sensitivity to chemical exposures in five clinical populations and healthy controls.

Psychiatric correlates in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Coping strategies in twins with chronic fatigue and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Characterization of pituitary function with emphasis on GH secretion in the chronic fatigue syndrome.

Normal carnitine levels in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

A neuropsychological study of the postpolio syndrome: support for depression without neuropsychological impairment.

Blood parameters indicative of oxidative stress are associated with symptom expression in chronic fatigue syndrome.

[Relationship between fatigue in multiple sclerosis and the chronic fatigue syndrome].

Strength and physiological response to exercise in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Dysautonomia in chronic fatigue syndrome vs. fibromyalgia.

Significant other responses are associated with fatigue and functional status among patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Couples' perceptions of wives' CFS symptoms, symptom change, and impact on the marital relationship.

Chronic fatigue syndrome: occupation, medical utilization, and subtypes in a community-based sample.

The capnography head-up tilt test for evaluation of chronic fatigue syndrome.

Chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, and multiple chemical sensitivities in a community-based sample of persons with chronic fatigue syndrome-like symptoms.

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