ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

3501–3520 of 6,188 studies

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Immune responses associated with chronic fatigue syndrome: a case-control study.

Mawle, A C, Nisenbaum, R, Dobbins, J G et al.·The Journal of infectious diseases·1997

Researchers compared immune system measurements between ME/CFS patients and healthy controls to see if immune differences could reliably detect the illness. While previous studies reported many immune differences, this careful study found most standard immune tests showed no difference between patients and controls. However, when they looked at specific subgroups—such as patients whose illness started suddenly versus gradually—they did find some immune differences, suggesting that ME/CFS may not be a single uniform immune condition.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Markers of inflammation and immune activation in chronic fatigue and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Buchwald, D, Wener, M H, Pearlman, T et al.·The Journal of rheumatology·1997

Researchers tested blood samples from 153 patients with severe fatigue to see if certain immune markers were elevated, thinking that an overactive immune system might cause ME/CFS. They found that three markers (C-reactive protein, beta 2-microglobulin, and neopterin) were higher in fatigued patients compared to healthy controls, but these markers couldn't reliably distinguish between ME/CFS and other types of chronic fatigue. The results suggest that some patients have signs of immune activation, but it's unclear whether this is a temporary response to infection or part of the ongoing illness.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

The effects of fatigue on neuropsychological performance in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome, multiple sclerosis, and depression.

Johnson, S K, Lange, G, DeLuca, J et al.·Applied neuropsychology·1997

Researchers tested whether fatigue directly worsens brain performance on a specific attention test (PASAT) in people with ME/CFS, multiple sclerosis, and depression. They found that people with ME/CFS and depression performed worse overall on the test compared to healthy controls, but fatigue itself did not prevent people from improving with practice. This suggests that fatigue may not be the main factor directly causing the thinking difficulties some ME/CFS patients experience.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

The quality of life of persons with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Anderson, J S, Ferrans, C E·The Journal of nervous and mental disease·1997

This study asked 110 people with ME/CFS to rate their quality of life and interviewed 22 of them in depth about their daily experiences. The researchers found that people with ME/CFS reported significantly lower quality of life compared to people with other chronic illnesses, with the biggest problems in health and physical functioning. The detailed interviews helped explain why the numbers were so low and showed that ME/CFS uniquely disrupts many aspects of a person's life.

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

The relation of sleep difficulties to fatigue, mood and disability in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Morriss, R K, Wearden, A J, Battersby, L·Journal of psychosomatic research·1997

This study looked at sleep problems in 69 people with ME/CFS who had no mental health conditions and 58 with ME/CFS plus depression or anxiety. Researchers found that sleep difficulties are common in ME/CFS but are usually caused by the illness itself rather than depression. People with ME/CFS often took naps and woke up from pain, and when their sleep got worse, their ME/CFS symptoms often worsened too.

Sleep

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Screening for psychiatric disorders in chronic fatigue and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Buchwald, D, Pearlman, T, Kith, P et al.·Journal of psychosomatic research·1997

This study looked at how common mental health conditions are in people with chronic fatigue and ME/CFS, and tested whether a simple questionnaire could help identify these conditions. Researchers interviewed 281 patients and found that about one-third had a current mental health disorder, while over 80% had experienced one at some point in their lives. A screening tool called the General Health Questionnaire performed reasonably well at spotting current psychiatric conditions, though it wasn't perfect.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

The relationship between fibromyalgia and interstitial cystitis.

Clauw, D J, Schmidt, M, Radulovic, D et al.·Journal of psychiatric research·1997

This study compared symptom patterns in people with fibromyalgia, interstitial cystitis (a bladder pain condition), and healthy people. Researchers found that fibromyalgia and IC patients reported very similar types of symptoms beyond their primary complaints, and both groups showed increased pain sensitivity throughout their bodies—not just in the areas they typically experienced pain.

Pain and Sensitization

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Patterns of utilization of medical care and perceptions of the relationship between doctor and patient with chronic illness including chronic fatigue syndrome.

Twemlow, S W, Bradshaw, S L, Coyne, L et al.·Psychological reports·1997

This study surveyed 609 people with ME/CFS to understand how their relationships with doctors differ from those of other patients with medical conditions. People with ME/CFS reported missing about 65 days of work per year due to illness, experienced more side effects from medical treatments, spent more money on healthcare, and visited more specialists than patients with typical medical conditions. The researchers found that doctors may need to pay more attention to how ME/CFS patients perceive their illness and their doctor-patient relationship, as these beliefs can affect how well treatments work.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredLongitudinal

The natural history of concurrent sick building syndrome and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Chester, A C, Levine, P H·Journal of psychiatric research·1997

This study followed 23 people who developed fatigue and other symptoms during an outbreak linked to a problem building environment. Four years later, about two-thirds of the group had improved significantly or felt much better, while about one-third remained quite ill and unable to work. People who improved tended to also see their respiratory symptoms, sore throats, and headaches get better over time.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Do patients with "pure" chronic fatigue syndrome (neurasthenia) have abnormal sleep?

Sharpley, A, Clements, A, Hawton, K et al.·Psychosomatic medicine·1997

This study compared sleep in 20 people with ME/CFS (who did not have depression, anxiety, or other sleep disorders) to 20 healthy people. Although ME/CFS patients reported feeling like they had poor, unrefreshing sleep and took daytime naps, objective sleep measurements showed surprisingly few differences—most patients actually slept a normal amount of time at night, though they spent longer lying awake after first falling asleep.

Sleep

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCase-Control

A common genetic variant affecting folate metabolism is not over-represented in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Harmon, D L, McMaster, D, McCluskey, D R et al.·Annals of clinical biochemistry·1997

This study looked at whether a specific genetic variant related to how the body processes folate (a B vitamin) is more common in people with ME/CFS compared to healthy controls. The researchers found that this particular genetic variation was not significantly more frequent in ME/CFS patients, suggesting this specific genetic factor is unlikely to be a major cause of the condition.

Energy Metabolism

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Chronic fatigue syndrome criteria in patients with other forms of unexplained chronic fatigue.

Chester, A C·Journal of psychiatric research·1997

This study looked at nearly 300 young people to see how many had symptoms similar to ME/CFS even though they didn't have a confirmed ME/CFS diagnosis. The researchers found that people with unexplained chronic fatigue shared many symptoms with ME/CFS patients, including fever, sore lymph nodes, muscle weakness, muscle pain, headaches, joint pain, brain fog, and sleep problems. This suggests that ME/CFS symptoms are common in people with other types of long-lasting, unexplained tiredness.

Diagnostics

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Neuropsychological and psychological functioning in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Kane, R L, Gantz, N M, DiPino, R K·Neuropsychiatry, neuropsychology, and behavioral neurology·1997

This study compared 17 people with ME/CFS to 17 healthy controls on thinking and memory tests, as well as psychological well-being. While ME/CFS patients reported feeling cognitively foggy, most formal test scores were similar between groups. However, ME/CFS patients showed significantly higher levels of psychological distress, anxiety, and depression compared to controls.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Sleep anomalies in the chronic fatigue syndrome. A comorbidity study.

Fischler, B, Le Bon, O, Hoffmann, G et al.·Neuropsychobiology·1997

This study examined sleep patterns in 49 ME/CFS patients compared to 20 healthy people using overnight sleep monitoring. Patients with ME/CFS had difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep, and spent less time in deep, restorative stage 4 sleep. These sleep problems were distinctive enough that researchers could correctly identify who had ME/CFS based on sleep patterns alone.

Sleep

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

[High prevalence without reactivation of herpes virus 6 in subjects with chronic fatigue syndrome].

Cuende, J I, Civeira, P, Diez, N et al.·Anales de medicina interna (Madrid, Spain : 1984)·1997

Researchers tested 20 ME/CFS patients for active herpesvirus-6 (HHV-6) infection, a virus that had been suspected as a possible cause of ME/CFS. They found that half the patients had antibodies showing past HHV-6 infection, but sensitive testing detected only small amounts of viral DNA in blood cells and no active viral replication. This suggests that while many ME/CFS patients may have been infected with HHV-6 in the past, the virus is not actively multiplying in their bodies.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM requiredCross-Sectional

Decreased vagal power during treadmill walking in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Cordero, D L, Sisto, S A, Tapp, W N et al.·Clinical autonomic research : official journal of the Clinical Autonomic Research Society·1996

This study compared how the nervous system controls heart rate in people with ME/CFS versus healthy volunteers during and after treadmill walking. Researchers found that people with ME/CFS had weaker parasympathetic (rest-and-recover) nervous system activity during walking, and this activity dropped even further after exercise stopped. This abnormality might help explain why ME/CFS patients feel worse after physical activity.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Health status in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome and in general population and disease comparison groups.

Komaroff, A L, Fagioli, L R, Doolittle, T H et al.·The American journal of medicine·1996

This study measured how much ME/CFS affects people's daily lives and well-being compared to people without the illness and people with other serious conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and depression. Researchers found that people with ME/CFS had much greater difficulty with physical and mental activities than the general population and most other disease groups—similar in severity only to depression, though in different ways.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredObservational

The value of the dehydroepiandrosterone-annexed vitamin C infusion treatment in the clinical control of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). II. Characterization of CFS patients with special reference to their response to a new vitamin C infusion treatment.

Kodama, M, Kodama, T, Murakami, M·In vivo (Athens, Greece)·1996

This 1996 study examined whether high-dose vitamin C infusions, with or without a hormone called DHEA added, could help treat ME/CFS. Researchers treated 313 patients with chronic pneumonia-like illness that matched ME/CFS symptoms, often combined with antibiotics. The authors found that the combination of two types of vitamin C infusions worked better than one type alone, suggesting that low levels of certain body hormones might play a role in ME/CFS.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

A national assessment of the service, support, and housing preferences by persons with chronic fatigue syndrome. Toward a comprehensive rehabilitation program.

Jason, L A, Ferrari, J R, Taylor, R R et al.·Evaluation & the health professions·1996

Nearly 1,000 people with ME/CFS across North America were surveyed about what services and support would help them most. The survey found that patients wanted better education about ME/CFS for doctors and the public, and preferred support groups and self-help resources over other types of treatment assistance. These results can help guide the development of programs specifically designed to support people with ME/CFS.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

'Seronegative' Sjögren's syndrome manifested as a subset of chronic fatigue syndrome.

Nishikai, M, Akiya, K, Tojo, T et al.·British journal of rheumatology·1996

This study looked at whether some people diagnosed with ME/CFS who also experience dry eyes and mouth might actually have a related condition called Sjögren's syndrome. Researchers tested one-third of ME/CFS patients with these dry symptoms against several official diagnostic criteria for Sjögren's syndrome and found they met the criteria. However, these patients tested negative for the antibodies typically found in Sjögren's syndrome, making them an unusual variant of the disease.

Diagnostics

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Immune responses associated with chronic fatigue syndrome: a case-control study.

Markers of inflammation and immune activation in chronic fatigue and chronic fatigue syndrome.

The effects of fatigue on neuropsychological performance in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome, multiple sclerosis, and depression.

The quality of life of persons with chronic fatigue syndrome.

The relation of sleep difficulties to fatigue, mood and disability in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Screening for psychiatric disorders in chronic fatigue and chronic fatigue syndrome.

The relationship between fibromyalgia and interstitial cystitis.

Patterns of utilization of medical care and perceptions of the relationship between doctor and patient with chronic illness including chronic fatigue syndrome.

The natural history of concurrent sick building syndrome and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Do patients with "pure" chronic fatigue syndrome (neurasthenia) have abnormal sleep?

A common genetic variant affecting folate metabolism is not over-represented in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Chronic fatigue syndrome criteria in patients with other forms of unexplained chronic fatigue.

Neuropsychological and psychological functioning in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Sleep anomalies in the chronic fatigue syndrome. A comorbidity study.

[High prevalence without reactivation of herpes virus 6 in subjects with chronic fatigue syndrome].

Decreased vagal power during treadmill walking in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Health status in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome and in general population and disease comparison groups.

The value of the dehydroepiandrosterone-annexed vitamin C infusion treatment in the clinical control of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). II. Characterization of CFS patients with special reference to their response to a new vitamin C infusion treatment.

A national assessment of the service, support, and housing preferences by persons with chronic fatigue syndrome. Toward a comprehensive rehabilitation program.

'Seronegative' Sjögren's syndrome manifested as a subset of chronic fatigue syndrome.

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