ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

3541–3560 of 6,188 studies

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Lymphocyte subsets, apoptosis, and cytokines in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Swanink, C M, Vercoulen, J H, Galama, J M et al.·The Journal of infectious diseases·1996

This study compared immune system markers in blood samples from 76 ME/CFS patients and 69 healthy controls to see if immune abnormalities could explain fatigue severity. Researchers found one immune marker (CD11b on CD8 cells) was lower in ME/CFS patients, but most other immune measures were similar between groups, and none of these markers correlated with how severe a patient's fatigue or depression was.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Descriptive epidemiology of chronic fatigue syndrome based on a nationwide survey in Japan.

Minowa, M, Jiamo, M·Journal of epidemiology·1996

Researchers surveyed hospitals across Japan in 1992 to understand how many people have ME/CFS and how it spreads. They found that about 0.85 cases per 100,000 people were diagnosed that year, with slightly more women affected than men. The number of cases appeared to be growing from 1992 to 1993, and a small percentage of cases started after an infection.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Viral serologies in patients with chronic fatigue and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Buchwald, D, Ashley, R L, Pearlman, T et al.·Journal of medical virology·1996

Researchers tested 548 people with chronic fatigue to see if they had unusually high levels of antibodies to 13 common viruses, since ME/CFS often starts suddenly after a viral illness. They compared antibody levels in patients with chronic fatigue to healthy controls and found no consistent differences between the groups, suggesting these particular virus tests are not helpful in diagnosing or understanding chronic fatigue.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not required

Interferon-alpha versus somatostatin or the combination of both in gastro-enteropancreatic tumours.

Oberg, K·Digestion·1996

This 1996 study tested two medications—interferon-alpha and somatostatin—for treating neuroendocrine tumors (hormone-producing cancers). Interferon-alpha was found to cause fatigue and flu-like symptoms in patients, and in some cases led to low-grade chronic fatigue syndrome. When the two drugs were combined, they worked better together, improved symptoms, and were better tolerated than interferon alone.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

A case-control study to assess possible triggers and cofactors in chronic fatigue syndrome.

MacDonald, K L, Osterholm, M T, LeDell, K H et al.·The American journal of medicine·1996

This study compared 47 people with ME/CFS to 47 matched healthy controls to identify what might trigger or contribute to the illness. Researchers found that people with ME/CFS were more likely to have exercised regularly before getting sick, and women with ME/CFS were more likely to have never had children. Depression was more common after ME/CFS developed, though it wasn't more common before illness onset.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredObservational

Possible correlation between Borna disease virus infection and Japanese patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Kitani, T, Kuratsune, H, Fuke, I et al.·Microbiology and immunology·1996

This 1996 study investigated whether a virus called Borna disease virus (BDV) might be connected to chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). Borna disease virus naturally infects animals like horses and sheep, and researchers found evidence of this virus or antibodies to it in some ME/CFS patients. The study suggests there may be a link between BDV infection and ME/CFS symptoms, though more research is needed to understand if and how this virus contributes to the condition.

Immune System

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCase-Control

Psychological symptoms, somatic symptoms, and psychiatric disorder in chronic fatigue and chronic fatigue syndrome: a prospective study in the primary care setting.

Wessely, S, Chalder, T, Hirsch, S et al.·The American journal of psychiatry·1996

This study followed over 1,900 people in primary care and found that most individuals with ME/CFS also had a current mental health condition like depression or anxiety. The researchers discovered that people with chronic fatigue were much more likely to have psychiatric disorders (60-78%) compared to those without fatigue (19-31%). While the study suggests a strong link between psychiatric conditions and ME/CFS, it does not explain whether one causes the other.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Comparison of 99m Tc HMPAO SPECT scan between chronic fatigue syndrome, major depression and healthy controls: an exploratory study of clinical correlates of regional cerebral blood flow.

Fischler, B, D'Haenen, H, Cluydts, R et al.·Neuropsychobiology·1996

This study used a brain imaging technique called SPECT scans to compare blood flow in the brains of people with ME/CFS, people with depression, and healthy volunteers. Researchers found that in ME/CFS patients, blood flow in the front part of the brain was connected to cognitive problems and physical activity limitations. Unlike depression, ME/CFS did not show overall reduced blood flow in the brain, but did show a specific pattern of asymmetry (one side different from the other) in the side-back regions.

Cognitive Impairment

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 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Personality dimensions in the chronic fatigue syndrome: a comparison with multiple sclerosis and depression.

Johnson, S K, DeLuca, J, Natelson, B H·Journal of psychiatric research·1996

This study looked at personality traits in people with ME/CFS and compared them to people with multiple sclerosis, depression, and healthy controls. The researchers found that people with ME/CFS had some personality differences, but these were mostly explained by those who also had depression. Overall, the ME/CFS group fell between the healthy controls and the depression group in terms of personality traits.

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM unclearObservational

Does the stressed patient with chronic fatigue syndrome hyperventilate?

Lavietes, M H, Natelson, B H, Cordero, D L et al.·International journal of behavioral medicine·1996

This study investigated whether people with ME/CFS tend to breathe too quickly or shallowly when under stress, a condition called hyperventilation. Researchers observed patients with ME/CFS and measured their breathing patterns to see if stress triggered abnormal breathing that might contribute to their symptoms. The study helps clarify whether breathing problems are part of what causes ME/CFS symptoms.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredObservational

Behavioural effects of infectious mononucleosis.

Hall, S R, Smith, A P·Neuropsychobiology·1996

This study looked at how infectious mononucleosis (IM) affects the brain and behavior in both the short and long term. Researchers tested memory, attention, coordination, and mood in people with acute IM, people who had recovered months earlier, and healthy controls. They found that acute IM caused similar brain and behavior problems to the flu, while people recovering from IM months later showed patterns similar to those seen in chronic fatigue syndrome patients.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Chronic fatigue, chronic fatigue syndrome, and fibromyalgia. Disability and health-care use.

Bombardier, C H, Buchwald, D·Medical care·1996

This study compared people with different types of long-term fatigue conditions—including ME/CFS, fibromyalgia, and chronic fatigue without a specific diagnosis—to understand how much these conditions affect daily life and work. Researchers found that all groups struggled with unemployment and visited many doctors, but people with both ME/CFS and fibromyalgia together had the hardest time staying employed. The results show that these conditions cause serious disruption to people's lives and lead to significant healthcare costs.

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

A controlled comparison of multiple chemical sensitivities and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Fiedler, N, Kipen, H M, DeLuca, J et al.·Psychosomatic medicine·1996

This study compared people with multiple chemical sensitivities (MCS), chemical sensitivities without a clear trigger (CS), and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) to healthy controls. Researchers found that chemically sensitive patients reported more lifestyle disruption and avoided more substances than CFS patients, but all three patient groups had higher rates of psychiatric conditions and unexplained physical symptoms compared to healthy people. Interestingly, standard memory and thinking tests did not show significant differences between groups, suggesting that cognitive problems in these conditions may not show up on typical office-based tests.

Cognitive Impairment

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

Eosinophil cationic protein serum levels and allergy in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Conti, F, Magrini, L, Priori, R et al.·Allergy·1996

This study measured a protein called eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) in the blood of ME/CFS patients to see if their immune cells called eosinophils were overly active. Researchers found that ME/CFS patients had significantly higher ECP levels than healthy controls, and most ME/CFS patients also tested positive for allergies. However, ME/CFS patients with allergies did not have higher ECP levels than those without allergies, suggesting the connection may be more complex than initially expected.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

The localization of pain in chronic fatigue syndrome on a pain drawing according to grid areas.

Líndal, E, Bergmann, S, Thorlacius, S et al.·Perceptual and motor skills·1996

This study looked at where people with ME/CFS experience pain by having them mark painful areas on a body diagram divided into sections. The researchers wanted to understand the pattern of pain locations across different body regions in ME/CFS patients. This type of mapping can help doctors better understand how pain is distributed in the condition.

Pain and Sensitization

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Assessing somatization disorder in the chronic fatigue syndrome.

Johnson, S K, DeLuca, J, Natelson, B H·Psychosomatic medicine·1996

This study compared how often doctors diagnosed somatization disorder (a condition where emotional distress causes physical symptoms) in ME/CFS patients versus people with multiple sclerosis, depression, or no illness. The researchers found that whether symptoms were labeled as 'psychiatric' or 'physical' dramatically changed the diagnosis rate, suggesting that labeling is somewhat arbitrary in ME/CFS. Very few patients in any group actually met strict diagnostic criteria for somatization disorder.

Diagnostics

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Preliminary determination of a molecular basis of chronic fatigue syndrome.

McGregor, N R, Dunstan, R H, Zerbes, M et al.·Biochemical and molecular medicine·1996

Researchers tested the urine of 20 ME/CFS patients and 45 healthy controls to look for chemical differences. They found that ME/CFS patients had different levels of several substances in their urine, particularly one called CFSUM1 and beta-alanine, which were higher in patients with more severe symptoms. These findings suggest ME/CFS may have measurable biological markers that could help identify the condition.

BiomarkersEnergy Metabolism

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredObservational

A comparison of the characteristics of chronic fatigue syndrome in primary and tertiary care.

Euba, R, Chalder, T, Deale, A et al.·The British journal of psychiatry : the journal of mental science·1996

This study compared ME/CFS patients seen in general doctor's offices with those referred to a specialist clinic. Patients at the specialist clinic had more severe fatigue and physical symptoms, and were more functionally disabled, but were often wealthier and more likely to believe their illness had a physical cause. Interestingly, nearly half of those referred to the specialist clinic didn't actually meet the official criteria for ME/CFS.

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Lymphocyte subsets, apoptosis, and cytokines in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Descriptive epidemiology of chronic fatigue syndrome based on a nationwide survey in Japan.

Viral serologies in patients with chronic fatigue and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Interferon-alpha versus somatostatin or the combination of both in gastro-enteropancreatic tumours.

A case-control study to assess possible triggers and cofactors in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Possible correlation between Borna disease virus infection and Japanese patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Psychological symptoms, somatic symptoms, and psychiatric disorder in chronic fatigue and chronic fatigue syndrome: a prospective study in the primary care setting.

Comparison of 99m Tc HMPAO SPECT scan between chronic fatigue syndrome, major depression and healthy controls: an exploratory study of clinical correlates of regional cerebral blood flow.

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

Personality dimensions in the chronic fatigue syndrome: a comparison with multiple sclerosis and depression.

Does the stressed patient with chronic fatigue syndrome hyperventilate?

Behavioural effects of infectious mononucleosis.

Chronic fatigue, chronic fatigue syndrome, and fibromyalgia. Disability and health-care use.

A controlled comparison of multiple chemical sensitivities and chronic fatigue syndrome.

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

Eosinophil cationic protein serum levels and allergy in chronic fatigue syndrome.

The localization of pain in chronic fatigue syndrome on a pain drawing according to grid areas.

Assessing somatization disorder in the chronic fatigue syndrome.

Preliminary determination of a molecular basis of chronic fatigue syndrome.

A comparison of the characteristics of chronic fatigue syndrome in primary and tertiary care.

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