ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

3641–3660 of 6,161 studies

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearLongitudinal

[Chronic fatigue syndrome].

Fucíková, T, Petanová, J·Vnitrni lekarstvi·1993

Researchers followed 52 ME/CFS patients for 1 to 14 years to see how they progressed over time. About 20% recovered completely, about 32% improved significantly, and about 15% developed thyroiditis (thyroid inflammation). The treatments used were mainly immune-modulating drugs chosen based on each patient's individual immune test results, though the benefits were only partial.

Immune System

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Chronic fatigue and chronic fatigue syndrome: clinical epidemiology and aetiological classification.

Manu, P, Lane, T J, Matthews, D A·Ciba Foundation symposium·1993

This study looked at 405 patients who came to a hospital complaining of chronic fatigue and tried to figure out what was causing it. Doctors found that most patients had psychiatric conditions like depression or anxiety rather than physical diseases. About 30% of patients met the definition for ME/CFS, and these patients were more likely to attribute their illness to a viral infection than other fatigued patients.

Diagnostics

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Investigation of retroviral involvement in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Folks, T M, Heneine, W, Khan, A et al.·Ciba Foundation symposium·1993

Researchers tested whether certain viruses called retroviruses might be a biological marker that could help diagnose ME/CFS. They looked for five different retroviruses in people with ME/CFS and compared them to healthy controls. None of these viruses were found in either group, meaning they cannot be used to identify who has ME/CFS.

Biomarkers

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Prevalence of chronic fatigue syndrome-related symptoms among nurses.

Jason, L A, Taylor, S L, Johnson, S et al.·Evaluation & the health professions·1993

This study looked at how common ME/CFS-related symptoms are among nurses. Researchers surveyed a group of nurses and found that when using different definitions of the illness, more nurses showed signs of ME/CFS than had been found in previous studies of the general population. This was the first study to specifically examine ME/CFS in healthcare workers.

Diagnostics

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Sleep disturbance in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Krupp, L B, Jandorf, L, Coyle, P K et al.·Journal of psychosomatic research·1993

This study looked at sleep problems in 72 people with ME/CFS, comparing them to people with multiple sclerosis and healthy volunteers. People with ME/CFS reported much worse sleep and fatigue than the other groups. When researchers used sleep monitoring equipment on some ME/CFS patients, they found that over half had treatable sleep disorders like sleep apnea or periodic leg movements during sleep.

Sleep

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

A controlled study of brain magnetic resonance imaging in patients with the chronic fatigue syndrome.

Natelson, B H, Cohen, J M, Brassloff, I et al.·Journal of the neurological sciences·1993

Researchers compared brain scans (MRIs) of 52 people with ME/CFS to 52 similar healthy people. They found that ME/CFS patients were much more likely to have abnormal brain scans—27% compared to only 2% in the control group. The abnormalities included areas of white matter changes and some brain tissue enlargement, though the researchers noted that some of these findings might actually indicate other medical conditions rather than ME/CFS itself.

Diagnostics

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Chronic fatigue in primary care attenders.

McDonald, E, David, A S, Pelosi, A J et al.·Psychological medicine·1993

Researchers studied 77 primary care patients with chronic fatigue and found that 26% met criteria for chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). Most patients received other diagnoses, including depression and a condition called neurasthenia. Interestingly, patients seen in general practice were more likely to recognize that stress and emotional factors played a role in their fatigue, unlike hospital patients who often blamed purely physical causes like viruses.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Abnormalities of sleep in patients with the chronic fatigue syndrome.

Morriss, R, Sharpe, M, Sharpley, A L et al.·BMJ (Clinical research ed.)·1993

This study compared sleep patterns between 12 people with ME/CFS and 12 healthy volunteers using both sleep diaries and objective monitoring devices. People with ME/CFS spent more time in bed but slept less efficiently, woke up more after falling asleep, and were more likely to have sleep disorders. The researchers concluded that sleep problems are common in ME/CFS and may contribute to daytime fatigue.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

General practitioners acceptance of the validity of chronic fatigue syndrome as a diagnosis.

Denz-Penhey, H, Murdoch, J C·The New Zealand medical journal·1993

Researchers surveyed 83 general practitioners in New Zealand to see if they believed ME/CFS was a real medical condition. The vast majority (90%) said yes, they accepted it as a valid diagnosis. Most doctors said they had treated patients with this condition, suggesting ME/CFS was being recognized and diagnosed in primary care.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCase-Control

Persistence of enterovirus RNA in muscle biopsy samples suggests that some cases of chronic fatigue syndrome result from a previous, inflammatory viral myopathy.

Bowles, N E, Bayston, T A, Zhang, H Y et al.·Journal of medicine·1993

Researchers tested muscle samples from people with post-viral fatigue syndrome (a condition similar to ME/CFS that develops after a viral infection) and found evidence of enterovirus RNA in about 26% of samples. This was much higher than in healthy control samples. The study suggests that some cases of ME/CFS may develop after a viral infection causes inflammation in the muscles, similar to how viral heart infections can lead to long-term heart problems.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

A brief mental fatigue questionnaire.

Bentall, R P, Wood, G C, Marrinan, T et al.·The British journal of clinical psychology·1993

Researchers created a short questionnaire to measure mental tiredness and tested it in people with ME/CFS, depression, recovered ME/CFS, muscle disease, and healthy people. The questionnaire worked well at identifying mental fatigue, but it could not tell the difference between people with ME/CFS and people with depression—both groups reported similar types and amounts of mental tiredness.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Serum folate and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Jacobson, W, Saich, T, Borysiewicz, L K et al.·Neurology·1993

Researchers measured folic acid levels in the blood of 60 ME/CFS patients and found that about half had lower-than-normal amounts. This suggests that some people with ME/CFS may not have enough folic acid in their body, which is a B vitamin important for many body functions.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearLongitudinal

A four-year follow-up study in fibromyalgia. Relationship to chronic fatigue syndrome.

Nørregaard, J, Bülow, P M, Prescott, E et al.·Scandinavian journal of rheumatology·1993

This study followed 91 fibromyalgia patients for about 4 years to see if their muscle pain was caused by other medical conditions and how their symptoms changed over time. Most patients reported their pain got worse, and while many experienced severe fatigue, very few actually met the diagnostic criteria for chronic fatigue syndrome. The good news was that muscle strength remained stable and most cases of fibromyalgia were not caused by an underlying disease.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Assessment of a retrovirus sequence and other possible risk factors for the chronic fatigue syndrome in adults.

Khan, A S, Heneine, W M, Chapman, L E et al.·Annals of internal medicine·1993

Researchers tested whether a virus called HTLV-II might be a cause of ME/CFS by comparing blood samples from 21 people with CFS to 21 healthy controls. They found no trace of the HTLV-II virus in any of the participants, and found no differences between the two groups in exposure to activities that spread viruses. This study argues against the idea that HTLV-II is linked to ME/CFS.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Quality of attention in chronic fatigue syndrome: subjective reports of everyday attention and cognitive difficulty, and performance on tasks of focused attention.

Ray, C, Phillips, L, Weir, W R·The British journal of clinical psychology·1993

Many people with ME/CFS report problems with attention and concentration in daily life. This study compared ME/CFS patients with healthy people using questionnaires about attention problems and computer-based attention tests. Patients reported significantly more attention difficulties than controls, though standard attention tests didn't show clear differences. Interestingly, patients were slower at processing tasks like reading words and naming colors, suggesting their thinking speed may be affected rather than their ability to focus.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Repetitively negative changing T waves at 24-h electrocardiographic monitors in patients with the chronic fatigue syndrome. Left ventricular dysfunction in a cohort.

Lerner, A M, Lawrie, C, Dworkin, H S·Chest·1993

This study looked at heart activity recorded over 24 hours in ME/CFS patients compared to others. All 24 ME/CFS patients showed unusual patterns on their heart monitors (abnormal T waves), compared to only 22% of people without ME/CFS. Further testing found that 8 out of 60 ME/CFS patients had mild heart pumping problems that only showed up during exercise, even though their resting heart function appeared normal. The researchers suggest ME/CFS fatigue might be related to the heart not working well during normal daily activities.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredObservational

Isolated diastolic dysfunction of the myocardium and its response to CoQ10 treatment.

Langsjoen, P H, Langsjoen, P H, Folkers, K·The Clinical investigator·1993

This study looked at heart function in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) and compared them to patients with other heart conditions. Researchers found that many of these patients had a specific type of heart problem called diastolic dysfunction—where the heart doesn't relax properly between beats. When patients were given a supplement called CoQ10, their heart function improved and their symptoms got better.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Human herpesvirus 6 and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Eymard, D, Lebel, F, Miller, M et al.·The Canadian journal of infectious diseases = Journal canadien des maladies infectieuses·1993

This study compared antibody levels against human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) in two groups: people with ME/CFS and people with chronic fatigue who didn't meet the official ME/CFS diagnosis. Researchers found that people with ME/CFS had significantly higher antibody levels against HHV-6, suggesting the virus might play a role in the condition. The study also found that sore throat, headache, and recurrent fatigue were more common in the ME/CFS group.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Behavioural problems associated with the chronic fatigue syndrome.

Smith, A P, Behan, P O, Bell, W et al.·British journal of psychology (London, England : 1953)·1993

This study tested whether people with ME/CFS actually experience the memory, concentration, and coordination problems they report. Researchers gave 57 ME/CFS patients and 19 healthy controls a series of computerized tests measuring thinking speed, memory, attention, and motor skills. ME/CFS patients performed worse on many tests—they were slower at tasks requiring coordination, had trouble focusing, and struggled with complex reasoning—even though their depression and anxiety levels didn't fully explain these differences.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredObservational

Epidemiology of chronic fatigue syndrome: the Centers for Disease Control Study.

Gunn, W J, Connell, D B, Randall, B·Ciba Foundation symposium·1993

Between 1989 and 1991, the CDC tracked patients with chronic fatigue syndrome across four U.S. cities to understand how common the illness is and who gets it. Researchers found that only about 1 in 4 patients referred to them actually met the strict diagnostic criteria for CFS, while others had different medical conditions or psychiatric histories that might explain their fatigue. The study estimated that CFS affects roughly 2–11 people per 100,000 in the general population, and it most commonly affected women in their 30s.

Diagnostics

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Evidence browser

[Chronic fatigue syndrome].

Chronic fatigue and chronic fatigue syndrome: clinical epidemiology and aetiological classification.

Investigation of retroviral involvement in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Prevalence of chronic fatigue syndrome-related symptoms among nurses.

Sleep disturbance in chronic fatigue syndrome.

A controlled study of brain magnetic resonance imaging in patients with the chronic fatigue syndrome.

Chronic fatigue in primary care attenders.

Abnormalities of sleep in patients with the chronic fatigue syndrome.

General practitioners acceptance of the validity of chronic fatigue syndrome as a diagnosis.

Persistence of enterovirus RNA in muscle biopsy samples suggests that some cases of chronic fatigue syndrome result from a previous, inflammatory viral myopathy.

A brief mental fatigue questionnaire.

Serum folate and chronic fatigue syndrome.

A four-year follow-up study in fibromyalgia. Relationship to chronic fatigue syndrome.

Assessment of a retrovirus sequence and other possible risk factors for the chronic fatigue syndrome in adults.

Quality of attention in chronic fatigue syndrome: subjective reports of everyday attention and cognitive difficulty, and performance on tasks of focused attention.

Repetitively negative changing T waves at 24-h electrocardiographic monitors in patients with the chronic fatigue syndrome. Left ventricular dysfunction in a cohort.

Isolated diastolic dysfunction of the myocardium and its response to CoQ10 treatment.

Human herpesvirus 6 and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Behavioural problems associated with the chronic fatigue syndrome.

Epidemiology of chronic fatigue syndrome: the Centers for Disease Control Study.

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