ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

381–400 of 6,122 studies

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredSystematic-Review

Attentional and interpretive bias towards illness-related information in chronic fatigue syndrome: A systematic review.

Hughes, Alicia, Hirsch, Colette, Chalder, Trudie et al.·British journal of health psychology·2016

This review looked at research studies examining how people with ME/CFS pay attention to and interpret information about illness and symptoms. The studies found that some people with ME/CFS tend to notice health-related threats more quickly and interpret their body sensations as signs of illness more readily than healthy people do. These thinking patterns may help keep the fatigue and illness beliefs going, even when other factors aren't actively causing symptoms.

Cognitive Impairment

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredSystematic-Review

Exercise therapy for chronic fatigue syndrome.

Larun, Lillebeth, Brurberg, Kjetil G, Odgaard-Jensen, Jan et al.·The Cochrane database of systematic reviews·2016

This review looked at eight studies involving 1,518 people with ME/CFS to see if exercise therapy helps. Most studies showed that exercise reduced fatigue and improved sleep and physical function compared to no treatment or relaxation. Exercise therapy seemed to work about as well as cognitive-behavioral therapy, though the quality of evidence varied.

Sleep

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

Neuroimaging of Central Sensitivity Syndromes: Key Insights from the Scientific Literature.

Walitt, Brian, Ceko, Marta, Gracely, John L et al.·Current rheumatology reviews·2016

This review examined brain imaging studies of ME/CFS and similar conditions to understand what happens in the nervous system. Researchers found that people with these conditions show increased sensitivity to pain and other sensations, suggesting these are real physical conditions—not imaginary or feigned. However, brain imaging hasn't yet revealed a single clear pattern or 'fingerprint' that all these conditions share, and we still don't know if this sensory sensitivity causes the disease or is a result of it.

Pain and Sensitization

E0 ConsensusGuidelinePEM not requiredGuideline

Chronic Pelvic Pain in Women.

Speer, Linda M, Mushkbar, Saudia, Erbele, Tara·American family physician·2016

Chronic pelvic pain in women is long-lasting pain in the pelvic area that lasts more than six months and often has no clear cause. This guideline explains that pelvic pain is frequently linked to other pain conditions and mental health issues like depression, and recommends a whole-person approach to treatment that combines medical care, physical therapy, and behavioral support.

Pain and Sensitization

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

Cognitive Dysfunction in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: a Review of Recent Evidence.

Cvejic, Erin, Birch, Rachael C, Vollmer-Conna, Uté·Current rheumatology reports·2016

People with ME/CFS commonly experience 'brain fog'—problems with memory, attention, and concentration. While these cognitive problems are real and significantly impact daily life, the exact biological causes remain unclear. This review suggests that problems with blood flow to the brain and nervous system dysfunction may be involved, and calls for standardized testing methods to better understand what's happening.

Autonomic Nervous System

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM unclearSystematic-Review

Distress in significant others of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome: A systematic review of the literature.

Harris, Kamelia, Band, Rebecca J, Cooper, Hazel et al.·British journal of health psychology·2016

This review looked at six studies examining how ME/CFS affects the emotional health of family members and partners of patients. Most studies found that loved ones experience significant stress and worry. The review discovered that supporters feel more distressed when they blame the patient for their symptoms, when they are female, or when the patient is struggling with mental health issues. However, one study suggested that accepting the illness could help reduce this stress.

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM unclearSystematic-Review

Chronic fatigue syndrome - an update.

Rimbaut, Steven, Van Gutte, Céline, Van Brabander, Lina et al.·Acta clinica Belgica·2016

This review examined research on ME/CFS published over 25 years and found that despite extensive scientific study, no single cause of the condition has been definitively proven. Currently, the best-supported treatments are cognitive behavioral therapy (a talk therapy) and graded exercise therapy (gradually increasing activity), though these show only moderate benefits. The study highlights how common ME/CFS is and how significantly it affects people's ability to work and participate in daily life.

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

A Role for the Intestinal Microbiota and Virome in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS)?

Navaneetharaja, Navena, Griffiths, Verity, Wileman, Tom et al.·Journal of clinical medicine·2016

This review examines whether infections—particularly viruses in the gut—might trigger ME/CFS. The authors suggest that an imbalance in the gut's microbial and viral communities could be a key factor in developing the disease. They propose that understanding these gut infections could help identify better treatments and ways to prevent ME/CFS.

Immune System

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM requiredMeta-Analysis

Effect of Acute Exercise on Fatigue in People with ME/CFS/SEID: A Meta-analysis.

Loy, Bryan D, O'Connor, Patrick J, Dishman, Rodney K·Medicine and science in sports and exercise·2016

This review of seven studies looked at how a single exercise session affects fatigue in people with ME/CFS. The combined results showed that exercise increased fatigue more in people with ME/CFS compared to healthy controls. Importantly, fatigue got worse over time—it was most noticeable 4 or more hours after exercise ended, rather than immediately during or right after the activity stopped.

ME/CFS (general)

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredSystematic-Review

Treatment for paediatric chronic fatigue syndrome or myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) and comorbid depression: a systematic review.

Loades, Maria E, Sheils, Elizabeth A, Crawley, Esther·BMJ open·2016

This review looked at studies treating depression in children and teens with ME/CFS, since about one-third of young people with ME/CFS also experience depression. The researchers found that while some treatments like cognitive-behavioural therapy and specialized hospital programmes showed some promise in helping with depression symptoms, there are no studies specifically designed to test what works best for depression in young people with ME/CFS. This means we still don't have clear answers about the best way to help these young people.

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredSystematic-Review

A systematic review of the comorbidity between Temporomandibular Disorders and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Robinson, L J, Durham, J, Newton, J L·Journal of oral rehabilitation·2016

This review looked at studies examining how often jaw and facial pain disorders (TMD) occur together with ME/CFS. Researchers found that between 21-32% of people with ME/CFS also reported jaw pain problems, and when ME/CFS was combined with fibromyalgia, this number rose to 50%. However, the quality of existing research on this topic is limited, and better studies with consistent diagnostic methods are needed to understand this connection.

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM unclearSystematic-Review

An abridged version of the Cochrane review of exercise therapy for chronic fatigue syndrome.

Larun, Lillebeth, Odgaard-Jensen, Jan, Price, Jonathan R et al.·European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicine·2016

This review looked at 8 studies involving over 1,500 people with ME/CFS to see if exercise therapy helps. The findings suggest that graded exercise (like walking, swimming, or cycling done gradually) may reduce fatigue and improve daily functioning and sleep better than doing nothing or standard care. The therapy did not appear to make symptoms worse, though researchers need more information about its effects on pain and mood.

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredSystematic-Review

The association between borderline personality disorder, fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome: systematic review.

Penfold, Sarah, St Denis, Emily, Mazhar, Mir Nadeem·BJPsych open·2016

This review examined whether borderline personality disorder (BPD)—a mental health condition affecting emotions and relationships—occurs more often in people with ME/CFS or fibromyalgia than in the general population. The researchers found that BPD appeared in roughly 2-17% of ME/CFS patients and 1-17% of fibromyalgia patients across different studies, but the numbers varied widely. The authors concluded that more research is needed to understand whether these conditions are truly connected.

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM requiredSystematic-Review

Diagnostic Methods for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Systematic Review for a National Institutes of Health Pathways to Prevention Workshop.

Haney, Elizabeth, Smith, M E Beth, McDonagh, Marian et al.·Annals of internal medicine·2015

This study reviewed 44 existing research papers to understand how doctors diagnose ME/CFS. Researchers found that doctors currently use nine different sets of diagnostic guidelines, and a new one was recently proposed by the Institute of Medicine. However, none of these methods have been properly tested to reliably identify ME/CFS patients in real-world situations where doctors are uncertain about the diagnosis.

Diagnostics

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredSystematic-Review

Sleep Disturbances in Pediatric Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Review of Current Research.

Snodgrass, Kelli, Harvey, Adrienne, Scheinberg, Adam et al.·Journal of clinical sleep medicine : JCSM : official publication of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine·2015

Children and teens with ME/CFS commonly struggle with sleep problems, but we don't know much about exactly what types of sleep issues they experience or how severe they are. This review looked at six studies comparing sleep in young people with ME/CFS to healthy children, and found that most studies showed children with ME/CFS have more sleep disturbances. However, the researchers note that more high-quality studies are needed to truly understand sleep problems in pediatric ME/CFS.

Sleep

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredSystematic-Review

Exercise therapy for chronic fatigue syndrome.

Larun, Lillebeth, Brurberg, Kjetil G, Odgaard-Jensen, Jan et al.·The Cochrane database of systematic reviews·2015

This review looked at eight studies involving 1,518 people with ME/CFS to see whether exercise therapy helps. The researchers found that people who did exercise therapy reported feeling less fatigued and experienced improvements in sleep, physical functioning, and overall health compared to those receiving no special treatment. Exercise therapy appeared safe, with no serious harmful effects reported, though the studies had some limitations.

Sleep

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

Algo-dysfunctional syndromes: a critical digest of the recent literature.

Talotta, Rossella, Atzeni, Fabiola, Bazzichi, Laura et al.·Clinical and experimental rheumatology·2015

This review summarizes recent research on three related conditions—chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), fibromyalgia, and irritable bowel syndrome—that share overlapping symptoms and may involve similar underlying mechanisms. Researchers observed associations between these syndromes and multiple factors including genetic predisposition, infections, inflammation, stress hormone abnormalities, and nerve damage, suggesting that treatment may need to address multiple systems. The authors propose that managing these conditions effectively likely requires a combination of medications and non-medication approaches, though the review does not establish which specific treatments work best.

Immune System

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis: Symptoms and Biomarkers.

Jason, Leonard A, Zinn, Marcie L, Zinn, Mark A·Current neuropharmacology·2015

This review article examines what we know about ME/CFS symptoms and biological markers that could help diagnose the disease. The authors point out that ME/CFS is often confused with other conditions like early multiple sclerosis or Parkinson's disease because they share similar symptoms. They call for better standardized ways to diagnose ME/CFS and more large-scale studies to understand what's happening in the body during this illness.

Biomarkers

E0 ConsensusGuidelinePEM requiredGuideline

Beyond myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome: an IOM report on redefining an illness.

Clayton, Ellen Wright·JAMA·2015

This influential 2015 report from the Institute of Medicine recommended that doctors use a new name and definition for ME/CFS to better reflect what the illness actually is. The report emphasized that ME/CFS is a serious medical condition with real biological causes, not a psychological problem. It called for improved recognition, diagnosis, and research to help the millions of people living with this debilitating illness.

ME/CFS (general)

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM unclearEvidence-Map

National Institutes of Health Pathways to Prevention Workshop: Advancing the Research on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Green, Carmen R, Cowan, Penney, Elk, Ronit et al.·Annals of internal medicine·2015

In 2015, the National Institutes of Health organized a major workshop bringing together experts to review what scientists know about ME/CFS and identify the most important questions that still need answers. The experts reviewed existing research evidence, listened to presentations, and considered feedback from patients and the public to create a roadmap for future research studies. This effort helped the U.S. medical and research community agree on which ME/CFS research areas should receive priority and funding.

Diagnostics

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Evidence browser

Attentional and interpretive bias towards illness-related information in chronic fatigue syndrome: A systematic review.

Exercise therapy for chronic fatigue syndrome.

Neuroimaging of Central Sensitivity Syndromes: Key Insights from the Scientific Literature.

Chronic Pelvic Pain in Women.

Cognitive Dysfunction in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: a Review of Recent Evidence.

Distress in significant others of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome: A systematic review of the literature.

Chronic fatigue syndrome - an update.

A Role for the Intestinal Microbiota and Virome in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS)?

Effect of Acute Exercise on Fatigue in People with ME/CFS/SEID: A Meta-analysis.

Treatment for paediatric chronic fatigue syndrome or myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) and comorbid depression: a systematic review.

A systematic review of the comorbidity between Temporomandibular Disorders and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

An abridged version of the Cochrane review of exercise therapy for chronic fatigue syndrome.

The association between borderline personality disorder, fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome: systematic review.

Diagnostic Methods for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Systematic Review for a National Institutes of Health Pathways to Prevention Workshop.

Sleep Disturbances in Pediatric Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Review of Current Research.

Exercise therapy for chronic fatigue syndrome.

Algo-dysfunctional syndromes: a critical digest of the recent literature.

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis: Symptoms and Biomarkers.

Beyond myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome: an IOM report on redefining an illness.

National Institutes of Health Pathways to Prevention Workshop: Advancing the Research on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

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