ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

401–420 of 6,157 studies

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 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 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

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 requiredSystematic-Review

Differential effects of behavioral interventions with a graded physical activity component in patients suffering from Chronic Fatigue (Syndrome): An updated systematic review and meta-analysis.

Marques, M M, De Gucht, V, Gouveia, M J et al.·Clinical psychology review·2015

This review looked at 16 studies testing whether combining talking therapy with gradually increased physical activity helps ME/CFS patients feel less tired and function better. The researchers found small to medium improvements in fatigue, daily functioning, and mood, especially when treatments involved less frequent face-to-face contact with providers or were delivered by psychologists in hospital settings.

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

Assessment of activity limitations and participation restrictions with persons with chronic fatigue syndrome: a systematic review.

Vergauwen, Kuni, Huijnen, Ivan P J, Kos, Daphne et al.·Disability and rehabilitation·2015

This study looked at different questionnaires and tests that doctors use to measure how much ME/CFS affects a person's daily activities and ability to participate in life. Researchers reviewed 68 studies and found that most of these tools haven't been properly tested to make sure they accurately measure ME/CFS limitations. They recommend using a disease-specific tool called the CFS-APQ if doctors need to measure these limitations, although even this tool needs more research to be fully validated.

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredSystematic-Review

Chronic fatigue syndrome.

Cleare, Anthony J, Reid, Steven, Chalder, Trudie et al.·BMJ clinical evidence·2015

This research review looked at treatments for chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) and found that the condition affects between 0.006% and 3% of people depending on how it's diagnosed, with women more commonly affected than men. The researchers searched multiple medical databases for studies on four main treatments: antidepressants, cognitive behavioral therapy (a type of talk therapy), corticosteroids (anti-inflammatory drugs), and graded exercise therapy. They carefully reviewed 15 high-quality studies to evaluate how well these treatments work and whether they're safe.

Interventions

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredSystematic-Review

Chronic fatigue syndrome and circulating cytokines: A systematic review.

Blundell, S, Ray, K K, Buckland, M et al.·Brain, behavior, and immunity·2015

Researchers reviewed 38 studies looking at whether immune proteins called cytokines are elevated in people with ME/CFS. They found that one specific cytokine, TGF-β, was consistently higher in people with ME/CFS compared to healthy people in about 63% of studies. However, most other immune proteins measured were normal, and exercise did not change cytokine levels differently between people with ME/CFS and healthy controls.

Immune SystemPost-Exertional Malaise

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 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredSystematic-Review

Effectiveness of body awareness interventions in fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Courtois, Imke, Cools, Filip, Calsius, Joeri·Journal of bodywork and movement therapies·2015

This review looked at 29 studies testing whether body awareness exercises—activities that help you tune into and understand your body's signals—might help people with fibromyalgia and ME/CFS. The researchers found that these interventions did show modest improvements in pain, fatigue impact, mood, anxiety, and overall quality of life. However, the results varied quite a bit between studies, so it's not yet clear which approaches work best or for whom.

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

Fecal microbiota transplantation broadening its application beyond intestinal disorders.

Xu, Meng-Que, Cao, Hai-Long, Wang, Wei-Qiang et al.·World journal of gastroenterology·2015

This review explores how fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT)—transferring healthy gut bacteria from donors to patients—might help treat conditions beyond intestinal diseases, including chronic fatigue syndrome. The authors found that FMT has shown promise in improving insulin sensitivity in metabolic disease and has produced favorable results in case reports of patients with Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, and chronic fatigue syndrome, suggesting that gut bacteria imbalance may contribute to these conditions.

Immune System

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

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredSystematic-Review

The effect of relaxation therapy on autonomic functioning, symptoms and daily functioning, in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome or fibromyalgia: a systematic review.

Meeus, Mira, Nijs, Jo, Vanderheiden, Tanja et al.·Clinical rehabilitation·2015

This review looked at whether relaxation techniques like guided imagery and muscle relaxation help people with ME/CFS and fibromyalgia. Researchers examined 13 high-quality studies involving 650 fibromyalgia patients and 88 ME/CFS patients. They found that guided imagery may help with pain relief in the short term, but there wasn't enough evidence to say relaxation techniques work better than other treatment approaches, especially for ME/CFS-related fatigue.

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.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredSystematic-Review

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

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

This study reviewed 35 clinical trials testing different treatments for ME/CFS to see what actually works. The researchers found that a few treatments showed promise—particularly a drug called rintatolimod for exercise performance, and talking therapies plus graded exercise programs for improving fatigue and daily functioning—but most other treatments tested didn't have enough evidence to prove they help. Overall, doctors still need better studies to know for sure which treatments work best for different patients.

Interventions

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM unclearSystematic-Review

Fatigue in child chronic health conditions: a systematic review of assessment instruments.

Crichton, Alison, Knight, Sarah, Oakley, Ed et al.·Pediatrics·2015

Fatigue is a major problem for children with chronic illnesses, but doctors use many different tools to measure it. This review looked at 20 different fatigue assessment tools used in 89 studies across 14 health conditions, including ME/CFS and cancer. The researchers found that only two tools were truly reliable and could be used across different conditions, and more research is needed to better measure fatigue in younger children.

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 examines three related conditions—ME/CFS, fibromyalgia, and irritable bowel syndrome—that share similar patterns of pain and fatigue. Researchers found that these conditions likely develop from a combination of factors: genetic predisposition, infections, inflammation, stress hormone problems, changes in how the brain processes pain, and damage to small nerves throughout the body. Treatment works best when doctors use multiple approaches together, including both medications and lifestyle changes.

Immune System

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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.

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

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.

Exercise therapy for chronic fatigue syndrome.

Differential effects of behavioral interventions with a graded physical activity component in patients suffering from Chronic Fatigue (Syndrome): An updated systematic review and meta-analysis.

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

Assessment of activity limitations and participation restrictions with persons with chronic fatigue syndrome: a systematic review.

Chronic fatigue syndrome.

Chronic fatigue syndrome and circulating cytokines: A systematic review.

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis: Symptoms and Biomarkers.

Effectiveness of body awareness interventions in fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Fecal microbiota transplantation broadening its application beyond intestinal disorders.

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

The effect of relaxation therapy on autonomic functioning, symptoms and daily functioning, in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome or fibromyalgia: a systematic review.

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

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

Fatigue in child chronic health conditions: a systematic review of assessment instruments.

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

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Neuroinflammation Evidence

Metabolism & Mitochondria

Biomarkers

PEM-Specific Research