ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

421–440 of 6,157 studies

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

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 ConsensusGuidelinePEM requiredGuideline

Beyond Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Redefining an Illness

Institute of Medicine Committee on the Diagnostic Criteria for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome·National Academies Press·2015

The US Institute of Medicine reviewed over 9,000 scientific articles to establish new diagnostic criteria for ME/CFS. The report introduced SEID (Systemic Exertion Intolerance Disease) as a proposed name and established that ME/CFS is a serious, chronic, complex systemic disease. New criteria require PEM, unrefreshing sleep, plus cognitive impairment or orthostatic intolerance.

DiagnosticsPost-Exertional Malaise

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM unclearSystematic-Review

Neurological aspects of human parvovirus B19 infection: a systematic review.

Barah, Faraj, Whiteside, Sigrid, Batista, Sonia et al.·Reviews in medical virology·2014

This review examined published cases where parvovirus B19 (a common virus) was linked to neurological problems like brain inflammation and nerve damage. Researchers found 129 documented cases in medical literature, with the majority involving brain-related symptoms. The study suggests doctors should consider B19 testing when patients have unexplained brain inflammation, and that certain treatments (immunoglobulins and steroids) may help in severe cases.

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredSystematic-Review

Diagnosis and Treatment of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Smith, M E Beth, Nelson, Heidi D, Haney, Elizabeth et al.·Evidence report/technology assessment·2014

This review examined research on how doctors diagnose ME/CFS and which treatments help patients. Researchers looked at 71 studies and found that there is no single agreed-upon way to diagnose ME/CFS, and different diagnostic criteria identify somewhat different groups of patients. Some treatments like counseling and graded exercise showed benefits for fatigue and quality of life, though graded exercise was associated with more reported side effects.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

Irritable bowel syndrome: relations with functional, mental, and somatoform disorders.

Hausteiner-Wiehle, Constanze, Henningsen, Peter·World journal of gastroenterology·2014

This review looked at how irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) relates to other conditions like ME/CFS and fibromyalgia, as well as depression and anxiety. The authors found that IBS often occurs alongside these other conditions and that about half of IBS patients have no mental health symptoms, while the other half do. They suggest that doctors should treat IBS as a complex condition that affects multiple body systems and the mind, rather than separating physical symptoms from mental ones.

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredMeta-Analysis

Psychological trauma and functional somatic syndromes: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Afari, Niloofar, Ahumada, Sandra M, Wright, Lisa Johnson et al.·Psychosomatic medicine·2014

This large analysis of 71 studies found that people who have experienced psychological trauma are about 2.7 times more likely to develop functional somatic syndromes like ME/CFS, fibromyalgia, and irritable bowel syndrome. The connection was even stronger in people with PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder). This suggests that traumatic experiences are linked to increased risk of developing these chronic conditions.

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredSystematic-Review

A review of the predisposing, precipitating and perpetuating factors in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome in children and adolescents.

Lievesley, Kate, Rimes, Katharine A, Chalder, Trudie·Clinical psychology review·2014

This review looked at 79 studies to understand what factors might contribute to ME/CFS in children and teenagers. The researchers found that young people with ME/CFS are more likely to also experience anxiety or depression than healthy peers. Many patients reported their illness started after an infection, and some families seemed to have multiple members with ME/CFS, though the research on these patterns is still developing.

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredSystematic-Review

Traditional Chinese medicine for chronic fatigue syndrome: a systematic review of randomized clinical trials.

Wang, Yu-Yi, Li, Xin-Xue, Liu, Jian-Ping et al.·Complementary therapies in medicine·2014

This review examined 23 studies testing traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) treatments for chronic fatigue syndrome, involving 1,776 patients. The treatments included herbal medicines, acupuncture, qigong, and other TCM approaches. Most studies found that TCM helped reduce fatigue symptoms, though the quality of these studies was often poor, and it's unclear if TCM improves overall quality of life for patients.

Interventions

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredSystematic-Review

Bladder pain syndrome/interstitial cystitis as a functional somatic syndrome.

Warren, John W·Journal of psychosomatic research·2014

This study asks whether bladder pain syndrome/interstitial cystitis (BPS/IC) is a type of functional somatic syndrome—a condition where symptoms are real but may not show up on standard tests. The researchers reviewed existing research and found that BPS/IC shares most characteristics with other functional somatic syndromes, suggesting that at least some cases of BPS/IC might work similarly to conditions like ME/CFS.

Pain and Sensitization

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredSystematic-Review

Systematic review: faecal microbiota transplantation therapy for digestive and nondigestive disorders in adults and children.

Sha, S, Liang, J, Chen, M et al.·Alimentary pharmacology & therapeutics·2014

This review examined whether transferring stool bacteria from healthy donors to patients (called faecal microbiota transplantation or FMT) could help treat various diseases, including chronic fatigue syndrome. Researchers looked at 67 published studies involving 844 patients and found that FMT was very effective for certain gut infections and inflammatory bowel disease, with very few serious side effects reported.

Gut Microbiome

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredSystematic-Review

Defining recovery in chronic fatigue syndrome: a critical review.

Adamowicz, Jenna L, Caikauskaite, Indre, Friedberg, Fred·Quality of life research : an international journal of quality of life aspects of treatment, care and rehabilitation·2014

This review looked at 22 studies about ME/CFS to understand how researchers decide if someone has recovered. The researchers found that different studies use very different definitions of recovery—some only look at fatigue levels, others look at function, and some use simple yes/no assessments. The authors suggest that the word 'recovery' might not be accurate for many cases, and recommend using clearer terms like 'clinically significant improvement' instead.

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

Can stress trigger Parkinson's disease?

Djamshidian, Atbin, Lees, Andrew J·Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry·2014

This review examines whether chronic stress might trigger Parkinson's disease in people who are genetically vulnerable. The authors searched medical literature to understand how stress affects the brain's dopamine system and whether stress-related symptoms can mimic Parkinson's disease. They also explored connections between stress and other conditions like ME/CFS, fibromyalgia, and irritable bowel syndrome that share similar nervous system dysfunction.

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Biological phenotypes underpin the physio-somatic symptoms of somatization, depression, and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Anderson, G, Berk, M, Maes, M·Acta psychiatrica Scandinavica·2014

This review examined research showing that the physical symptoms experienced in ME/CFS, depression, and somatization (medically unexplained symptoms) have real biological causes, not just psychological ones. The authors found that inflammation, immune system activation, and changes in how the body breaks down certain nutrients are linked to symptoms like fatigue, pain, and autonomic problems. Understanding these biological pathways may help explain why these conditions overlap and why symptoms feel so physically real.

Immune System

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredSystematic-Review

Sympathetic nervous system dysfunction in fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome, and interstitial cystitis: a review of case-control studies.

Martínez-Martínez, Laura-Aline, Mora, Tania, Vargas, Angélica et al.·Journal of clinical rheumatology : practical reports on rheumatic & musculoskeletal diseases·2014

This review examined whether ME/CFS, fibromyalgia, IBS, and interstitial cystitis share a common problem: an overactive stress-response system in the nervous system. Researchers looked at 196 published studies that compared patients with these conditions to healthy controls. They found that about 65% of studies showed these patients have a nervous system stuck in 'overdrive,' which could explain why these conditions often occur together.

Autonomic Nervous System

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

Gynecological disorders in bladder pain syndrome/interstitial cystitis patients.

Cervigni, Mauro, Natale, Franca·International journal of urology : official journal of the Japanese Urological Association·2014

This review examined how often bladder pain syndrome (chronic bladder inflammation and pain) occurs together with gynecological conditions like endometriosis and vulvodynia in women. The researchers found that these conditions frequently overlap—for example, about 48% of women with endometriosis also have bladder pain syndrome. They also found that pelvic floor muscle dysfunction is very common in bladder pain patients, affecting up to 87% of them.

Pain and Sensitization

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

Childhood stressors in the development of fatigue syndromes: a review of the past 20 years of research.

Borsini, A, Hepgul, N, Mondelli, V et al.·Psychological medicine·2014

This review looked at 31 studies to see if stressful experiences during childhood might increase the chance of developing ME/CFS or fibromyalgia later in life. The researchers found that people who experienced childhood stress were 2-3 times more likely to develop these fatigue conditions compared to those without such experiences. They also found that people with these conditions who had experienced childhood stress were more likely to also develop depression, anxiety, and pain.

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Chronic fatigue syndrome: a personalized integrative medicine approach.

Brown, Benjamin I·Alternative therapies in health and medicine·2014

This review examines how treating ME/CFS with a personalized, whole-body approach might help more patients than current standard treatments. Rather than using a one-size-fits-all method, doctors could tailor treatment plans based on each patient's individual factors—such as diet, nutritional deficiencies, stress, gut health, and immune system problems. The authors suggest this personalized approach could lead to better outcomes and help identify which patients would benefit most from specific treatments.

Energy Metabolism

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM unclearSystematic-Review

Assessing severity of illness and outcomes of treatment in children with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME): a systematic review of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs).

Haywood, K L, Collin, S M, Crawley, E·Child: care, health and development·2014

This study looked at questionnaires that doctors use to measure how sick children with ME/CFS are and whether treatments help. The researchers found 13 different questionnaires being used, but none of them have been thoroughly tested to see if they actually work well for children with ME/CFS. The study shows we need better tools that are designed specifically for children with this condition and that actually measure what matters most to them.

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredSystematic-Review

Malfunctioning of the autonomic nervous system in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome: a systematic literature review.

Van Cauwenbergh, Deborah, Nijs, Jo, Kos, Daphne et al.·European journal of clinical investigation·2014

This review examined 27 studies that looked at how the autonomic nervous system (the part of your nervous system that controls automatic body functions like heart rate) works differently in ME/CFS patients compared to healthy people. Researchers found that ME/CFS patients often show unusual heart rate responses during tilting tests, which is consistent with a condition called postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS). These autonomic nervous system differences might help doctors diagnose ME/CFS.

Autonomic Nervous System

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Evidence Atlas

Evidence browser

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

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

Beyond Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Redefining an Illness

Neurological aspects of human parvovirus B19 infection: a systematic review.

Diagnosis and Treatment of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Irritable bowel syndrome: relations with functional, mental, and somatoform disorders.

Psychological trauma and functional somatic syndromes: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

A review of the predisposing, precipitating and perpetuating factors in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome in children and adolescents.

Traditional Chinese medicine for chronic fatigue syndrome: a systematic review of randomized clinical trials.

Bladder pain syndrome/interstitial cystitis as a functional somatic syndrome.

Systematic review: faecal microbiota transplantation therapy for digestive and nondigestive disorders in adults and children.

Defining recovery in chronic fatigue syndrome: a critical review.

Can stress trigger Parkinson's disease?

Biological phenotypes underpin the physio-somatic symptoms of somatization, depression, and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Sympathetic nervous system dysfunction in fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome, and interstitial cystitis: a review of case-control studies.

Gynecological disorders in bladder pain syndrome/interstitial cystitis patients.

Childhood stressors in the development of fatigue syndromes: a review of the past 20 years of research.

Chronic fatigue syndrome: a personalized integrative medicine approach.

Assessing severity of illness and outcomes of treatment in children with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME): a systematic review of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs).

Malfunctioning of the autonomic nervous system in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome: a systematic literature review.

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