ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

4481–4500 of 6,188 studies

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Paediatric chronic fatigue syndrome patients' and parents' perceptions of recovery.

Harland, Matthew Robert, Parslow, Roxanne Morin, Anderson, Nina et al.·BMJ paediatrics open·2019

This study asked children with ME/CFS and their parents what 'recovery' would look like for them. Researchers found that recovery means different things to different people—some wanted to return to their old activity levels, others focused on having more flexibility in daily routines and not experiencing crashes after activities. Importantly, recovery was about much more than just feeling less tired; it was about rebuilding their lives and returning to normal activities like school and socializing.

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredMechanistic

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Induced by Repeated Forced Swimming in Mice.

Ohba, Takuya, Domoto, Shinichi, Tanaka, Miyu et al.·Biological & pharmaceutical bulletin·2019

Researchers created a mouse model of ME/CFS by repeatedly forcing mice to swim, which produced fatigue-like behaviors similar to the human condition. They found that this stress reduced the activity of an important energy-producing enzyme called PDH in muscle cells. When they treated the mice with a drug that reactivates PDH, the fatigue-like symptoms improved, suggesting this enzyme may be a target for future ME/CFS treatments.

Energy Metabolism

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM unclearMechanistic

Transient receptor potential melastatin 2 channels are overexpressed in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome patients.

Balinas, Cassandra, Cabanas, Helene, Staines, Donald et al.·Journal of translational medicine·2019

This study looked at immune cells called NK cells in people with ME/CFS, focusing on special channels on their surface called TRPM2 that control calcium flow. Researchers found that ME/CFS patients had higher levels of these TRPM2 channels compared to healthy people, and their NK cells were less effective at fighting infections. When researchers tried two different drugs to modify these channels, the drugs reduced TRPM2 levels but did not improve the cells' ability to fight infections.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM unclearObservational

HERV-K and HERV-W transcriptional activity in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Rodrigues, Lucas S, da Silva Nali, Luiz H, Leal, Cibele O D et al.·Auto- immunity highlights·2019

This study looked at whether certain viral fragments called HERV-K and HERV-W were more active in the blood of ME/CFS patients. Researchers found that HERV-K was elevated in people with moderate ME/CFS but not in those with severe disease, while HERV-W showed no difference. These findings suggest that viral elements may play a role in ME/CFS, though much more research is needed to understand what this means.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryTrialPEM not requiredRCT

Treatment for Gulf War Illness (GWI) with KPAX002 (methylphenidate hydrochloride + GWI nutrient formula) in subjects meeting the Kansas case definition: A prospective, open-label trial.

Holodniy, Mark, Kaiser, Jon D·Journal of psychiatric research·2019

Researchers tested a combination treatment called KPAX002—containing a stimulant medication (methylphenidate) plus vitamins and nutrients meant to support energy production in cells—in 17 people with Gulf War Illness. After 12 weeks, patients reported about 25% improvement in their overall symptoms, including better fatigue, brain fog, sleep, and pain. The treatment was generally safe and well-tolerated, though a larger, more rigorous study is needed to confirm these results.

Pain and SensitizationSleepCognitive Impairment

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

Astaxanthin: A Potential Mitochondrial-Targeted Antioxidant Treatment in Diseases and with Aging.

Sztretye, Mónika, Dienes, Beatrix, Gönczi, Mónika et al.·Oxidative medicine and cellular longevity·2019

This review examines astaxanthin, a powerful natural antioxidant found in marine organisms, and how it might help protect cells from damage caused by oxidative stress—an imbalance that occurs in ME/CFS and many other diseases. The authors explain how astaxanthin may work by targeting and protecting mitochondria, the energy-producing structures in our cells. They suggest this compound could potentially help prevent or slow disease progression and aging-related health problems.

Energy Metabolism

E3 PreliminaryCommentaryPEM not required

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia: Definitions, Similarities, and Differences.

Natelson, Benjamin H·Clinical therapeutics·2019

This article examines whether ME/CFS and fibromyalgia are the same illness or two different conditions. The author reviews existing research and concludes that while these conditions share some similarities, they appear to be distinct illnesses with different underlying causes. If they truly are different, it would mean doctors may eventually need different treatment approaches for each condition.

Diagnostics

E3 PreliminaryPEM not required

[Clinical efficacy of neurometabolic therapy of dissomical disorders in asthenic syndrome].

Esipov, A V, Ivolgin, A F, Khritinin, D F et al.·Zhurnal nevrologii i psikhiatrii imeni S.S. Korsakova·2019

This study tested whether a medication called cytoflavin, which helps cells produce energy, could help 100 patients with fatigue and sleep problems. Patients received cytoflavin as an infusion, either alone or combined with melatonin or another sleep medication. By day 14, 97% of patients reported significant improvement in fatigue and sleep quality.

Sleep

E3 PreliminaryGuidelinePEM requiredEditorial

Medically Documenting Disability in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) Cases.

Comerford, Barbara B, Podell, Richard·Frontiers in pediatrics·2019

This guideline addresses how doctors can properly document ME/CFS symptoms to support disability claims, especially for children and teens. Many ME/CFS patients see doctors unfamiliar with the condition, which can lead to misdiagnosis and rejected disability applications. The guideline emphasizes that ME/CFS is a real physical illness affecting multiple body systems, not a psychological condition.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS): a common but unfamiliar syndrome.

van der Zalm, T, Alsma, J, van de Poll, S W E et al.·The Netherlands journal of medicine·2019

POTS is a condition where standing up quickly causes your heart to beat much faster than normal, and you may feel dizzy, tired, or unwell. This paper describes two different patients with POTS to show how differently the condition can appear from person to person. The authors explain that POTS can overlap with chronic fatigue syndrome and suggest that simple treatments like drinking more water and salt, along with exercise, often help before considering medications.

Autonomic Nervous System

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS): Suggestions for a nutritional treatment in the therapeutic approach.

Bjørklund, Geir, Dadar, Maryam, Pen, Joeri J et al.·Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie·2019

This review article examines how nutrition might play a role in chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). The authors found that people with CFS often have low levels of certain vitamins and minerals—like vitamin C, B vitamins, magnesium, zinc, and others—and that these deficiencies may make CFS symptoms worse. The review suggests that nutritional support could be an important part of treating CFS alongside other medical approaches.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Neurasthenia: Modern Malady or Historical Relic?

Overholser, James C, Beale, Eleanor E·The Journal of nervous and mental disease·2019

This article looks back at a condition called neurasthenia that doctors diagnosed frequently between 1869 and 1930, then largely abandoned. The authors found that many symptoms people with neurasthenia experienced—like exhaustion, mental fog, and physical weakness—are still seen today in conditions like chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) and fibromyalgia. By understanding neurasthenia's history, modern doctors may better recognize and treat these conditions and improve how they listen to their patients.

Diagnostics

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

"It's not one size fits all"; the use of videoconferencing for delivering therapy in a Specialist Paediatric Chronic Fatigue Service.

Haig-Ferguson, Andrew, Loades, Maria, Whittle, Charlotte et al.·Internet interventions·2019

This study looked at whether young people with ME/CFS could receive therapy through video calls (like Skype) instead of traveling to hospital appointments. Researchers interviewed 12 young patients, 6 parents, and 9 healthcare workers about their experiences. Most people found video appointments helpful for reducing travel, though some worried about privacy and felt that something was lost compared to face-to-face meetings.

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Differential diagnosis between "chronic fatigue" and "chronic fatigue syndrome".

Son, Chang-Gue·Integrative medicine research·2019

This article discusses the important difference between regular chronic fatigue (long-lasting tiredness) and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS), a serious medical condition. The author explains why it's crucial to distinguish between these two conditions, since ME/CFS involves specific symptoms and has different causes than simple persistent tiredness.

Diagnostics

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Impact of Polypharmacy on Candidate Biomarker miRNomes for the Diagnosis of Fibromyalgia and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Striking Back on Treatments.

Almenar-Pérez, Eloy, Sánchez-Fito, Teresa, Ovejero, Tamara et al.·Pharmaceutics·2019

This study looked at how medicines commonly taken by fibromyalgia and ME/CFS patients might interfere with blood tests that could help diagnose these conditions. The researchers found that many prescription drugs can affect small molecules in the body called microRNAs, which are being studied as potential diagnostic markers. This means that when researchers try to identify disease-specific biomarkers, they may be picking up drug effects instead of actual disease signatures.

Diagnostics

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

An Association of Serotonin with Pain Disorders and Its Modulation by Estrogens.

Paredes, Stephania, Cantillo, Santiago, Candido, Kenneth D et al.·International journal of molecular sciences·2019

This review article explains how a brain chemical called serotonin affects pain perception, and how female hormones (estrogens) can influence serotonin levels. The authors examine the connection between serotonin, hormones, and several pain conditions including irritable bowel syndrome, fibromyalgia, and migraines. They suggest that targeting serotonin and hormone pathways might offer new treatment options for pain in the future.

Pain and Sensitization

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Recent insights into innate and adaptive immune responses to Giardia.

Singer, Steven M, Fink, Marc Y, Angelova, Vanessa V·Advances in parasitology·2019

This review examines how the body's immune system responds to infection with Giardia, a parasite that causes diarrhea and other gastrointestinal symptoms. Researchers have discovered that Giardia infection can lead to long-term complications including chronic fatigue syndrome and irritable bowel syndrome in some people. Understanding how the immune system fights Giardia may help explain why some infections lead to these persistent conditions and could guide development of better treatments or vaccines.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Relationship Between Different Experimental Measures of Distorted Symptom Perception in Functional Syndrome Patients.

Van Den Houte, Maaike, Van Oudenhove, Lukas, Bogaerts, Katleen et al.·Psychosomatic medicine·2019

This study tested whether people with ME/CFS and fibromyalgia show a consistent pattern of reporting symptoms that don't match what's actually happening in their bodies. Researchers used two different experiments—one involving controlled breathing challenges and another using emotional pictures—to see if the same people would show symptom distortion in both tests. They found that symptom distortion in one test did not predict symptom distortion in the other, suggesting that how symptoms are perceived depends heavily on the specific situation rather than being a stable trait.

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredObservational

Mitochondrial complex activity in permeabilised cells of chronic fatigue syndrome patients using two cell types.

Tomas, Cara, Brown, Audrey E, Newton, Julia L et al.·PeerJ·2019

This study looked at whether the powerhouses of cells (mitochondria) work differently in ME/CFS patients compared to healthy people. Researchers tested muscle cells and immune cells from the blood using a special technique to measure how well different parts of the mitochondrial energy-production system functioned. Surprisingly, they found no significant differences between ME/CFS patients and healthy controls, suggesting that if mitochondria aren't working properly in ME/CFS, the problem may occur before it reaches the mitochondria itself.

Energy Metabolism

E3 PreliminaryCommentaryPEM unclearEditorial

Differentiating Psychosomatic, Somatopsychic, Multisystem Illnesses, and Medical Uncertainty.

Bransfield, Robert C, Friedman, Kenneth J·Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland)·2019

Doctors often struggle to distinguish between illnesses caused by psychological factors, illnesses where physical symptoms cause psychological effects, true multisystem diseases (affecting many body systems), and situations where medical causes haven't been found yet. This article discusses how using outdated or inaccurate diagnostic labels—like 'all in your head'—can harm patients and delay proper diagnosis. The authors argue that many conditions previously thought to be purely psychological may actually involve the immune system and microbiome, and that doctors need better training to avoid misdiagnosing complex diseases like ME/CFS.

Diagnostics

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Paediatric chronic fatigue syndrome patients' and parents' perceptions of recovery.

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Induced by Repeated Forced Swimming in Mice.

Transient receptor potential melastatin 2 channels are overexpressed in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome patients.

HERV-K and HERV-W transcriptional activity in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Treatment for Gulf War Illness (GWI) with KPAX002 (methylphenidate hydrochloride + GWI nutrient formula) in subjects meeting the Kansas case definition: A prospective, open-label trial.

Astaxanthin: A Potential Mitochondrial-Targeted Antioxidant Treatment in Diseases and with Aging.

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia: Definitions, Similarities, and Differences.

[Clinical efficacy of neurometabolic therapy of dissomical disorders in asthenic syndrome].

Medically Documenting Disability in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) Cases.

Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS): a common but unfamiliar syndrome.

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS): Suggestions for a nutritional treatment in the therapeutic approach.

Neurasthenia: Modern Malady or Historical Relic?

"It's not one size fits all"; the use of videoconferencing for delivering therapy in a Specialist Paediatric Chronic Fatigue Service.

Differential diagnosis between "chronic fatigue" and "chronic fatigue syndrome".

Impact of Polypharmacy on Candidate Biomarker miRNomes for the Diagnosis of Fibromyalgia and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Striking Back on Treatments.

An Association of Serotonin with Pain Disorders and Its Modulation by Estrogens.

Recent insights into innate and adaptive immune responses to Giardia.

Relationship Between Different Experimental Measures of Distorted Symptom Perception in Functional Syndrome Patients.

Mitochondrial complex activity in permeabilised cells of chronic fatigue syndrome patients using two cell types.

Differentiating Psychosomatic, Somatopsychic, Multisystem Illnesses, and Medical Uncertainty.

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