ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

4561–4580 of 6,163 studies

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

[History of Researches on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome].

Watanabe, Yasuyoshi, Kuratsune, Hirohiko·Brain and nerve = Shinkei kenkyu no shinpo·2018

This review summarizes research on ME/CFS conducted in Japan since the disease was first identified there in 1990. Scientists have been searching for objective biological markers to help diagnose ME/CFS and understand what causes it. Recent brain imaging studies found evidence of immune cell activation in the brains of ME/CFS patients, which may be linked to the severity of their symptoms.

NeuroinflammationBiomarkers

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

The High Costs of Low-Grade Inflammation: Persistent Fatigue as a Consequence of Reduced Cellular-Energy Availability and Non-adaptive Energy Expenditure.

Lacourt, Tamara E, Vichaya, Elisabeth G, Chiu, Gabriel S et al.·Frontiers in behavioral neuroscience·2018

This study explores why people with ME/CFS experience persistent fatigue by examining how inflammation in the body may damage cells' ability to produce energy. The researchers propose that chronic inflammation forces cells to switch to a less efficient energy-production method, while at the same time the body may be spending energy at rates it cannot sustain, creating an energy crisis. Sleep problems and disrupted body rhythms may also play a role in this imbalance.

Energy MetabolismPost-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Brain function characteristics of chronic fatigue syndrome: A task fMRI study.

Shan, Zack Y, Finegan, Kevin, Bhuta, Sandeep et al.·NeuroImage. Clinical·2018

This study compared brain activity in ME/CFS patients and healthy people while they performed a challenging word-color matching task. ME/CFS patients were slower at the task, and their brains showed different patterns of activity—specifically, the brain signals were less complex and adaptive. The findings suggest that ME/CFS patients' brains may need to work harder or recruit more areas to handle cognitive challenges.

Cognitive Impairment

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredMechanistic

Females have stronger neurogenic response than males after non-specific nasal challenge in patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis.

Tomljenovic, Dejan, Baudoin, Tomislav, Megla, Zeljka Bukovec et al.·Medical hypotheses·2018

This study looked at how men and women with seasonal allergies respond differently to nasal irritants. Researchers found that women had stronger burning sensations and higher levels of a nerve-signaling chemical called substance P compared to men when exposed to salt water or allergen challenges. This suggests that women's bodies may process nasal irritation through a different biological pathway involving both immune cells and nerve signals.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM requiredReview-Narrative

Infection Elicited Autoimmunity and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: An Explanatory Model.

Blomberg, Jonas, Gottfries, Carl-Gerhard, Elfaitouri, Amal et al.·Frontiers in immunology·2018

This study proposes that ME/CFS may develop when a person's immune system mistakenly attacks their own body after an infection, particularly affecting energy production in muscles and the brain. The researchers suggest that some people may have a genetic tendency to develop these harmful immune responses, especially when their gut bacteria are out of balance. When exposed to a triggering infection, the immune system can begin attacking proteins involved in energy metabolism and nerve function, leading to the exhaustion and post-exertion symptoms that characterize ME/CFS.

Immune SystemPost-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Unraveling the Molecular Determinants of Manual Therapy: An Approach to Integrative Therapeutics for the Treatment of Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis.

Espejo, José Andrés, García-Escudero, María, Oltra, Elisa·International journal of molecular sciences·2018

This review examines how manual therapy—such as massage and physical manipulation—might help people with fibromyalgia and ME/CFS by studying what happens at the cellular and molecular level. The authors argue that manual therapy could work by triggering the body's natural healing responses, and they suggest it might be particularly helpful for ME/CFS patients because it can gently condition muscles without requiring strenuous exercise that typically worsens symptoms.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM not requiredMethods-Paper

Beyond total treatment effects in randomised controlled trials: Baseline measurement of intermediate outcomes needed to reduce confounding in mediation investigations.

Landau, Sabine, Emsley, Richard, Dunn, Graham·Clinical trials (London, England)·2018

This study explains the best way to analyze how a treatment works by breaking down its effects into direct and indirect pathways. The researchers tested different statistical methods using a rehabilitation trial in ME/CFS patients and found that one approach (called analysis of covariance) gives the most reliable answers by measuring patients' symptoms before and after treatment.

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Challenges in fibromyalgia diagnosis: from meaning of symptoms to fibromyalgia labeling.

Bidari, Ali, Ghavidel Parsa, Banafsheh, Ghalehbaghi, Babak·The Korean journal of pain·2018

Fibromyalgia (FM) is difficult to diagnose because there is no clear dividing line between having FM and not having it. This review examines why doctors and patients struggle with FM diagnosis, including how symptoms vary between people and over time, and how cultural and emotional factors influence whether a doctor labels someone as having FM. The authors argue that doctors' judgment based on talking with patients may be more reliable than relying only on scoring systems.

Diagnostics

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome-Metabolic Disease or Disturbed Homeostasis due to Focal Inflammation in the Hypothalamus?

Hatziagelaki, Erifili, Adamaki, Maria, Tsilioni, Irene et al.·The Journal of pharmacology and experimental therapeutics·2018

This study proposes that ME/CFS may be caused by inflammation in a small brain region called the hypothalamus, triggered by problems with how cells produce energy. The researchers suggest that when mitochondria (the energy factories in cells) malfunction, they may release harmful substances that activate immune cells in the brain, creating a chain reaction that leads to ME/CFS symptoms. If this theory is correct, it could open new doors for treating the condition by targeting this brain inflammation.

Neuroinflammation

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Chronic fatigue syndrome and quality of life.

Roberts, Deb·Patient related outcome measures·2018

This study looked at how to measure quality of life in people with ME/CFS, since this condition affects many different aspects of daily living in complex ways. The researchers reviewed existing tools that ask patients about their wellbeing and found that current measures don't fully capture the unique experience of ME/CFS. They explored whether a standard quality-of-life questionnaire from the World Health Organization could work for ME/CFS patients and help doctors track how well treatments are working.

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome in the Era of the Human Microbiome: Persistent Pathogens Drive Chronic Symptoms by Interfering With Host Metabolism, Gene Expression, and Immunity.

Proal, Amy, Marshall, Trevor·Frontiers in pediatrics·2018

This review explores the idea that ME/CFS may be caused by persistent infections (like Epstein-Barr virus) that disrupt the body's microbial communities and normal cell functions. These infections can interfere with how cells work, how genes are expressed, and how the immune system responds, potentially leading to the chronic symptoms patients experience. The authors suggest that treating ME/CFS might involve helping the immune system fight these persistent infections.

Energy MetabolismImmune System

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Integration of DNA methylation & health scores identifies subtypes in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

de Vega, Wilfred C, Erdman, Lauren, Vernon, Suzanne D et al.·Epigenomics·2018

Researchers studied 70 women with ME/CFS and found that their DNA showed different chemical patterns in immune cells. These chemical differences matched up with specific symptoms and health problems that patients reported. The study identified four distinct subtypes of ME/CFS, each with its own pattern of DNA changes and symptom profile, suggesting that ME/CFS may not be one uniform condition but rather several related conditions with different underlying biology.

Immune SystemPost-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Functional brain connectivity of remembered fatigue or happiness in healthy adults: Use of arterial spin labeling.

Boissoneault, Jeff, Sevel, Landrew, Robinson, Michael E et al.·Journal of clinical and experimental neuropsychology·2018

Researchers used brain scans to study what happens in the brain when healthy people remember feeling tired versus happy. They found that fatigue activated different brain regions than happiness did, particularly areas involved in vision and a structure called the globus pallidum. This helps scientists understand the brain basis of fatigue without the complications of studying people who have chronic fatigue syndrome with other medical conditions.

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredMechanistic

Fatigue Is Associated With Altered Monitoring and Preparation of Physical Effort in Patients With Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

van der Schaaf, Marieke E, Roelofs, Karin, de Lange, Floris P et al.·Biological psychiatry. Cognitive neuroscience and neuroimaging·2018

This study used brain imaging to understand why people with ME/CFS feel so fatigued and struggle with physical effort. Researchers asked patients and healthy people to squeeze a hand device at different force levels and give them feedback on their performance. People with ME/CFS were more likely to use less effort after feedback, especially at higher effort levels, and this related to lower activity in a brain region involved in decision-making and planning.

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

HPV vaccination syndrome: A clinical mirage, or a new tragic fibromyalgia model.

Martínez-Lavín, Manuel·Reumatologia clinica·2018

Some people have reported developing chronic pain and autonomic symptoms (problems with heart rate, blood pressure, and sweating) after receiving the HPV vaccine. This article reviews whether this connection is real and suggests that if it exists, these cases might share similarities with fibromyalgia—a condition involving widespread pain and nervous system dysfunction. The authors propose that understanding fibromyalgia's mechanisms could help diagnose and treat patients who develop symptoms after HPV vaccination.

Pain and SensitizationAutonomic Nervous System

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredMechanistic

Effect of Coelogyne cristata Lindley in alleviation of chronic fatigue syndrome in aged Wistar rats.

Mitra, Achintya, Sur, Tapas Kumar, Upadhyay, Sachhidananda et al.·Journal of Ayurveda and integrative medicine·2018

Researchers tested an orchid extract called Coelogyne cristata on aging rats that had been made fatigued through repeated forced swimming. The extract improved the rats' movement, reduced depression-like and anxiety-like behaviors, and restored protective antioxidant levels in their brains, performing similarly to ginseng, a known stress-relief supplement.

E3 PreliminaryPEM not requiredRegistry-Resource

The autoimmune/inflammatory syndrome induced by adjuvants (ASIA)/Shoenfeld's syndrome: descriptive analysis of 300 patients from the international ASIA syndrome registry.

Watad, Abdulla, Quaresma, Mariana, Bragazzi, Nicola Luigi et al.·Clinical rheumatology·2018

This study examined 300 patients who developed autoimmune diseases after exposure to adjuvants (immune-stimulating substances in vaccines and other products). The most common symptoms were joint pain, muscle pain, and chronic fatigue, and most patients developed another autoimmune condition within about 17 months of exposure. The researchers found that different adjuvants caused slightly different patterns of illness.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Severe eosinophilic colitis caused by neuropathic agents in a patient with chronic fatigue syndrome and functional abdominal pain: case report and review of the literature.

Fragkos, Konstantinos C, Barragry, John, Fernando, Charisma Shahi et al.·Zeitschrift fur Gastroenterologie·2018

This case report describes one young woman with ME/CFS and chronic pain who developed severe inflammation in her colon (eosinophilic colitis) after taking two common pain medications—gabapentin and pregabalin. Her symptoms improved when she stopped the medications and received steroid treatment. This is an extremely rare side effect, but doctors should be aware of it if ME/CFS patients taking these drugs develop abdominal pain, diarrhea, and blood cell changes.

E3 PreliminaryGuidelinePEM requiredGuideline

[Diagnosis and Treatment of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome].

Kuratsune, Hirohiko·Brain and nerve = Shinkei kenkyu no shinpo·2018

This document presents official diagnostic criteria for ME/CFS developed by Japanese health authorities in 2016. These criteria were designed to help doctors in primary care clinics recognize and diagnose ME/CFS more consistently. The document also summarizes current treatment approaches and expected outcomes based on practices at major medical centers in Japan.

Diagnostics

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Dehydroepiandrosterone Research: Past, Current, and Future.

Klinge, Carolyn M, Clark, Barbara J, Prough, Russell A·Vitamins and hormones·2018

This is a historical review of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), a hormone that naturally decreases with age. Scientists have studied whether DHEA might help with various health conditions including chronic fatigue syndrome, but the evidence in humans is limited. While some benefits have been found in postmenopausal women and certain autoimmune disorders, most human studies show only weak connections between DHEA levels and disease outcomes.

Energy MetabolismImmune System

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[History of Researches on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome].

The High Costs of Low-Grade Inflammation: Persistent Fatigue as a Consequence of Reduced Cellular-Energy Availability and Non-adaptive Energy Expenditure.

Brain function characteristics of chronic fatigue syndrome: A task fMRI study.

Females have stronger neurogenic response than males after non-specific nasal challenge in patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis.

Infection Elicited Autoimmunity and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: An Explanatory Model.

Unraveling the Molecular Determinants of Manual Therapy: An Approach to Integrative Therapeutics for the Treatment of Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis.

Beyond total treatment effects in randomised controlled trials: Baseline measurement of intermediate outcomes needed to reduce confounding in mediation investigations.

Challenges in fibromyalgia diagnosis: from meaning of symptoms to fibromyalgia labeling.

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome-Metabolic Disease or Disturbed Homeostasis due to Focal Inflammation in the Hypothalamus?

Chronic fatigue syndrome and quality of life.

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome in the Era of the Human Microbiome: Persistent Pathogens Drive Chronic Symptoms by Interfering With Host Metabolism, Gene Expression, and Immunity.

Integration of DNA methylation & health scores identifies subtypes in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Functional brain connectivity of remembered fatigue or happiness in healthy adults: Use of arterial spin labeling.

Fatigue Is Associated With Altered Monitoring and Preparation of Physical Effort in Patients With Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

HPV vaccination syndrome: A clinical mirage, or a new tragic fibromyalgia model.

Effect of Coelogyne cristata Lindley in alleviation of chronic fatigue syndrome in aged Wistar rats.

The autoimmune/inflammatory syndrome induced by adjuvants (ASIA)/Shoenfeld's syndrome: descriptive analysis of 300 patients from the international ASIA syndrome registry.

Severe eosinophilic colitis caused by neuropathic agents in a patient with chronic fatigue syndrome and functional abdominal pain: case report and review of the literature.

[Diagnosis and Treatment of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome].

Dehydroepiandrosterone Research: Past, Current, and Future.

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