ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

4601–4620 of 6,163 studies

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM unclearObservational

Using the internet to cope with chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis in adolescence: a qualitative study.

Brigden, Amberly, Barnett, Julie, Parslow, Roxanne Morin et al.·BMJ paediatrics open·2018

This study looked at how teenagers with ME/CFS use the internet to understand and cope with their condition. Researchers interviewed 9 young people (ages 12-17) about which websites and online spaces they visited. The teenagers found that official health websites were helpful when first diagnosed, but over time they preferred online communities where they could read other patients' stories, get emotional support, and connect with peers who understood what they were going through.

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Circulating extracellular vesicles as potential biomarkers in chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis: an exploratory pilot study.

Castro-Marrero, Jesús, Serrano-Pertierra, Esther, Oliveira-Rodríguez, Myriam et al.·Journal of extracellular vesicles·2018

This small pilot study looked at tiny particles called extracellular vesicles (EVs) in the blood of ME/CFS patients compared to healthy people. The researchers found that ME/CFS patients had higher amounts of these particles, and the particles were smaller than in healthy controls. This suggests that blood tests measuring these particles might one day help doctors identify ME/CFS.

Biomarkers

E3 PreliminaryGuidelinePEM requiredGuideline

Myalgic encephalomyelitis: International Consensus Criteria.

Journal of internal medicine·2017

This guideline establishes internationally agreed-upon criteria for diagnosing ME/CFS, helping doctors around the world recognize the condition consistently. It brings together expert knowledge to create clear standards for who has ME/CFS based on symptoms like post-exertional malaise (worsening after activity), sleep problems, cognitive difficulties, and pain. Having a shared definition makes it easier for patients to get accurate diagnoses and for researchers to study the same condition across different countries.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

'It feels sometimes like my house has burnt down, but I can see the sky': A qualitative study exploring patients' views of cognitive behavioural therapy for chronic fatigue syndrome.

Picariello, Federica, Ali, Sheila, Foubister, Caroline et al.·British journal of health psychology·2017

This study looked at what 13 ME/CFS patients thought about cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), a talking therapy that helps people change unhelpful thinking patterns and behaviors. Most patients were satisfied with CBT and felt better, though not completely recovered. The study found that the personal support from a therapist and accepting that ME/CFS involves both physical and mental factors were important for success.

Interventions

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredMechanistic

[Effect of Acupuncture on the Expression of Transcription Factor T-bet/GATA-3 in Plasma of Rats with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome].

Wang, Xiang-Yi, Liu, Chang-Zheng, Lei, Bo·Zhen ci yan jiu = Acupuncture research·2017

Researchers tested whether acupuncture could help rats with chronic fatigue syndrome by measuring changes in immune system markers. Acupuncture was applied to three specific points for two weeks, and the treated rats showed improved tiredness and swimming performance compared to untreated rats. The study suggests acupuncture may work by rebalancing immune system signals that become disrupted in ME/CFS.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

A sociological stance on fatigue and tiredness: Social inequalities, norms and representations.

Loriol, Marc·Neurophysiologie clinique = Clinical neurophysiology·2017

This study examines fatigue from a social perspective, looking at how people's work and living conditions, social environment, and cultural beliefs affect their experience of exhaustion. Rather than treating fatigue only as a medical problem, the authors explore how different groups in society experience and understand tiredness differently, and how societal expectations about work and productivity shape whether someone feels appropriately tired or dangerously exhausted.

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM unclearMechanistic

Detection of Urine Metabolites in a Rat Model of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome before and after Exercise.

Shao, Changzhuan, Ren, Yiming, Wang, Zinan et al.·BioMed research international·2017

Researchers used rats exposed to stress and exercise to model ME/CFS and then measured chemicals in their urine before and after exercise. They found abnormalities in how the rats' bodies produce energy and process hormones, particularly in molecules called sphingosine and a hormone precursor called 21-hydroxypregnenolone. These findings suggest that ME/CFS may involve disrupted energy metabolism and problems with the body's stress-response system.

Energy MetabolismImmune SystemPost-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredMechanistic

Characterization of a protein-bound polysaccharide from Herba Epimedii and its metabolic mechanism in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Chi, Aiping, Shen, Zhimei, Zhu, Wenfei et al.·Journal of ethnopharmacology·2017

This study tested a natural compound extracted from Herba Epimedii (a traditional Chinese herb) to see if it could help treat chronic fatigue. Researchers gave the compound to rats with CFS-like symptoms and measured changes in their urine chemistry. They found that the treatment reversed several chemical imbalances associated with fatigue, suggesting the herb may work by restoring normal metabolism.

E3 PreliminaryPEM unclear

'Betwixt and between'; liminality in recovery stories from people with myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) or chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS).

Brown, Brian, Huszar, Kate, Chapman, Rosemary·Sociology of health & illness·2017

This study interviewed 16 people who felt they had recovered from ME/CFS to understand what recovery actually feels like. The researchers found that recovery isn't simply returning to normal—instead, people experience a unique state where they're caught between being sick and being well. Even as they improved, participants continued using coping strategies like rest and pacing, and many felt they couldn't fully explain their experience to others or reconnect with the ME/CFS community they'd been part of.

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredMechanistic

The variation of the 5-hydroxytryptamine system between chronic unpredictable mild stress rats and chronic fatigue syndrome rats induced by forced treadmill running.

Cao, Yin, Li, Qinglin·Neuroreport·2017

This study compared how serotonin (a brain chemical linked to mood and energy) works differently in two types of animal models—one mimicking stress-related depression and another mimicking ME/CFS. Surprisingly, the two conditions showed opposite patterns: the stress model had low serotonin levels, while the fatigue model had high serotonin levels, suggesting these conditions may involve different biological mechanisms even though both cause low activity and mood problems.

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM requiredCross-Sectional

Exercise - induced changes in cerebrospinal fluid miRNAs in Gulf War Illness, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and sedentary control subjects.

Baraniuk, James N, Shivapurkar, Narayan·Scientific reports·2017

Researchers studied brain fluid from people with Gulf War Illness and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) before and after exercise to understand why exercise makes symptoms worse. They found that exercise changes certain molecules called microRNAs in the brain fluid, and these changes were different in people with CFS compared to Gulf War Illness patients. This suggests that the biological reasons these conditions cause post-exertional exhaustion may be different, even though the symptoms look similar.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredMechanistic

NLRP3 inflammasome activation mediates fatigue-like behaviors in mice via neuroinflammation.

Zhang, Ziteng, Ma, Xiujuan, Xia, Zhenna et al.·Neuroscience·2017

This study explored whether a specific immune system protein called NLRP3 might be involved in causing fatigue in mice. Researchers stressed mice with repeated swimming tests and found that stressed mice had higher levels of an inflammatory chemical (IL-1β) in their brains and showed fatigue-like behaviors. When they removed the NLRP3 protein in mice, the fatigue behaviors were reduced and inflammatory levels decreased, suggesting this protein may play a role in fatigue.

NeuroinflammationImmune System

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

CNS findings in chronic fatigue syndrome and a neuropathological case report.

Ferrero, Kimberly, Silver, Mitchell, Cocchetto, Alan et al.·Journal of investigative medicine : the official publication of the American Federation for Clinical Research·2017

This study examines brain tissue from one person who had ME/CFS and died, looking for physical changes that might explain the illness. Researchers found several abnormalities in the brain including areas of damaged nerve fibers, tangles similar to those seen in Alzheimer's disease, and deposits of a protein called amyloid. These findings suggest that ME/CFS may involve damage to the brain's structure and deserve further investigation.

Neuroinflammation

E3 PreliminaryBehavioralPEM unclearCross-Sectional

'It's personal to me': A qualitative study of depression in young people with CFS/ME.

Taylor, Anna K, Loades, Maria, Brigden, Amberly Lc et al.·Clinical child psychology and psychiatry·2017

This study talked with nine young people (aged 13-17) who have ME/CFS and depression to understand how these two conditions connect. Most young people felt that ME/CFS caused their depression because the illness stopped them doing activities they loved and changed their daily lives. Many also noticed that feeling sad made their ME/CFS symptoms worse, creating a difficult cycle. The researchers found that different combinations of treatments—like talking therapy, medicine, and careful activity planning—worked best for different people.

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM unclear

Tenuous link between chronic fatigue syndrome and pyruvate dehydrogenase deficiency.

Bliksrud, Yngve Thomas·Tidsskrift for den Norske laegeforening : tidsskrift for praktisk medicin, ny raekke·2017

This study examined whether a specific metabolic enzyme problem called pyruvate dehydrogenase deficiency might be connected to ME/CFS. The researchers found only a weak or unclear link between this enzyme deficiency and ME/CFS symptoms, suggesting it is not a major cause of the illness for most patients.

Energy Metabolism

E3 PreliminaryBehavioralPEM not requiredCase-Control

A Novel Approach to Treating CFS and Co-morbid Health Anxiety: A Case Study.

Daniels, Jo, Loades, Maria E·Clinical psychology & psychotherapy·2017

This study looked at treating ME/CFS in one patient who also had anxiety about their health. Instead of using standard treatments alone, doctors used a customized approach combining techniques for both the physical fatigue and the worry about health. After 8 sessions, the patient's symptoms improved significantly and stayed better a year later, suggesting this combined approach might help others with ME/CFS.

Interventions

E3 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM not requiredMethods-Paper

A robust, single-injection method for targeted, broad-spectrum plasma metabolomics.

Li, Kefeng, Naviaux, Jane C, Bright, A Taylor et al.·Metabolomics : Official journal of the Metabolomic Society·2017

Researchers developed a new, efficient blood test that can measure over 600 different molecules (metabolites) in a single sample to help diagnose ME/CFS. The test was validated by showing it could correctly identify ME/CFS patients with 95% accuracy compared to healthy controls, even when tested again more than a year later by different researchers.

Biomarkers

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM requiredMechanistic

Neural consequences of post-exertion malaise in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Cook, Dane B, Light, Alan R, Light, Kathleen C et al.·Brain, behavior, and immunity·2017

This study examined what happens in the brains of ME/CFS patients after exercise. Researchers asked 15 patients and 15 healthy people to exercise for 30 minutes, then used brain imaging to see how their brains worked before and 24 hours after exercise. ME/CFS patients' symptoms got much worse after exercise, their thinking and memory got worse, and their brain activity changed in specific ways—showing that exercise triggered real, measurable changes in how their brains functioned.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

The interface between chronic fatigue syndrome and depression: A psychobiological and neurophysiological conundrum.

Larkin, Derek, Martin, Colin R·Neurophysiologie clinique = Clinical neurophysiology·2017

Many people with ME/CFS experience depression alongside their physical symptoms, but it's unclear whether depression causes the fatigue, results from it, or whether they share common underlying biological causes. This paper reviews what we know about the connection between ME/CFS and depression, examining possible explanations from brain function, immune system activity, and psychological factors. Understanding this relationship better could help doctors develop more effective treatments that address both the fatigue and mood symptoms.

E3 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM unclearMethods-Paper

RE: "MULTI-SITE CLINICAL ASSESSMENT OF MYALGIC ENCEPHALOMYELITIS/CHRONIC FATIGUE SYNDROME (MCAM): DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A PROSPECTIVE/RETROSPECTIVE ROLLING COHORT STUDY".

American journal of epidemiology·2017

This study describes how researchers set up a large project to better understand and diagnose ME/CFS across multiple medical centers. The researchers created a system to carefully collect information about ME/CFS patients over time, combining both new patient data and information from medical records. This kind of organized approach helps scientists learn more about the condition and how to recognize it accurately.

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Evidence browser

Using the internet to cope with chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis in adolescence: a qualitative study.

Circulating extracellular vesicles as potential biomarkers in chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis: an exploratory pilot study.

Myalgic encephalomyelitis: International Consensus Criteria.

'It feels sometimes like my house has burnt down, but I can see the sky': A qualitative study exploring patients' views of cognitive behavioural therapy for chronic fatigue syndrome.

[Effect of Acupuncture on the Expression of Transcription Factor T-bet/GATA-3 in Plasma of Rats with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome].

A sociological stance on fatigue and tiredness: Social inequalities, norms and representations.

Detection of Urine Metabolites in a Rat Model of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome before and after Exercise.

Characterization of a protein-bound polysaccharide from Herba Epimedii and its metabolic mechanism in chronic fatigue syndrome.

'Betwixt and between'; liminality in recovery stories from people with myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) or chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS).

The variation of the 5-hydroxytryptamine system between chronic unpredictable mild stress rats and chronic fatigue syndrome rats induced by forced treadmill running.

Exercise - induced changes in cerebrospinal fluid miRNAs in Gulf War Illness, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and sedentary control subjects.

NLRP3 inflammasome activation mediates fatigue-like behaviors in mice via neuroinflammation.

CNS findings in chronic fatigue syndrome and a neuropathological case report.

'It's personal to me': A qualitative study of depression in young people with CFS/ME.

Tenuous link between chronic fatigue syndrome and pyruvate dehydrogenase deficiency.

A Novel Approach to Treating CFS and Co-morbid Health Anxiety: A Case Study.

A robust, single-injection method for targeted, broad-spectrum plasma metabolomics.

Neural consequences of post-exertion malaise in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

The interface between chronic fatigue syndrome and depression: A psychobiological and neurophysiological conundrum.

RE: "MULTI-SITE CLINICAL ASSESSMENT OF MYALGIC ENCEPHALOMYELITIS/CHRONIC FATIGUE SYNDROME (MCAM): DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A PROSPECTIVE/RETROSPECTIVE ROLLING COHORT STUDY".

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