ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

4681–4700 of 6,163 studies

E3 PreliminaryBehavioralPEM not requiredLongitudinal

Neurocognitive improvements after best-practice intervention for chronic fatigue syndrome: Preliminary evidence of divergence between objective indices and subjective perceptions.

Cvejic, Erin, Lloyd, Andrew R, Vollmer-Conna, Uté·Comprehensive psychiatry·2016

This study tested whether a 12-week program combining graded activity and cognitive training could help ME/CFS patients with thinking and memory problems. Researchers measured improvements in two ways: by asking patients how they felt, and by giving them objective tests of mental performance. They found that patients showed real, measurable improvements in processing speed and accuracy on cognitive tests, and their stress response (measured by heart rate patterns) also improved.

Cognitive Impairment

E3 PreliminaryGuidelinePEM unclearGuideline

Diagnosis and management of undifferentiated fever in children.

Long, Sarah S·The Journal of infection·2016

This medical guideline helps doctors figure out what causes unexplained fevers in children and how to treat them. The article explains that many children who come to doctors with persistent tiredness after a fever may not have a serious infection—instead, they might just be deconditioned (out of shape) and need to gradually return to normal activities like school and exercise.

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM unclearMechanistic

Novel identification and characterisation of Transient receptor potential melastatin 3 ion channels on Natural Killer cells and B lymphocytes: effects on cell signalling in Chronic fatigue syndrome/Myalgic encephalomyelitis patients.

Nguyen, T, Staines, D, Nilius, B et al.·Biological research·2016

This study looked at special channels called TRPM3 on immune cells (natural killer cells and B cells) that help control calcium flow inside cells. Researchers found that people with ME/CFS have fewer of these channels on certain immune cells and problems with calcium movement compared to healthy people. This suggests that broken calcium control in immune cells might play a role in ME/CFS, though much more research is needed to understand what this means for the illness.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM unclearMethods-Paper

Metagenomic Investigation of Plasma in Individuals with ME/CFS Highlights the Importance of Technical Controls to Elucidate Contamination and Batch Effects.

Miller, Ruth R, Uyaguari-Diaz, Miguel, McCabe, Mark N et al.·PloS one·2016

Researchers used advanced genetic sequencing to search for viruses and bacteria in the blood of people with ME/CFS, comparing them to people with other conditions and healthy individuals. They found very little microbial material in anyone's blood, and the small differences they observed were likely caused by contamination during sample handling rather than actual differences between groups. This study teaches an important lesson: when looking for germs in blood samples, scientists must be extremely careful about how they handle samples and must use proper controls to avoid false conclusions.

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredMechanistic

Moxibustion upregulates hippocampal progranulin expression.

Yi, Tao, Qi, Li, Li, Ji et al.·Neural regeneration research·2016

This study tested whether moxibustion, a traditional Chinese medicine technique using heat from burning herbs, could help rats with chronic fatigue syndrome. Researchers found that moxibustion reduced stress hormone levels and increased a protective protein in the brain called progranulin, which appeared to improve the rats' symptoms of fatigue and low mood.

Neuroinflammation

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Implementing resources to support the diagnosis and management of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) in primary care: A qualitative study.

Bayliss, Kerin, Riste, Lisa, Band, Rebecca et al.·BMC family practice·2016

This study looked at whether special training and information resources for GPs could help them better diagnose and manage ME/CFS. Researchers interviewed patients and doctors in North West England and found that while the resources were helpful when used properly, most GPs didn't actually use them—either because they were too busy, didn't see enough ME/CFS patients to remember the training, or thought the condition should only be managed by specialists.

Diagnostics

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

Exercise-induced mitochondrial dysfunction: a myth or reality?

Ostojic, Sergej M·Clinical science (London, England : 1979)·2016

Exercise is usually good for your cells' energy factories (mitochondria), but this review asks whether extremely intense or exhausting exercise might actually damage them instead. The authors explore how very hard exercise could harm mitochondrial function and suggest this might explain some cases of chronic fatigue syndrome and muscle problems.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Herpesviruses dUTPases: A New Family of Pathogen-Associated Molecular Pattern (PAMP) Proteins with Implications for Human Disease.

Williams, Marshall V, Cox, Brandon, Ariza, Maria Eugenia·Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland)·2016

This review examines how herpesvirus proteins called dUTPases may trigger harmful immune responses in ME/CFS and other diseases. Most adults carry dormant herpesviruses (like Epstein-Barr virus) that can reactivate throughout life. The researchers suggest that proteins released during reactivation may overstimulate the immune system, potentially worsening ME/CFS symptoms and inflammation.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredMechanistic

MicroRNAs hsa-miR-99b, hsa-miR-330, hsa-miR-126 and hsa-miR-30c: Potential Diagnostic Biomarkers in Natural Killer (NK) Cells of Patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS)/ Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME).

Petty, Robert D, McCarthy, Neil E, Le Dieu, Rifca et al.·PloS one·2016

This study examined tiny molecules called microRNAs in immune cells from ME/CFS patients and healthy people. Researchers found that four specific microRNAs were abnormally high in patients' blood, particularly in natural killer (NK) immune cells. When they tested these microRNAs in the lab, they found they affected how NK cells work, suggesting this might contribute to ME/CFS symptoms.

BiomarkersImmune System

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

[Chronic fatifue syndrome.].

Holecek, V, Rokyta, R·Ceskoslovenska fysiologie·2016

This review article provides an overview of ME/CFS, explaining what it is, how common it is, and how doctors diagnose and treat it. The condition lasts about 6 months or longer in adults and at least 3 months in children, causing persistent fatigue and other symptoms. The article covers multiple possible causes including biological, genetic, infectious, and psychological factors, as well as the economic impact of the disease.

Diagnostics

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM requiredCase-Control

A Pair of Identical Twins Discordant for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Differ in Physiological Parameters and Gut Microbiome Composition.

Giloteaux, Ludovic, Hanson, Maureen R, Keller, Betsy A·The American journal of case reports·2016

This study compared two identical twins—one with ME/CFS and one without—to understand what causes the illness. The affected twin showed reduced exercise capacity, abnormal responses to physical exertion, and differences in immune markers and gut bacteria compared to the healthy twin. These findings suggest that ME/CFS involves problems with how the body responds to exercise and changes in the gut bacteria that may trigger inflammation.

Gut MicrobiomeImmune SystemPost-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM unclearMethods-Paper

Exploring patients' opinions of activity pacing and a new activity pacing questionnaire for chronic pain and/or fatigue: a qualitative study.

Antcliff, Deborah, Keeley, Philip, Campbell, Malcolm et al.·Physiotherapy·2016

Activity pacing—spreading out tasks and rest periods to manage symptoms—is often recommended for people with chronic fatigue and pain, but patients understand and use it differently. Researchers interviewed 16 patients with conditions like ME/CFS and fibromyalgia to understand their views on pacing and tested a new questionnaire designed to measure it. The study found that pacing is complex and personal; some people avoid activities, others push through, some alternate between activity and rest (boom-bust cycling), and others modify how they do tasks—and the questionnaire was acceptable and easy for patients to use.

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Killer Cell Immunoglobulin-like Receptor Genotype and Haplotype Investigation of Natural Killer Cells from an Australian Population of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis Patients.

Huth, T K, Brenu, E W, Staines, D R et al.·Gene regulation and systems biology·2016

This study looked at special immune cells called Natural Killer cells and the genes that control them in people with ME/CFS compared to healthy people. Researchers examined specific genetic variations in 20 ME/CFS patients and 20 healthy controls. They found that people with ME/CFS had a lower frequency of a particular genetic pattern related to immune cell control, which may help explain why some ME/CFS patients have weaker immune responses.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

Potential use of visible and near-infrared spectroscopy for the analysis and diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome (Review).

Sakudo, Akikazu·Molecular medicine reports·2016

This review examines whether a special type of light-based scanning called visible and near-infrared spectroscopy could help diagnose ME/CFS objectively. Currently, doctors diagnose ME/CFS only by listening to patient symptoms, with no blood test or physical measurement available. Researchers found that this light-scanning technique can detect differences in blood samples and thumb tissue between people with ME/CFS and healthy people, suggesting it might identify biological markers of the disease.

Biomarkers

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM unclearCase-Control

Coxiella burnetii dormancy in a fatal ten-year multisystem dysfunctional illness: case report.

Sukocheva, Olga A, Manavis, Jim, Kok, Tuck-Weng et al.·BMC infectious diseases·2016

This case report describes a young woman who developed severe, long-lasting illness after a Q fever infection and died 10 years later. After her death, researchers examined her tissues and found pieces of the bacteria (Coxiella burnetii) and its DNA still present in multiple organs, including her brain, heart, lungs, and spleen. This suggests that Q fever bacteria can persist in the body in a dormant or inactive form, potentially triggering ongoing illness.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryPEM unclear

Caring for people with severe myalgic encephalomyelitis: An interpretative phenomenological analysis of parents' experiences.

Mihelicova, Martina, Siegel, Zachary, Evans, Meredyth et al.·Journal of health psychology·2016

This study listened to parents who care for severely ill ME/CFS patients and asked about their experiences. Researchers found that parents often feel their identity has changed, experience guilt, feel isolated from others, deal with uncertainty about the future, and develop ways to cope with the demands of caregiving. The study provides important insights that could help healthcare providers better support and understand these caregivers.

Interventions

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM unclearMechanistic

Serum BAFF and APRIL Levels, T-Lymphocyte Subsets, and Immunoglobulins after B-Cell Depletion Using the Monoclonal Anti-CD20 Antibody Rituximab in Myalgic Encephalopathy/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Lunde, Sigrid, Kristoffersen, Einar K, Sapkota, Dipak et al.·PloS one·2016

Researchers tested whether a drug called rituximab, which removes B cells (a type of immune cell) from the blood, helps ME/CFS patients by examining immune system changes. They found that some ME/CFS patients had higher levels of a substance called BAFF that activates B cells, but this didn't predict who would improve with treatment. While some patients did get better with rituximab in earlier trials, the immune cell changes measured in this study didn't fully explain why.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Severity Scales for Use in Primary Health Care to Assess Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis.

Hardcastle, Sharni Lee, Brenu, Ekua Weba, Johnston, Samantha et al.·Health care for women international·2016

ME/CFS affects people very differently—some have mild symptoms while others are severely disabled. This study reviewed different tools doctors can use to measure how severe a patient's ME/CFS is based on their symptoms and ability to function physically and mentally. Using these measurement tools helps doctors and researchers identify different groups of ME/CFS patients, which could lead to better diagnosis and treatment.

Diagnostics

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM unclearCase-Control

[Fibromyalgia and myalgic encephalomyelitis: The oxygen clue].

Beretta, Pablo·Vertex (Buenos Aires, Argentina)·2016

This study suggests that people with fibromyalgia and ME/CFS may have problems with how their muscles use oxygen. The authors found that patients' symptoms worsened in low-oxygen environments (like high altitudes or low air pressure) and improved with treatments that increase oxygen availability, including hyperbaric oxygen therapy and coenzyme Q10 supplements. Based on three patient cases that improved with medical oxygen treatment, the authors propose that oxygen therapy might help people experiencing severe symptom flare-ups.

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

ILLNESS IS WORK: Revisiting the concept of illness careers and recognizing the identity work of patients with ME/CFS.

Grue, Jan·Health (London, England : 1997)·2016

This study explores how people with ME/CFS manage their identity and daily life while dealing with an illness that society doesn't fully recognize or understand. The researchers use the concept of "illness as work" to show that patients are actively doing important identity work—constantly adapting to their condition, navigating medical systems, and coping with a stigmatized illness. This framework helps validate the real effort and agency that ME/CFS patients demonstrate every day.

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Evidence browser

Neurocognitive improvements after best-practice intervention for chronic fatigue syndrome: Preliminary evidence of divergence between objective indices and subjective perceptions.

Diagnosis and management of undifferentiated fever in children.

Novel identification and characterisation of Transient receptor potential melastatin 3 ion channels on Natural Killer cells and B lymphocytes: effects on cell signalling in Chronic fatigue syndrome/Myalgic encephalomyelitis patients.

Metagenomic Investigation of Plasma in Individuals with ME/CFS Highlights the Importance of Technical Controls to Elucidate Contamination and Batch Effects.

Moxibustion upregulates hippocampal progranulin expression.

Implementing resources to support the diagnosis and management of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) in primary care: A qualitative study.

Exercise-induced mitochondrial dysfunction: a myth or reality?

Herpesviruses dUTPases: A New Family of Pathogen-Associated Molecular Pattern (PAMP) Proteins with Implications for Human Disease.

MicroRNAs hsa-miR-99b, hsa-miR-330, hsa-miR-126 and hsa-miR-30c: Potential Diagnostic Biomarkers in Natural Killer (NK) Cells of Patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS)/ Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME).

[Chronic fatifue syndrome.].

A Pair of Identical Twins Discordant for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Differ in Physiological Parameters and Gut Microbiome Composition.

Exploring patients' opinions of activity pacing and a new activity pacing questionnaire for chronic pain and/or fatigue: a qualitative study.

Killer Cell Immunoglobulin-like Receptor Genotype and Haplotype Investigation of Natural Killer Cells from an Australian Population of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis Patients.

Potential use of visible and near-infrared spectroscopy for the analysis and diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome (Review).

Coxiella burnetii dormancy in a fatal ten-year multisystem dysfunctional illness: case report.

Caring for people with severe myalgic encephalomyelitis: An interpretative phenomenological analysis of parents' experiences.

Serum BAFF and APRIL Levels, T-Lymphocyte Subsets, and Immunoglobulins after B-Cell Depletion Using the Monoclonal Anti-CD20 Antibody Rituximab in Myalgic Encephalopathy/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Severity Scales for Use in Primary Health Care to Assess Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis.

[Fibromyalgia and myalgic encephalomyelitis: The oxygen clue].

ILLNESS IS WORK: Revisiting the concept of illness careers and recognizing the identity work of patients with ME/CFS.

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