ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

4821–4840 of 6,163 studies

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Valacyclovir treatment of chronic fatigue in adolescents.

Henderson, Theodore A·Advances in mind-body medicine·2014

This study looked at 15 young people who were referred for treatment-resistant depression but were found to have ME/CFS instead. When treated with an antiviral medication called valacyclovir, 93% of them improved significantly, with fatigue scores dropping substantially. The study suggests that some cases of depression in teenagers may actually be undiagnosed ME/CFS caused by chronic viral infections.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM not requiredMethods-Paper

Validating a measure of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome symptomatology.

Brown, Abigail A, Jason, Leonard A·Fatigue : biomedicine, health & behavior·2014

This study tested whether a questionnaire called the DePaul Symptom Questionnaire (DSQ) accurately measures the symptoms people with ME/CFS experience. Researchers found that ME/CFS symptoms naturally group into three main categories: problems with the nervous system and immune system, problems with thinking and memory, and a worsening of symptoms after physical activity. The questionnaire was shown to be a reliable tool for identifying and measuring these symptom patterns in ME/CFS patients.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Diagnosis and management of chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalitis in black and minority ethnic people: a qualitative study.

Bayliss, Kerin, Riste, Lisa, Fisher, Louise et al.·Primary health care research & development·2014

This study looked at why people from Black and minority ethnic backgrounds are diagnosed with ME/CFS less often than White British people, even though they may have the condition more frequently. Researchers interviewed 35 healthcare workers and stakeholders in northwest England and found many barriers, including lack of awareness about ME/CFS, language difficulties, cultural differences in how symptoms are discussed, and unfair stereotypes about laziness. The study recommends better training for doctors and culturally sensitive patient information to help improve diagnosis rates.

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Epstein-barr virus infection masquerading as acute leukemia: a report of two cases and review of literature.

Chhabra, Puneet, Law, Arjun Dutt, Sharma, Upender et al.·Indian journal of hematology & blood transfusion : an official journal of Indian Society of Hematology and Blood Transfusion·2014

This study describes two cases where patients were initially thought to have acute leukemia based on blood tests, but they actually had Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infections instead. One patient had infectious mononucleosis, and the other had a rare EBV-related immune condition. The study shows that EBV can sometimes look like leukemia under a microscope, which can lead to misdiagnosis.

Diagnostics

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

The developmental basis of epigenetic regulation of HTR2A and psychiatric outcomes.

Paquette, Alison G, Marsit, Carmen J·Journal of cellular biochemistry·2014

This article examines how a gene called HTR2A, which helps control serotonin (a brain chemical), can be chemically modified in ways that affect brain development and mental health. Researchers found that these modifications can happen before birth—even in the placenta—and may influence how our brains develop, potentially affecting conditions like depression, anxiety, and other mental health disorders. The article suggests these changes might also be linked to chronic fatigue syndrome, though more research is needed to understand how and why.

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredMechanistic

Phenylephrine alteration of cerebral blood flow during orthostasis: effect on n-back performance in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Medow, Marvin S, Sood, Shilpa, Messer, Zachary et al.·Journal of applied physiology (Bethesda, Md. : 1985)·2014

Many ME/CFS patients experience dizziness and cognitive problems when standing up because blood flow to the brain decreases. This study tested whether a medication called phenylephrine, which raises blood pressure, could help restore brain blood flow and improve thinking tasks during standing. The researchers found that phenylephrine reduced the brain blood flow drop and helped ME/CFS patients perform better on memory tests while upright.

Autonomic Nervous SystemCognitive Impairment

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredMechanistic

Restraint Induces Sickness Responses Independent of Injection with Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV)-Encoded dUTPase.

Aubrecht, Taryn G, Abi Salloum, Bachir, Ariza, Maria Eugenia et al.·Journal of behavioral and brain science·2014

This study looked at how stress and a virus protein linked to ME/CFS affect sickness symptoms in mice. Researchers gave mice either saline or a protein made by Epstein-Barr virus, then exposed some mice to restraint stress for either 1 or 3 days. Surprisingly, restraint stress alone caused sickness-like symptoms after 3 days, regardless of whether mice received the virus protein, and the virus protein didn't make stress effects worse.

E3 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM requiredMethods-Paper

Comparing and Contrasting Consensus versus Empirical Domains.

Jason, Leonard A, Kot, Bobby, Sunnquist, Madison et al.·Fatigue : biomedicine, health & behavior·2014

Researchers compared different sets of diagnostic criteria used to identify ME/CFS patients. They looked at criteria developed by expert groups (like the Canadian Consensus Criteria) and compared them to criteria identified through statistical analysis of actual patient data. The study found that the fatigue and post-exertional malaise domain (worsening symptoms after activity) was the best feature for distinguishing ME/CFS patients from healthy people, and that older diagnostic criteria were less accurate.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Evaluating Interactive Fatigue Management Workshops for Occupational Health Professionals in the United Kingdom.

Ali, Sheila, Chalder, Trudie, Madan, Ira·Safety and health at work·2014

This study tested whether one-day training workshops could help occupational health professionals (doctors and nurses who work with employers) better understand and manage fatigue and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). After the training, these professionals knew more about fatigue and felt more confident diagnosing and treating it in working people, with improvements that lasted at least 4 months.

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM unclearCase-Control

Chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia following immunization with the hepatitis B vaccine: another angle of the 'autoimmune (auto-inflammatory) syndrome induced by adjuvants' (ASIA).

Agmon-Levin, Nancy, Zafrir, Yaron, Kivity, Shaye et al.·Immunologic research·2014

This study looked at 19 people who developed chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) or fibromyalgia (FM) after receiving the hepatitis B vaccine. Researchers found that most patients experienced multiple symptoms including fatigue, muscle/joint pain, and neurological problems within weeks to months of vaccination. The study suggests that in some cases, these conditions may be triggered by the vaccine's components, particularly in people with genetic predisposition to autoimmune diseases.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredMechanistic

[Effect of compound bushen recipe on chronic fatigue syndrome in C. elegans: an experimental study].

Nie, Li-jin, Cai, Wai-jiao, Zhang, Xin-min et al.·Zhongguo Zhong xi yi jie he za zhi Zhongguo Zhongxiyi jiehe zazhi = Chinese journal of integrated traditional and Western medicine·2014

Researchers tested a traditional Chinese herbal recipe called compound bushen recipe (CBR) in a simple organism (C. elegans) to see if it could help with stress tolerance and lifespan—similar to what happens in chronic fatigue syndrome. The treatment showed promising results: it helped organisms survive better under heat stress, protein damage, and oxidative stress, and improved movement and feeding behaviors without harming reproduction.

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

The saga of XMRV: a virus that infects human cells but is not a human virus.

Arias, Maribel, Fan, Hung·Emerging microbes & infections·2014

In 2006, scientists discovered a virus called XMRV and thought it might cause both prostate cancer and chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). After years of research and controversy, it became clear that XMRV was not actually infecting humans naturally. Instead, the virus had accidentally been created in a laboratory when human cancer cells were grown inside immunocompromised mice, where two mouse viruses combined to form XMRV. This discovery was important because it showed why initial findings linking XMRV to these diseases were false.

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

Metabolism in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Armstrong, Christopher W, McGregor, Neil R, Butt, Henry L et al.·Advances in clinical chemistry·2014

This review examines how the body produces and uses energy in people with ME/CFS. Research suggests that people with ME/CFS have problems with how their bodies break down food and nutrients for energy, and their cells may not be using their energy factories (mitochondria) efficiently. The review highlights that metabolomics—a technique that measures thousands of molecules in the body at once—could be a powerful tool for understanding what goes wrong in ME/CFS.

Energy Metabolism

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM unclearCase-Control

Metals as a common trigger of inflammation resulting in non-specific symptoms: diagnosis and treatment.

Stejskal, Vera·The Israel Medical Association journal : IMAJ·2014

This small study looked at whether metal allergies might trigger or worsen ME/CFS and fibromyalgia symptoms. Researchers tested 5 patients (3 with ME/CFS, 2 with fibromyalgia) who suspected metals were making them sick, and found that most had immune reactions to metals in dental fillings or surgical implants. When these metal sources were removed, patients reported long-term improvement in their symptoms.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM unclearMethods-Paper

Modeling Bivariate Longitudinal Hormone Profiles by Hierarchical State Space Models.

Liu, Ziyue, Cappola, Anne R, Crofford, Leslie J et al.·Journal of the American Statistical Association·2014

This study developed a new statistical method to track how stress hormones change over time in people with ME/CFS and fibromyalgia. The researchers found that in patients with these conditions, the two main stress hormones (ACTH and cortisol) don't work together as well as they do in healthy people, suggesting their stress-response system may function differently.

Endocrine Disruption

E3 PreliminaryBehavioralPEM not requiredLongitudinal

Mechanisms of change underlying the efficacy of cognitive behaviour therapy for chronic fatigue syndrome in a specialist clinic: a mediation analysis.

Stahl, D, Rimes, K A, Chalder, T·Psychological medicine·2014

This study looked at how cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) works for ME/CFS by following 389 patients over a year. The researchers found that when patients reduced their avoidance behaviors, their fearful beliefs about activity decreased, which in turn helped reduce fatigue and improve their ability to engage socially. This suggests CBT's benefits come partly from changing how people think about and approach activity.

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM unclearCross-Sectional

DNA methylation modifications associated with chronic fatigue syndrome.

de Vega, Wilfred C, Vernon, Suzanne D, McGowan, Patrick O·PloS one·2014

This study looked at chemical tags attached to DNA (called methylation) in the blood cells of people with ME/CFS compared to healthy people. The researchers found that people with ME/CFS have differences in these chemical tags on genes related to immune function, energy production, and cell signaling. These differences might help explain why the immune system and energy systems aren't working properly in ME/CFS.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Spectrum of mast cell activation disorders.

Petra, Anastasia I, Panagiotidou, Smaro, Stewart, Julia M et al.·Expert review of clinical immunology·2014

Mast cells are immune cells that can become overactive and release chemicals causing symptoms like flushing, itching, dizziness, stomach problems, headaches, and brain fog. This review describes different types of mast cell activation disorders and explains how they can overlap with conditions like ME/CFS and fibromyalgia. The authors suggest these conditions exist on a spectrum and outline how doctors can test for and treat them.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM not required

Complete eradication of chronic long standing eczema and keratosis pilaris following treatment with dextroamphetamine sulfate.

Check, J H, Chan, S·Clinical and experimental obstetrics & gynecology·2014

This study describes two patients with ME/CFS who also had long-standing skin conditions (eczema and keratosis pilaris) that improved significantly when treated with dextroamphetamine, a stimulant medication. The authors suggest these skin problems may be related to an underactive nervous system that is also involved in ME/CFS, and that stimulant treatment may help both conditions.

Interventions

E3 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Assessment of fatigue using the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory in patients with major depressive disorder.

Chung, Ka-Fai, Yu, Branda Yee-Man, Yung, Kam-Ping et al.·Comprehensive psychiatry·2014

This study tested whether a fatigue measurement tool called the MFI-20 works well for people with depression. Researchers gave the test to 137 people with depression and found it reliably measured different types of tiredness—physical and mental exhaustion, reduced energy, and loss of motivation. The tool successfully tracked changes in fatigue over time and correlated with other health measures.

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Valacyclovir treatment of chronic fatigue in adolescents.

Validating a measure of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome symptomatology.

Diagnosis and management of chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalitis in black and minority ethnic people: a qualitative study.

Epstein-barr virus infection masquerading as acute leukemia: a report of two cases and review of literature.

The developmental basis of epigenetic regulation of HTR2A and psychiatric outcomes.

Phenylephrine alteration of cerebral blood flow during orthostasis: effect on n-back performance in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Restraint Induces Sickness Responses Independent of Injection with Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV)-Encoded dUTPase.

Comparing and Contrasting Consensus versus Empirical Domains.

Evaluating Interactive Fatigue Management Workshops for Occupational Health Professionals in the United Kingdom.

Chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia following immunization with the hepatitis B vaccine: another angle of the 'autoimmune (auto-inflammatory) syndrome induced by adjuvants' (ASIA).

[Effect of compound bushen recipe on chronic fatigue syndrome in C. elegans: an experimental study].

The saga of XMRV: a virus that infects human cells but is not a human virus.

Metabolism in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Metals as a common trigger of inflammation resulting in non-specific symptoms: diagnosis and treatment.

Modeling Bivariate Longitudinal Hormone Profiles by Hierarchical State Space Models.

Mechanisms of change underlying the efficacy of cognitive behaviour therapy for chronic fatigue syndrome in a specialist clinic: a mediation analysis.

DNA methylation modifications associated with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Spectrum of mast cell activation disorders.

Complete eradication of chronic long standing eczema and keratosis pilaris following treatment with dextroamphetamine sulfate.

Assessment of fatigue using the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory in patients with major depressive disorder.

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