ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

4901–4920 of 6,209 studies

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 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 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 not requiredReview-Narrative

[20-Hydroxyecdysone--plant adaptogen: an anabolic effect, possible use in sports nutrition].

Volodin, V V, Sidorova, Iu S, Mazo, V K·Voprosy pitaniia·2013

This review discusses 20-hydroxyecdysone, a compound found in plants that may help the body become more resistant to stress. The authors suggest it could reduce fatigue and improve memory and attention, and propose it as a possible supplement for athletes and people with chronic fatigue.

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

[Back pain and somatisation].

Jenewein, Josef·Therapeutische Umschau. Revue therapeutique·2013

Back pain is common in people with somatoform disorders, where physical symptoms occur without a clear medical cause. About 10–20% of back pain patients have this type of disorder, and up to half also experience depression or anxiety. Doctors need to distinguish somatoform pain from other conditions like fibromyalgia and ME/CFS. Treatment typically involves talk therapy, relaxation techniques, physical activity, and sometimes antidepressant medications.

Pain and Sensitization

E3 PreliminaryBehavioralPEM not requiredLongitudinal

Fibromyalgia Symptom Reduction by Online Behavioral Self-monitoring, Longitudinal Single Subject Analysis and Automated Delivery of Individualized Guidance.

Collinge, William, Yarnold, Paul, Soltysik, Robert·North American journal of medical sciences·2013

This study tested a website tool called SMARTLog that helps people with fibromyalgia track their symptoms and receive personalized feedback. Patients who used the tool several times a week for a few months reported improvements in pain, fatigue, memory, mood, and sleep. The more consistently people used the tool, the greater their symptom improvements tended to be.

E3 PreliminaryBehavioralPEM not requiredCase-Control

Psychological stress contributed to the development of low-grade fever in a patient with chronic fatigue syndrome: a case report.

Oka, Takakazu, Kanemitsu, Yoshio, Sudo, Nobuyuki et al.·BioPsychoSocial medicine·2013

This study followed one ME/CFS patient who noticed her low-grade fevers got worse during stressful work situations. Researchers had her recall stressful memories while measuring her body temperature and stress hormones. Her core temperature rose by about 1°C during stress, but blood markers related to fever-causing inflammation didn't change, suggesting stress hormones (not immune inflammation) triggered the temperature increase.

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM unclearCase-Control

A multidisciplinary approach to study a couple of monozygotic twins discordant for the chronic fatigue syndrome: a focus on potential salivary biomarkers.

Ciregia, Federica, Giusti, Laura, Da Valle, Ylenia et al.·Journal of translational medicine·2013

Researchers studied saliva samples from identical twins—one with ME/CFS and one healthy—to look for protein differences that might help diagnose the disease. They found 13 proteins that were expressed differently in the sick twin compared to the healthy twin, with many of these proteins linked to inflammation and immune system function. This suggests that a simple saliva test might one day help doctors diagnose ME/CFS more reliably.

BiomarkersImmune System

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Norepinephrine and epinephrine responses to physiological and pharmacological stimulation in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Strahler, Jana, Fischer, Susanne, Nater, Urs M et al.·Biological psychology·2013

This study looked at how the body's stress hormones (norepinephrine and epinephrine) respond in ME/CFS patients compared to healthy people. Researchers tested 21 ME/CFS patients and 20 controls using exercise and a hormone-stimulation test, measuring stress hormones before and after. ME/CFS patients showed weaker hormone responses to exercise, particularly lower baseline levels and blunted epinephrine release, which could help explain why physical activity feels so exhausting.

Autonomic Nervous System

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM requiredReview-Narrative

A neuro-immune model of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic fatigue syndrome.

Morris, Gerwyn, Maes, Michael·Metabolic brain disease·2013

This study proposes a theory about how ME/CFS develops and persists. The researchers suggest that an initial infection triggers the immune system, which then gets stuck in an overactive state even after the infection is cleared. This causes ongoing inflammation, energy problems in cells, and damage to the nervous system, leading to the characteristic symptoms including post-exertional malaise (feeling worse after activity).

NeuroinflammationAutonomic Nervous SystemImmune SystemPost-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM unclearMethods-Paper

Method Issues in Epidemiological Studies of Medically Unexplained Symptom-based Conditions in Veterans.

Coughlin, Steven S, McNeil, Rebecca B, Provenzale, Dawn T et al.·Journal of military and veterans' health·2013

This study examined how researchers diagnose ME/CFS and related conditions in veterans, particularly those who served in the 1990-1991 Gulf War. The researchers found that many veterans had other medical conditions that could complicate or mask ME/CFS diagnosis. The study highlights that how doctors define and diagnose these conditions matters a lot, and different approaches can lead to very different results.

Diagnostics

E3 PreliminaryBehavioralPEM not requiredMechanistic

Anti depressant activity of Mamsyadi Kwatha: An Ayurvedic compound formulation.

Shreevathsa, M, Ravishankar, B, Dwivedi, Rambabu·Ayu·2013

Researchers tested an Ayurvedic herbal mixture called Mamsyadi Kwatha to see if it could help with depression and fatigue-like symptoms in mice. The mixture contains three plant ingredients and showed some ability to reduce signs of depression and fatigue in animal tests, suggesting it might have antidepressant properties.

E3 PreliminaryPEM not requiredRegistry-Resource

A pilot registry of unexplained fatiguing illnesses and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Brimmer, Dana J, Maloney, Elizabeth, Devlin, Rebecca et al.·BMC research notes·2013

This study tested whether doctors and patient groups could help identify people with ME/CFS for a patient registry (a database of medical information). Researchers in Georgia contacted healthcare providers and a local ME/CFS support group to refer patients for evaluation. Of 104 people who completed clinic visits, 36% had ME/CFS, 17% had fatigue that didn't quite meet ME/CFS criteria, and 47% had other medical or psychiatric conditions instead. This shows that many people with fatigue symptoms may have treatable conditions other than ME/CFS.

Diagnostics

E3 PreliminaryBehavioralPEM unclear

'The letting go, the building up, [and] the gradual process of rebuilding': identity change and post-traumatic growth in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Arroll, Megan A, Howard, Alex·Psychology & health·2013

This study talked to 10 people with ME/CFS about how the illness changed who they are as a person. Participants described losing abilities they once had, feeling isolated from others, and worrying about their future. Interestingly, some people reported finding unexpected personal growth through this experience—developing a stronger sense of their 'true self' after accepting their new limitations.

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredMechanistic

Continuous stress promotes expression of VGF in melanotroph via suppression of dopamine.

Tokizane, Kyohei, Konishi, Hiroyuki, Yasui, Masaya et al.·Molecular and cellular endocrinology·2013

When the body experiences prolonged stress, it can affect how the pituitary gland (a small gland in the brain that controls many hormones) works. In this rat study, researchers found that stress caused increased production of a protein called VGF in certain pituitary cells. Interestingly, this increase happened because stress reduced levels of dopamine, a chemical messenger that normally keeps VGF levels low.

Endocrine Disruption

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

Neurocardiogenic syncope and associated conditions: insight into autonomic nervous system dysfunction.

Kossaify, Antoine, Kallab, Kamal·Turk Kardiyoloji Dernegi arsivi : Turk Kardiyoloji Derneginin yayin organidir·2013

This study examines why people faint or feel faint due to problems with their autonomic nervous system—the part of your nervous system that controls heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing automatically. The authors review how fainting episodes are connected to several conditions that ME/CFS patients often experience, including migraines, dizziness upon standing, rapid heartbeat with position changes, and chronic fatigue syndrome. They discuss how autonomic dysfunction may explain these related conditions.

Autonomic Nervous System

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Energy Conservation/Envelope Theory Interventions to Help Patients with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Jason, Leonard A, Brown, Molly, Brown, Abigail et al.·Fatigue : biomedicine, health & behavior·2013

This study reviewed research on the Energy Envelope approach, a self-management strategy that helps ME/CFS patients track and limit their daily activities to stay within their available energy level. Rather than pushing through exhaustion, patients learn to pace themselves carefully to avoid crashes. Research shows this approach can reduce symptom flare-ups and improve quality of life for people with ME/CFS.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

[Fatigue syndromes--an overview of terminology, definitions and classificatory concepts].

Dörr, Johanna, Nater, Urs·Psychotherapie, Psychosomatik, medizinische Psychologie·2013

This article reviews how doctors classify and differentiate between different fatigue conditions, including ME/CFS, burnout, and an older condition called neurasthenia. The authors found that while these conditions share some symptoms, they have important differences—but there currently isn't enough research to clearly separate them. Depression often occurs alongside ME/CFS and burnout, making diagnosis more complicated.

Diagnostics

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredMechanistic

Xenotropic MLV envelope proteins induce tumor cells to secrete factors that promote the formation of immature blood vessels.

Murgai, Meera, Thomas, James, Cherepanova, Olga et al.·Retrovirology·2013

This study examined how certain viruses found in cancer cell lines affect tumor blood vessel growth. Researchers discovered that when tumor cells were infected with specific retroviruses, they produced substances that prevented normal blood vessel maturation, which could make tumors more aggressive and likely to spread. However, the study makes clear that these viruses do not actually infect humans and are not responsible for ME/CFS.

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Evidence Atlas

Evidence browser

Spectrum of mast cell activation disorders.

[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.

DNA methylation modifications associated with chronic fatigue syndrome.

[20-Hydroxyecdysone--plant adaptogen: an anabolic effect, possible use in sports nutrition].

[Back pain and somatisation].

Fibromyalgia Symptom Reduction by Online Behavioral Self-monitoring, Longitudinal Single Subject Analysis and Automated Delivery of Individualized Guidance.

Psychological stress contributed to the development of low-grade fever in a patient with chronic fatigue syndrome: a case report.

A multidisciplinary approach to study a couple of monozygotic twins discordant for the chronic fatigue syndrome: a focus on potential salivary biomarkers.

Norepinephrine and epinephrine responses to physiological and pharmacological stimulation in chronic fatigue syndrome.

A neuro-immune model of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic fatigue syndrome.

Method Issues in Epidemiological Studies of Medically Unexplained Symptom-based Conditions in Veterans.

Anti depressant activity of Mamsyadi Kwatha: An Ayurvedic compound formulation.

A pilot registry of unexplained fatiguing illnesses and chronic fatigue syndrome.

'The letting go, the building up, [and] the gradual process of rebuilding': identity change and post-traumatic growth in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Continuous stress promotes expression of VGF in melanotroph via suppression of dopamine.

Neurocardiogenic syncope and associated conditions: insight into autonomic nervous system dysfunction.

Energy Conservation/Envelope Theory Interventions to Help Patients with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

[Fatigue syndromes--an overview of terminology, definitions and classificatory concepts].

Xenotropic MLV envelope proteins induce tumor cells to secrete factors that promote the formation of immature blood vessels.

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Neuroinflammation Evidence

Metabolism & Mitochondria

Biomarkers

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