ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

501–520 of 6,209 studies

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM unclearSystematic-Review

Complementary and alternative medicine for patients with chronic fatigue syndrome: a systematic review.

Alraek, Terje, Lee, Myeong Soo, Choi, Tae-Young et al.·BMC complementary and alternative medicine·2011

This review looked at 26 high-quality studies testing whether complementary and alternative medicines (CAM) help ME/CFS symptoms. Researchers found that some treatments like massage, tuina, and qigong showed promise, while others like homeopathy and distant healing did not work better than placebo. Most supplements tested didn't help, except for NADH and magnesium, though the evidence overall was limited.

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

An intriguing and hitherto unexplained co-occurrence: Depression and chronic fatigue syndrome are manifestations of shared inflammatory, oxidative and nitrosative (IO&NS) pathways.

Maes, Michael·Progress in neuro-psychopharmacology & biological psychiatry·2011

Depression and ME/CFS often occur together, and this study suggests they share common biological root causes involving inflammation and oxidative stress (damage to cells). While depression and ME/CFS look different clinically, they appear to involve similar underlying problems with the immune system, energy production, and antioxidant defenses. The authors argue these should be considered connected disorders rather than two separate conditions that happen to co-occur.

NeuroinflammationImmune System

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredMeta-Analysis

Behavior problems in children and adolescents with chronic physical illness: a meta-analysis.

Pinquart, Martin, Shen, Yuhui·Journal of pediatric psychology·2011

This large review of 569 studies found that children and teenagers with chronic physical illnesses—including ME/CFS—experience higher rates of emotional and behavioral problems compared to healthy peers. Children with ME/CFS showed particularly high levels of emotional problems like anxiety and depression. The review emphasizes that doctors should routinely screen young patients with chronic illnesses for psychological distress and refer them to mental health services when needed.

Cognitive Impairment

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredMeta-Analysis

Meta analysis of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome through integration of clinical, gene expression, SNP and proteomic data.

Pihur, Vasyl, Datta, Somnath, Datta, Susmita·Bioinformation·2011

Researchers combined multiple types of biological data from ME/CFS patients and healthy controls to identify genes that may contribute to ME/CFS and its severity. They found 11 genes of potential importance, with one gene called WASF3 standing out as possibly influencing fatigue through a specific cellular pathway in the brain.

NeuroinflammationImmune System

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredSystematic-Review

Homeopathic treatments in psychiatry: a systematic review of randomized placebo-controlled studies.

Davidson, Jonathan R T, Crawford, Cindy, Ives, John A et al.·The Journal of clinical psychiatry·2011

This review looked at 25 studies testing whether homeopathic treatments help with psychiatric conditions like anxiety, depression, and sleep problems. The researchers found some evidence that homeopathy might help with chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia, but it did not help with anxiety or stress. Overall, the quality of the studies was mixed, and more research is needed to draw firm conclusions.

Sleep

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM requiredSystematic-Review

[Exercise therapy for patients with chronic fatigue syndrome].

Larun, Lillebeth, Malterud, Kirsti·Tidsskrift for den Norske laegeforening : tidsskrift for praktisk medicin, ny raekke·2011

This review looked at seven studies testing whether exercise therapy helps people with ME/CFS. The researchers found that exercise may reduce fatigue symptoms, but the evidence was not strong enough to say for certain whether it helps with pain or quality of life. The good news is that when exercise programs were tailored to what patients could actually do and included proper follow-up care, there were no reports of harm.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredSystematic-Review

Chronic fatigue syndrome.

Reid, Steven, Chalder, Trudie, Cleare, Anthony et al.·BMJ clinical evidence·2011

This review looked at treatments for ME/CFS by examining 46 high-quality studies published up to March 2010. The researchers assessed which treatments—including antidepressants, exercise therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and supplements—actually work and are safe. The review shows that ME/CFS affects less than 3% of people, with more women than men experiencing the condition.

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM unclearObservational

Treating chronic fatigue syndrome - a study into the scientific evidence for pharmacological treatments.

Kreijkamp-Kaspers, Sanne, Brenu, Ekua Weba, Marshall, Sonya et al.·Australian family physician·2011

This study looked at what medicines and supplements 94 people with ME/CFS were taking and checked what scientific evidence supported their use. The patients were using hundreds of different treatments, with antidepressants, pain relievers, sleep aids, and B vitamins being the most common. However, when researchers searched for rigorous studies proving these treatments work for ME/CFS, they found very limited evidence—only 20 good-quality trials existed for the medicines patients were using.

Interventions

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredSystematic-Review

Daily physical activity of patients with the chronic fatigue syndrome: a systematic review.

Evering, Richard M H, van Weering, Marit G H, Groothuis-Oudshoorn, Karin C G M et al.·Clinical rehabilitation·2011

This review looked at 17 studies comparing how physically active people with ME/CFS are compared to healthy people. The research found that people with ME/CFS are significantly less active than healthy controls—doing only about 68% of the physical activity of healthy people. The studies also found that day-to-day variation in activity levels was similar between the two groups.

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Sleep, pain, fibromyalgia, and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Landis, Carol A·Handbook of clinical neurology·2011

This review examined the connections between sleep problems, pain, fibromyalgia, and chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). The author looked at existing research to understand how poor sleep and pain symptoms often occur together in these conditions and how they may be related to each other.

Pain and SensitizationSleep

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredMeta-Analysis

Depressive symptoms in children and adolescents with chronic physical illness: an updated meta-analysis.

Pinquart, Martin, Shen, Yuhui·Journal of pediatric psychology·2011

This large review looked at 340 studies to see whether children and teens with chronic illnesses experience more depression than healthy children. The researchers found that on average, children with chronic illnesses do report higher levels of depression, with ME/CFS showing the strongest link. The study recommends that doctors working with chronically ill children routinely check for depression and refer them to mental health support when needed.

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

Sleep disturbances in multiple sclerosis.

Caminero, Ana, Bartolomé, Manuel·Journal of the neurological sciences·2011

This review examined how often people with multiple sclerosis (MS) experience sleep problems and how these problems affect their daily life. The researchers found that sleep disorders are much more common in MS patients than in the general population, and that sleep problems and MS can make each other worse. The review discusses many types of sleep issues including insomnia, restless legs, and sleep apnea, and emphasizes that treating sleep problems should be an important part of caring for MS patients.

Sleep

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredMeta-Analysis

Anxiety in children and adolescents with chronic physical illnesses: a meta-analysis.

Pinquart, Martin, Shen, Yuhui·Acta paediatrica (Oslo, Norway : 1992)·2011

This large review combined results from 332 studies to compare anxiety levels in children with chronic illnesses versus healthy children. Children with chronic illnesses, including ME/CFS, showed higher levels of anxiety than their healthy peers. ME/CFS was among the conditions most strongly linked to anxiety in children.

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredSystematic-Review

Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis dysfunction in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Papadopoulos, Andrew S, Cleare, Anthony J·Nature reviews. Endocrinology·2011

ME/CFS patients often have abnormal levels of cortisol, a stress hormone produced by the body. This review found that people with ME/CFS tend to have lower cortisol levels than healthy people, with less variation throughout the day and a weaker response to stress. These hormone changes are linked to worse symptoms and disability, and treatments like cognitive behavioral therapy may help restore more normal cortisol levels.

Endocrine Disruption

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredSystematic-Review

Somatization in Latin America: a review of the classification of somatoform disorders, functional syndromes and medically unexplained symptoms.

Tófoli, Luís Fernando, Andrade, Laura Helena, Fortes, Sandra·Revista brasileira de psiquiatria (Sao Paulo, Brazil : 1999)·2011

This review examined how people in Latin America report physical symptoms that doctors cannot explain with standard medical tests. The researchers looked at over 100 studies published between 1995 and 2011 to understand whether Latin American patients truly have more unexplained symptoms, or whether cultural and language differences affect how symptoms are described and understood.

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredSystematic-Review

Mindfulness-based stress reduction for people with chronic diseases.

Merkes, Monika·Australian journal of primary health·2010

This review looked at 15 studies testing whether mindfulness meditation programs (called MBSR) help people with chronic illnesses feel better. The studies included people with ME/CFS, fibromyalgia, chronic pain, and other long-term conditions. All 15 studies found that people who participated in these programs experienced improvements in their symptoms, mood, and quality of life, with no negative effects reported.

Interventions

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Psychiatric aspects of chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia.

Van Houdenhove, Boudewijn, Kempke, Stefan, Luyten, Patrick·Current psychiatry reports·2010

This review examines how ME/CFS and fibromyalgia are connected to psychiatric symptoms like depression and stress. The authors explain that these conditions involve overlapping physical symptoms—extreme tiredness, difficulty with activity, brain fog, and widespread pain—that often start after infections or injuries. They suggest that the best approach for patients is personalized lifestyle management and self-care tailored to individual needs, rather than a one-size-fits-all treatment.

Sleep

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredMeta-Analysis

Cognitive functioning in chronic fatigue syndrome: a meta-analysis.

Cockshell, S J, Mathias, J L·Psychological medicine·2010

This study combined results from 50 research papers to understand how ME/CFS affects thinking and memory. Researchers found that people with ME/CFS have real, measurable problems with attention, memory, and processing speed—essentially, the brain takes longer to handle and organize information. However, other thinking skills like vocabulary, reasoning, and basic motor skills were not affected.

Cognitive Impairment

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

Chronic fatigue syndrome: is there a role for non-antidepressant pharmacotherapy?

Van Houdenhove, Boudewijn, Pae, Chi-Un, Luyten, Patrick·Expert opinion on pharmacotherapy·2010

This review examined whether medications can help ME/CFS patients. Researchers looked at studies from 1988 to 2009 and found that while some drugs (like antivirals and antibiotics) might temporarily help symptoms, they can also cause more harm than good. A few stimulant medications helped some patients, but the long-term safety is unclear. The authors concluded that medications alone are not the best first-line treatment and work best alongside self-management and rehabilitation.

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredMeta-Analysis

Possible detrimental effects of cognitive behaviour therapy for chronic fatigue syndrome.

Heins, Marianne J, Knoop, Hans, Prins, Judith B et al.·Psychotherapy and psychosomatics·2010

This study looked at whether cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) makes ME/CFS worse for some patients. Researchers combined data from three separate trials and found that patients getting CBT were no more likely to experience symptom worsening than patients not receiving treatment. The researchers concluded that CBT appears to be a safe treatment for ME/CFS.

← Previous Next 20 studies →

Or browse by topic

PEM Immune Neuro Metabolic Biomarkers Severe ME Long COVID Cognitive

Evidence Atlas

Evidence browser

Complementary and alternative medicine for patients with chronic fatigue syndrome: a systematic review.

An intriguing and hitherto unexplained co-occurrence: Depression and chronic fatigue syndrome are manifestations of shared inflammatory, oxidative and nitrosative (IO&NS) pathways.

Behavior problems in children and adolescents with chronic physical illness: a meta-analysis.

Meta analysis of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome through integration of clinical, gene expression, SNP and proteomic data.

Homeopathic treatments in psychiatry: a systematic review of randomized placebo-controlled studies.

[Exercise therapy for patients with chronic fatigue syndrome].

Chronic fatigue syndrome.

Treating chronic fatigue syndrome - a study into the scientific evidence for pharmacological treatments.

Daily physical activity of patients with the chronic fatigue syndrome: a systematic review.

Sleep, pain, fibromyalgia, and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Depressive symptoms in children and adolescents with chronic physical illness: an updated meta-analysis.

Sleep disturbances in multiple sclerosis.

Anxiety in children and adolescents with chronic physical illnesses: a meta-analysis.

Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis dysfunction in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Somatization in Latin America: a review of the classification of somatoform disorders, functional syndromes and medically unexplained symptoms.

Mindfulness-based stress reduction for people with chronic diseases.

Psychiatric aspects of chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia.

Cognitive functioning in chronic fatigue syndrome: a meta-analysis.

Chronic fatigue syndrome: is there a role for non-antidepressant pharmacotherapy?

Possible detrimental effects of cognitive behaviour therapy for chronic fatigue syndrome.

Curated Collections

Neuroinflammation Evidence

Metabolism & Mitochondria

Biomarkers

PEM-Specific Research