ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

5161–5180 of 6,188 studies

E3 PreliminaryGuidelinePEM not requiredGuideline

Chronic fatigue syndrome: aetiology, diagnosis and treatment.

Avellaneda Fernández, Alfredo, Pérez Martín, Alvaro, Izquierdo Martínez, Maravillas et al.·BMC psychiatry·2009

ME/CFS is a serious condition marked by extreme exhaustion that lasts at least six months and doesn't improve with rest. The fatigue is so severe that it can force people to reduce their daily activities by half or more. Doctors don't yet have a single test to diagnose it, so they diagnose it by ruling out other illnesses. There is currently no cure, but treatment works best when doctors, mental health professionals, and social support services work together to help patients.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Memory and attention problems in children with chronic fatigue syndrome or myalgic encephalopathy.

Haig-Ferguson, A, Tucker, P, Eaton, N et al.·Archives of disease in childhood·2009

This study looked at 20 children with ME/CFS who had memory and attention problems. Researchers asked the children, their parents, and teachers about these difficulties, and then gave the children a series of tests to measure how well they could focus, remember things, and process information. The children's test scores showed they had real difficulties with attention and memory compared to healthy children their age.

Cognitive Impairment

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM requiredMechanistic

Transcriptional control of complement activation in an exercise model of chronic fatigue syndrome.

Sorensen, Bristol, Jones, James F, Vernon, Suzanne D et al.·Molecular medicine (Cambridge, Mass.)·2009

After exercise, people with ME/CFS show higher levels of certain immune molecules (particularly C4a) that may contribute to their post-exercise symptoms. This study looked at which genes were turned on or off in immune cells after exercise and found that people with ME/CFS activated different immune pathways than healthy people—specifically, a pathway called the lectin pathway responded differently. This suggests their immune system may be producing excess inflammatory signals after physical activity.

Immune SystemPost-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Autoantibodies to lens epithelium-derived growth factor/transcription co-activator P75 (LEDGF/P75) in children with chronic nonspecific complaints and with positive antinuclear antibodies.

Kuwabara, Natsuko, Itoh, Yasuhiko, Igarshi, Tohru et al.·Autoimmunity·2009

This study found that a specific antibody called anti-Sa, detected in people with chronic fatigue and positive autoimmune markers, is actually targeting a protein called LEDGF/p75. Researchers developed a simple blood test (ELISA) to detect this antibody more accurately than previous methods. This new test could help doctors identify which patients with chronic fatigue may have an autoimmune component to their illness.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredMechanistic

Model-based therapeutic correction of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis dysfunction.

Ben-Zvi, Amos, Vernon, Suzanne D, Broderick, Gordon·PLoS computational biology·2009

People with ME/CFS often have abnormally low cortisol levels, a hormone that helps the body manage stress and energy. This study used mathematical computer modeling to design a new treatment approach: rather than giving more cortisol (the intuitive approach), the model suggests temporarily suppressing cortisol further until the body's signaling hormone (ACTH) rises enough to trigger the system to reset itself back to normal levels. This counterintuitive strategy could work by exploiting how the body's hormone system naturally behaves.

Endocrine Disruption

E3 PreliminaryBehavioralPEM not requiredCase-Control

Fixed belief in cognitive dysfunction despite normal neuropsychological scores: neurocognitive hypochondriasis?

Boone, Kyle Brauer·The Clinical neuropsychologist·2009

Some people with ME/CFS report serious cognitive problems in their daily life, but when given standard memory and thinking tests, their scores are completely normal. This study presents one case and suggests that some patients may worry excessively about cognitive problems that aren't actually measurable on formal tests—a condition the author calls 'neurocognitive hypochondriasis.' The study notes this pattern may occur in ME/CFS and several other conditions.

Cognitive Impairment

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Clinical impact of B-cell depletion with the anti-CD20 antibody rituximab in chronic fatigue syndrome: a preliminary case series.

Fluge, Øystein, Mella, Olav·BMC neurology·2009

This study examined whether a drug called rituximab, which reduces B cells (a type of immune cell), could help ME/CFS patients. Three ME/CFS patients received rituximab infusions and all experienced significant symptom improvement lasting several months. When symptoms returned, patients were retreated and improved again, suggesting that B cells may play a role in ME/CFS for at least some patients.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Fibromyalgia: pathogenetic, diagnostic and therapeutic concerns.

Podolecki, Tomasz, Podolecki, Andrzej, Hrycek, Antoni·Polskie Archiwum Medycyny Wewnetrznej·2009

Fibromyalgia is a condition causing widespread muscle and joint pain that affects many people worldwide. This review examines what we know about fibromyalgia's causes, how doctors diagnose it, and how it can be treated. The authors note that fibromyalgia likely results from multiple factors involving the nervous system, brain chemistry, and immune function, and that treatment typically involves antidepressants, therapy, and other approaches.

Pain and SensitizationDiagnostics

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredMechanistic

[Cellular and molecular mechanisms of interaction between the neuroendocrine and immune systems under chronic fatigue syndrome in experiment].

Rybakina, E G, Shanin, S N, Fomicheva, E E et al.·Rossiiskii fiziologicheskii zhurnal imeni I.M. Sechenova·2009

This study used laboratory rats to understand how ME/CFS might develop by triggering an immune response with a synthetic molecule. Researchers found that during this fatigue-like state, immune cells became less active, brain cell communication pathways were dampened, and the body's stress-response system (which normally helps us cope) became less effective. These findings suggest ME/CFS involves problems in how the immune system and brain communicate with each other.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM not requiredMethods-Paper

Continuing medical education challenges in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Brimmer, Dana J, McCleary, K Kimberly, Lupton, Teresa A et al.·BMC medical education·2009

Most doctors don't know much about ME/CFS, which means many patients don't get diagnosed or treated. Researchers created an educational program to teach healthcare providers about ME/CFS between 2000 and 2006. They found that online courses were much more popular than printed materials, and that targeting specific audiences at smaller conferences was most effective at spreading information.

E3 PreliminaryBehavioralPEM unclear

Acupuncture treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome.

Hui, Jin-Sheng·Journal of traditional Chinese medicine = Chung i tsa chih ying wen pan·2009

This study looked at whether acupuncture, a traditional Chinese medicine treatment involving thin needles placed on the skin, might help people with ME/CFS. The researchers compared a group of patients who received acupuncture treatment with a control group to see if there were differences in their symptoms and fatigue levels.

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

[Chronic fatigue syndrome--more than just chronic fatigue].

Forstenius, Lisa, Helmfrid, Sten·Lakartidningen·2009

This article explains that ME/CFS is much more than simply feeling tired all the time. The authors describe how the condition affects multiple body systems and causes real, measurable problems with energy, cognition, and physical function. The paper emphasizes that ME/CFS is a serious medical condition deserving proper recognition and treatment.

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Chronic fatigue syndrome: a hormonal origin? A rare case of dysmenorrhea membranacea.

Veldman, Joan, Van Houdenhove, Boudewijn, Verguts, Jasper·Archives of gynecology and obstetrics·2009

This case describes a woman with chronic fatigue syndrome who developed a rare condition called membranous dysmenorrhea (where the uterine lining sheds in one piece) after starting a hormonal birth control pill. Interestingly, when she stopped the medication and the tissue was expelled, her fatigue symptoms completely disappeared and she was able to return to work. While this is just one patient's experience, it raises the possibility that hormone imbalances might contribute to chronic fatigue in some cases.

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

Pathogenic mechanisms of idiopathic nonallergic rhinitis.

Baraniuk, James N·The World Allergy Organization journal·2009

This study examines why some people develop chronic nasal symptoms like congestion and runny nose that don't have an obvious allergic cause. Researchers found that this condition may actually involve several different problems: structural issues in the nose, nerve sensitivity problems, and autonomic nervous system dysfunction—the same type of nervous system problem found in ME/CFS.

Autonomic Nervous System

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM unclearMechanistic

Moderate exercise increases expression for sensory, adrenergic, and immune genes in chronic fatigue syndrome patients but not in normal subjects.

Light, Alan R, White, Andrea T, Hughen, Ronald W et al.·The journal of pain·2009

This study examined blood cells from ME/CFS patients and healthy people before and after moderate exercise. Researchers found that ME/CFS patients showed much larger changes in genes related to pain sensation, stress response, and immune function after exercise compared to healthy controls. These gene changes lasted from 30 minutes to 2 days and correlated with patients' fatigue and pain symptoms.

Immune SystemPost-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredMechanistic

Astragalus membranaceus flavonoids (AMF) ameliorate chronic fatigue syndrome induced by food intake restriction plus forced swimming.

Kuo, Yao-Haur, Tsai, Wei-Jern, Loke, Soy-Hwee et al.·Journal of ethnopharmacology·2009

This study tested whether a natural plant supplement called Astragalus membranaceus flavonoids (AMF) could help rats with chronic fatigue caused by stress and food restriction. The rats that received AMF showed improvements in immune function, better energy for swimming, and restored normal immune system balance compared to untreated fatigued rats.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM not requiredMethods-Paper

Sensitive, qualitative detection of human herpesvirus-6 and simultaneous differentiation of variants A and B.

Li, Haijing, Meng, Shufang, Levine, Susan M et al.·Journal of clinical virology : the official publication of the Pan American Society for Clinical Virology·2009

Researchers developed a new test to detect human herpesvirus-6 (HHV-6) in patient samples, even when the virus is present in very small amounts. The test can also tell the difference between two types of HHV-6 (called variant A and B). When tested on urine samples from people with and without chronic fatigue syndrome, the test successfully detected the virus in a small number of patients.

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM unclearObservational

The effects of galantamine hydrobromide treatment on dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate and cortisol levels in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Turan, Tayfun, Izgi, Hasan Basri, Ozsoy, Saliha et al.·Psychiatry investigation·2009

This study tested whether a medication called galantamine, which increases a brain chemical called acetylcholine, could help ME/CFS patients by improving hormone imbalances. Researchers measured two stress hormones (cortisol and DHEAS) in 29 ME/CFS patients before and after 4 weeks of treatment, comparing them to healthy controls. They found that in patients who improved with the medication, the abnormal hormone levels shifted back toward normal, suggesting the cholinergic system may play a role in ME/CFS.

Endocrine Disruption

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

[Changes on definition and diagnostic criteria of the chronic fatigue syndrome].

Qin, You, Pang, Feng-Shun, Cai, Bei-Yuan·Zhongguo Zhong xi yi jie he za zhi Zhongguo Zhongxiyi jiehe zazhi = Chinese journal of integrated traditional and Western medicine·2009

This article reviews how the definition and diagnostic criteria for ME/CFS have changed over time. The authors examine the evolution of how doctors identify and classify this condition using different diagnostic frameworks. Understanding these changes helps patients and doctors communicate more clearly about the disease.

Diagnostics

E3 PreliminaryBehavioralPEM not requiredCase-Control

Cognitive-behavior therapy in chronic fatigue syndrome: is improvement related to increased physical activity?

Friedberg, Fred, Sohl, Stephanie·Journal of clinical psychology·2009

This study looked at whether cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)—a type of talk therapy combined with gradually increasing physical activity—helped 11 people with ME/CFS feel better. While most patients reported feeling improved, the researchers found something surprising: some patients who felt better had actually increased their activity levels (shown by motion sensors), while others had decreased their activity levels. This suggests that improvement in ME/CFS may not work the same way the standard CBT model predicts.

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Evidence browser

Chronic fatigue syndrome: aetiology, diagnosis and treatment.

Memory and attention problems in children with chronic fatigue syndrome or myalgic encephalopathy.

Transcriptional control of complement activation in an exercise model of chronic fatigue syndrome.

Autoantibodies to lens epithelium-derived growth factor/transcription co-activator P75 (LEDGF/P75) in children with chronic nonspecific complaints and with positive antinuclear antibodies.

Model-based therapeutic correction of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis dysfunction.

Fixed belief in cognitive dysfunction despite normal neuropsychological scores: neurocognitive hypochondriasis?

Clinical impact of B-cell depletion with the anti-CD20 antibody rituximab in chronic fatigue syndrome: a preliminary case series.

Fibromyalgia: pathogenetic, diagnostic and therapeutic concerns.

[Cellular and molecular mechanisms of interaction between the neuroendocrine and immune systems under chronic fatigue syndrome in experiment].

Continuing medical education challenges in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Acupuncture treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome.

[Chronic fatigue syndrome--more than just chronic fatigue].

Chronic fatigue syndrome: a hormonal origin? A rare case of dysmenorrhea membranacea.

Pathogenic mechanisms of idiopathic nonallergic rhinitis.

Moderate exercise increases expression for sensory, adrenergic, and immune genes in chronic fatigue syndrome patients but not in normal subjects.

Astragalus membranaceus flavonoids (AMF) ameliorate chronic fatigue syndrome induced by food intake restriction plus forced swimming.

Sensitive, qualitative detection of human herpesvirus-6 and simultaneous differentiation of variants A and B.

The effects of galantamine hydrobromide treatment on dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate and cortisol levels in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

[Changes on definition and diagnostic criteria of the chronic fatigue syndrome].

Cognitive-behavior therapy in chronic fatigue syndrome: is improvement related to increased physical activity?

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