ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

5201–5220 of 6,164 studies

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

[Sub-health state and chronic fatigue syndrome].

Wang, Tian-Fang, Xue, Xiao-Lin·Zhongguo Zhong xi yi jie he za zhi Zhongguo Zhongxiyi jiehe zazhi = Chinese journal of integrated traditional and Western medicine·2008

This study clarifies that 'sub-health'—a state of feeling unwell that falls short of diagnosed disease—is different from ME/CFS. The authors explain what fatigue, chronic fatigue, and ME/CFS actually are, and discuss how doctors can tell them apart using established diagnostic criteria. Understanding these differences helps ensure people with ME/CFS receive appropriate diagnosis and care.

Diagnostics

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Gene expression subtypes in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis.

Kerr, Jonathan R, Petty, Robert, Burke, Beverley et al.·The Journal of infectious diseases·2008

Researchers analyzed blood samples from 25 ME/CFS patients and 50 healthy people to look for differences in which genes were active. They found that 88 genes behaved differently in ME/CFS patients compared to healthy controls—most were working overtime, while a few were underactive. When they studied a larger group, they discovered that ME/CFS patients could be divided into 7 distinct subtypes based on their gene activity patterns, and these subtypes differed in symptom severity and how the illness affected their daily lives.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

An extended concept of altered self: chronic fatigue and post-infection syndromes.

Jones, James F·Psychoneuroendocrinology·2008

This paper proposes that ME/CFS and post-infection fatigue may develop when the brain's ability to sense and respond to the body becomes stuck in a protective 'sickness mode' even after the infection has cleared. Rather than being a true ongoing disease, the authors suggest it may be an altered state where the brain continues to trigger immune and stress responses as if the body is still fighting an infection, causing ongoing fatigue and other symptoms.

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Seven genomic subtypes of chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis: a detailed analysis of gene networks and clinical phenotypes.

Kerr, J R, Burke, B, Petty, R et al.·Journal of clinical pathology·2008

This study found that ME/CFS is not a single disease but actually seven different types, each with its own genetic fingerprint and specific symptoms. Researchers looked at blood samples and identified which genes were turned on or off differently in patients compared to healthy people, and then grouped patients based on these genetic patterns. Each genetic subtype had different combinations of symptoms—some people struggled mainly with brain fog, others with pain and muscle problems, and some with multiple severe issues affecting sleep, mood, and digestion.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM not requiredMethods-Paper

Integrated weighted gene co-expression network analysis with an application to chronic fatigue syndrome.

Presson, Angela P, Sobel, Eric M, Papp, Jeanette C et al.·BMC systems biology·2008

Researchers used a computer-based approach to analyze genes from ME/CFS patients to understand which genes are involved in the illness and how severely they affect people. They identified a group of 299 genes that work together and are linked to how severe someone's ME/CFS symptoms are. By using genetic information alongside gene activity data, they were able to figure out which genes might actually be causing the problem versus just responding to it.

E3 PreliminaryPEM not required

Obstructions for quality care experienced by patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS)--a case study.

Gilje, Ann Marit, Söderlund, Atle, Malterud, Kirsti·Patient education and counseling·2008

This study asked 12 ME/CFS patients about their experiences with doctors and healthcare. Patients reported that doctors often didn't believe them, didn't listen carefully, or treated them dismissively. Many felt that doctors blamed their symptoms on psychological causes or didn't take them seriously, which was sometimes as painful as the illness itself.

Diagnostics

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM unclearCase-Control

Chronic fatigue syndrome with autoantibodies--the result of an augmented adjuvant effect of hepatitis-B vaccine and silicone implant.

Nancy, Agmon-Levin, Shoenfeld, Yehuda·Autoimmunity reviews·2008

This report describes one woman who developed ME/CFS symptoms after receiving hepatitis-B vaccine doses, with her condition worsening after the third dose. Around the time of her vaccinations, she also discovered a silicone leak from breast implants she had received years earlier. The authors suggest that the combination of the vaccine's immune-stimulating ingredient (adjuvant) and leaking silicone may have together triggered her illness.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

The tired teen: A review of the assessment and management of the adolescent with sleepiness and fatigue.

Findlay, Sheri M·Paediatrics & child health·2008

This review examines why teenagers feel tired and sleepy, and how doctors can help. Many teens experience sleepiness or fatigue, but the authors found that most cases are caused by not getting enough sleep rather than serious medical conditions. The review emphasizes that doctors need to thoroughly evaluate each teen's situation, as underlying medical problems are rarely discovered.

Sleep

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Neuroactive steroids and fatigue severity in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis and hepatitis C.

Ahboucha, S, Butterworth, R F, Pomier-Layrargues, G et al.·Neurogastroenterology and motility·2008

This study looked at whether certain brain chemicals called neuroactive steroids might explain why people with liver disease feel extremely tired. Researchers measured these chemicals in patients with two types of liver disease and compared them to healthy people. They found that patients with liver disease had higher levels of these chemicals, and those with the most fatigue had the highest levels.

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

Chronic fatigue syndrome and the central nervous system.

Chen, R, Liang, F X, Moriya, J et al.·The Journal of international medical research·2008

This review examined brain imaging studies and blood tests in ME/CFS patients to understand how the illness affects the brain and nervous system. Researchers found evidence that ME/CFS patients show structural and functional differences in their brains, and that certain brain chemicals and immune molecules are abnormal. The authors suggest that future ME/CFS research should focus more on understanding how the central nervous system is involved in this illness.

Endocrine Disruption

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Teaching medical students about medically unexplained illnesses: a preliminary study.

Friedberg, Fred, Sohl, Stephanie J, Halperin, Peter J·Medical teacher·2008

Researchers taught 45 medical students about ME/CFS and fibromyalgia in a 90-minute class and then measured whether their attitudes changed. After the class, students had significantly more favorable views about ME/CFS—they were more likely to support research funding, believe employers should offer flexibility to patients, and recognize that ME/CFS is not primarily a psychological condition.

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Identification of marker genes for differential diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome.

Saiki, Takuya, Kawai, Tomoko, Morita, Kyoko et al.·Molecular medicine (Cambridge, Mass.)·2008

This study looked at blood samples from ME/CFS patients and compared the activity of genes between patients and healthy people. Researchers found 9 genes that showed different activity patterns in ME/CFS patients—genes involved in energy production, immune cell function, and protein breakdown. These 9 genes were able to correctly identify ME/CFS patients about 94% of the time, suggesting they could potentially be useful as a biological test to diagnose the condition.

Biomarkers

E3 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM not requiredMethods-Paper

A train-the-trainer education and promotion program: chronic fatigue syndrome--a diagnostic and management challenge.

Brimmer, Dana J, McCleary, K Kimberly, Lupton, Teresa A et al.·BMC medical education·2008

This study tested whether training primary care doctors about ME/CFS could help more patients get diagnosed and treated. Researchers trained 79 doctors and nurse practitioners to recognize and manage ME/CFS, and these trained providers then taught over 2,000 other healthcare workers. The training improved doctors' knowledge and confidence in diagnosing ME/CFS, showing that education programs can help address the problem of missed diagnoses.

Diagnostics

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Evidence of inflammatory immune signaling in chronic fatigue syndrome: A pilot study of gene expression in peripheral blood.

Aspler, Anne L, Bolshin, Carly, Vernon, Suzanne D et al.·Behavioral and brain functions : BBF·2008

This study looked at blood samples from 111 women to see if people with ME/CFS have different patterns of immune cell activity compared to healthy controls. Researchers found that certain immune cells—particularly B cells and neutrophils—showed unusual patterns of communication with each other in ME/CFS patients. These findings suggest the body's immune system is stuck in an activated state, which could explain why people with ME/CFS experience persistent fatigue and symptoms.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryPEM unclear

Individuals' experience of chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis: an interpretative phenomenological analysis.

Arroll, Megan A, Senior, Victoria·Psychology & health·2008

This study asked eight people with ME/CFS to describe their personal experience of the illness through telephone interviews. Researchers found that patients experience their symptoms in complex ways, with fatigue, pain, and other problems affecting their daily lives in varying patterns. An important discovery was that receiving a diagnosis, while helpful, didn't necessarily make the journey easier—patients continued to struggle with understanding and managing their condition.

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

The potential toxicity of artificial sweeteners.

Whitehouse, Christina R, Boullata, Joseph, McCauley, Linda A·AAOHN journal : official journal of the American Association of Occupational Health Nurses·2008

This article reviews what we know about artificial sweeteners—sugar substitutes used in diet drinks and other products. Scientists have debated whether these sweeteners are safe, and some have suggested links to various diseases including chronic fatigue syndrome, though the evidence is mixed. The authors provide an overview of different types of sweeteners, how they work in the body, and what research shows so far.

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

[Contentious diseases--a medico-social phenomenon from an insurance medicine perspective].

Regenauer, A·Versicherungsmedizin·2008

This article examines a group of conditions—including ME/CFS, fibromyalgia, and others—that are difficult to diagnose with standard medical tests and have become controversial in healthcare and insurance systems. The author explores why these illnesses are questioned by insurers, what they have in common, and why cases are increasing in Western societies. The paper aims to help insurance companies better understand these conditions rather than dismiss them as imaginary.

Diagnostics

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM not requiredObservational

Self within a climate of contention: Experiences of chronic fatigue syndrome.

Travers, Michele Kerry, Lawler, Jocalyn·Social science & medicine (1982)·2008

This study explored how people with ME/CFS experience their illness and how they cope with it, based on interviews with 19 Australian adults (including 3 who recovered). Researchers found that people with ME/CFS often feel their sense of self is damaged by the illness, and they use two main strategies to manage this: protecting themselves (the Guardian Response) and rebuilding their lives with new meaning (the Reconstructing Response). The study shows that living with ME/CFS involves an ongoing struggle as people balance these coping strategies depending on how severe their symptoms are at any given time.

Interventions

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredMechanistic

Neuroendocrine and immune network re-modeling in chronic fatigue syndrome: an exploratory analysis.

Fuite, Jim, Vernon, Suzanne D, Broderick, Gordon·Genomics·2008

This study looked at how the nervous system, hormone-regulating glands, and immune system communicate with each other in ME/CFS patients compared to healthy people. Researchers found that these communication networks are organized differently in ME/CFS, with particular changes around the pituitary gland and thyroid. The findings suggest that immune system problems may interfere with thyroid function, and that the body's stress-response system (which normally helps manage inflammation) may not be working properly.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Hypothesis: the chaos and complexity theory may help our understanding of fibromyalgia and similar maladies.

Martinez-Lavin, Manuel, Infante, Oscar, Lerma, Claudia·Seminars in arthritis and rheumatism·2008

This article proposes a new way to understand fibromyalgia, ME/CFS, and similar conditions by applying complexity theory—the study of how complex systems work. Instead of looking for a single cause or structural damage, the authors suggest these illnesses result from the body's systems losing their ability to adapt flexibly to stress. This perspective could help explain why these conditions involve so many different symptoms affecting different body systems.

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Evidence browser

[Sub-health state and chronic fatigue syndrome].

Gene expression subtypes in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis.

An extended concept of altered self: chronic fatigue and post-infection syndromes.

Seven genomic subtypes of chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis: a detailed analysis of gene networks and clinical phenotypes.

Integrated weighted gene co-expression network analysis with an application to chronic fatigue syndrome.

Obstructions for quality care experienced by patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS)--a case study.

Chronic fatigue syndrome with autoantibodies--the result of an augmented adjuvant effect of hepatitis-B vaccine and silicone implant.

The tired teen: A review of the assessment and management of the adolescent with sleepiness and fatigue.

Neuroactive steroids and fatigue severity in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis and hepatitis C.

Chronic fatigue syndrome and the central nervous system.

Teaching medical students about medically unexplained illnesses: a preliminary study.

Identification of marker genes for differential diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome.

A train-the-trainer education and promotion program: chronic fatigue syndrome--a diagnostic and management challenge.

Evidence of inflammatory immune signaling in chronic fatigue syndrome: A pilot study of gene expression in peripheral blood.

Individuals' experience of chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis: an interpretative phenomenological analysis.

The potential toxicity of artificial sweeteners.

[Contentious diseases--a medico-social phenomenon from an insurance medicine perspective].

Self within a climate of contention: Experiences of chronic fatigue syndrome.

Neuroendocrine and immune network re-modeling in chronic fatigue syndrome: an exploratory analysis.

Hypothesis: the chaos and complexity theory may help our understanding of fibromyalgia and similar maladies.

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