ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

5781–5800 of 6,211 studies

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Decreased immunoreactive beta-endorphin in mononuclear leucocytes from patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Conti, F, Pittoni, V, Sacerdote, P et al.·Clinical and experimental rheumatology·1998

Researchers measured levels of beta-endorphin, a natural chemical in the body that helps reduce pain and promotes well-being, in immune cells from ME/CFS patients and healthy people. They found that ME/CFS patients had significantly lower levels of this chemical compared to healthy controls. The authors suggest this difference might help explain why ME/CFS causes fatigue and weakness.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

Stress-associated immune modulation: relevance to viral infections and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Glaser, R, Kiecolt-Glaser, J K·The American journal of medicine·1998

This review examines whether ME/CFS might be triggered by viruses interacting with stress and the immune system. While doctors had noticed that people with ME/CFS often have signs of viral infection, previous research hadn't found a clear virus-to-ME/CFS connection. The authors explore how stress, dormant viruses like Epstein-Barr, and the body's immune response could work together to cause ME/CFS symptoms.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia. Dilemmas in diagnosis and clinical management.

Demitrack, M A·The Psychiatric clinics of North America·1998

This article reviews what we know about ME/CFS and fibromyalgia, two conditions that cause severe tiredness and pain and are often misunderstood. The authors explain that these illnesses involve both physical and mental health factors working together, rather than being purely 'in your head' or purely physical. They provide doctors with practical guidelines for better diagnosis and treatment of these challenging conditions.

Diagnostics

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

Chronic fatigue syndrome: an update.

Komaroff, A L, Buchwald, D S·Annual review of medicine·1998

This review examines chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), a serious condition where people experience extreme tiredness and other symptoms that last at least six months. The authors explain that ME/CFS is not simply depression or a mental health problem, but rather involves real physical changes in the body including immune system activation and issues with hormone-regulating glands. Understanding these biological features helps validate that ME/CFS is a genuine medical illness deserving proper research and treatment.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Illness from low levels of environmental chemicals: relevance to chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia.

Bell, I R, Baldwin, C M, Schwartz, G E·The American journal of medicine·1998

Some people with ME/CFS and fibromyalgia react strongly to small amounts of everyday chemicals (like fragrances or pesticides) that don't normally harm others. This paper reviews evidence suggesting that the brain's limbic system—which controls emotions and basic body functions—may become overly sensitive to these chemicals, creating a chain reaction that affects multiple body systems. The authors propose that certain people are born with or develop a heightened sensitivity to this kind of stimulation, which could explain why some ME/CFS patients feel sick from exposure to low levels of chemicals.

Endocrine DisruptionPain and Sensitization

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, and myofascial pain.

Bennett, R·Current opinion in rheumatology·1998

This review examines how fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, and widespread pain are related conditions that share similar features. Researchers found that these conditions run in families, involve abnormal pain processing in the nervous system, and may share some underlying biological problems like growth hormone imbalances and low blood pressure. Several medications and treatments showed promise in reducing symptoms.

Pain and Sensitization

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredMechanistic

Evidence for and pathophysiologic implications of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis dysregulation in fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Demitrack, M A, Crofford, L J·Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences·1998

This study found that people with ME/CFS have reduced activity in their stress-response system—a network in the brain called the HPA axis that normally helps the body cope with physical and emotional challenges. The researchers discovered that this underactive response pattern is different from what happens in depression, and it may explain why stress and exertion worsen ME/CFS symptoms. The findings suggest that problems with specific brain chemicals involved in stress regulation may contribute to the condition.

Endocrine Disruption

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

Chronic fatigue syndrome: a review for clinicians.

Goshorn, R K·Seminars in neurology·1998

This review explains that ME/CFS is a real condition characterized by long-lasting fatigue, muscle and joint pain, sleep problems, and thinking difficulties. While doctors don't yet fully understand what causes ME/CFS, research suggests it involves subtle problems with the nervous system, hormones, and immune function. Treatment focuses on managing symptoms to help patients feel better, though the approach is personalized since every patient is different.

Diagnostics

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Neurally mediated hypotension and autonomic dysfunction measured by heart rate variability during head-up tilt testing in children with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Stewart, J, Weldon, A, Arlievsky, N et al.·Clinical autonomic research : official journal of the Clinical Autonomic Research Society·1998

This study looked at how the nervous system controls heart rate in children with ME/CFS during a tilt test (where patients lie flat then are gradually tilted upright). Researchers found that children with ME/CFS had much lower heart rate variability—a measure of how well the nervous system adjusts the heart—compared to children who faint from other causes and healthy controls. When tilted, children with ME/CFS did not show the normal nervous system adjustments that other groups showed, suggesting their autonomic nervous system (which controls involuntary functions) may not be working properly.

Autonomic Nervous System

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredMechanistic

CD4 T lymphocytes from patients with chronic fatigue syndrome have decreased interferon-gamma production and increased sensitivity to dexamethasone.

Visser, J, Blauw, B, Hinloopen, B et al.·The Journal of infectious diseases·1998

This study looked at immune cells called CD4 T cells from ME/CFS patients and found they produced less of a protective immune protein called interferon-gamma compared to healthy people. Interestingly, these cells were also much more sensitive to dexamethasone, a steroid medication—it took 10-20 times less of the drug to suppress certain immune functions in ME/CFS patients than in controls. This suggests that the stress hormone system and immune system may be working abnormally together in ME/CFS.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryBehavioralPEM unclearCase-Control

Childhood abuse, personality disorder and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Cuykx, V, Van Houdenhove, B, Neerinckx, E·General hospital psychiatry·1998

This study looked at whether people with ME/CFS were more likely to have experienced childhood abuse or have certain personality patterns compared to healthy controls. The researchers compared groups of ME/CFS patients with people without the condition to explore possible connections between early life experiences and the development of ME/CFS.

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate deficiency in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Kuratsune, H, Yamaguti, K, Sawada, M et al.·International journal of molecular medicine·1998

This study found that most ME/CFS patients in Japan had lower-than-normal levels of a hormone called DHEA-S, which is made by the adrenal glands. DHEA-S helps regulate mood, memory, stress response, sleep, and anxiety. The researchers suggest that low DHEA-S levels might explain some of the brain-related symptoms ME/CFS patients experience, like depression and cognitive problems.

Endocrine Disruption

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue: the holistic perspective.

Kenner, C·Holistic nursing practice·1998

This article discusses fibromyalgia syndrome and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), two conditions that affect mostly women and can significantly impact physical and emotional health. The authors argue that treating these conditions effectively requires a comprehensive, team-based approach that includes both conventional medical care and complementary therapies. They emphasize that patients and families need support strategies tailored to their individual situations to manage these long-term illnesses.

E3 PreliminaryBehavioralPEM unclear

A 56-year-old woman with chronic fatigue syndrome, 1 year later.

Delbanco, T L, Daley, J, Hartman, E E·JAMA·1998

This study describes the medical journey of one woman with ME/CFS over the course of a year, documenting how her symptoms changed and how different treatments affected her condition. The researchers tracked her experiences to provide insight into what living with ME/CFS is like over time and what approaches doctors tried to help her.

Interventions

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Hormonal influences on stress-induced neutrophil mobilization in health and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Cannon, J G, Angel, J B, Abad, L W et al.·Journal of clinical immunology·1998

Researchers compared how the bodies of women with ME/CFS and healthy women respond to exercise, focusing on immune cells called neutrophils and stress hormones. Both groups showed similar increases in neutrophils after 15 minutes of stepping exercise. However, in healthy women, the neutrophil response was linked to hormone levels (like cortisol and progesterone), while these connections were absent in women with ME/CFS—suggesting their hormonal regulation of immune cells may work differently.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Chronic orofacial muscle pain: a new approach to diagnosis and management.

Klineberg, I, McGregor, N, Butt, H et al.·The Alpha omegan·1998

This study looked at different types of muscle pain conditions, including fibromyalgia and jaw pain, and found they affect men and women differently. The researchers suggest that some people may be genetically vulnerable to chronic pain, and that infections at the start of illness might play a role. They found links between abnormal fat levels, muscle metabolism problems, and fibromyalgia, which may also be connected to chronic fatigue syndrome.

Pain and Sensitization

E3 PreliminaryCommentaryPEM unclearEditorial

Silicone breast implants and autoimmune disease.

Brown, S L, Langone, J J, Brinton, L A·Journal of the American Medical Women's Association (1972)·1998

In 1992, the FDA paused approval of silicone breast implants due to safety concerns, particularly worries about autoimmune diseases like scleroderma. This editorial reviews studies conducted since then and finds that while large increases in connective tissue disease overall were ruled out, studies were too small to detect rare diseases. The authors note that new methodologies for studying conditions like fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome might help answer whether implants cause a specific syndrome.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryCommentaryPEM unclearEditorial

Future directions in exercise and immunology: regulation and integration.

Mackinnon, L T·International journal of sports medicine·1998

This editorial discusses how exercise affects the immune system and raises important questions for future research. It explores whether athletes' bodies are actually fighting infections less effectively, whether reducing certain immune responses might sometimes be helpful, and how exercise training might help people with conditions like chronic fatigue syndrome improve their immune function.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM not requiredMethods-Paper

Reviewing the reviews: the example of chronic fatigue syndrome.

Joyce, J, Rabe-Hesketh, S, Wessely, S·JAMA·1998

This study examined how researchers write review articles about ME/CFS and found that what gets included depends heavily on the author's background and where they're from. Scientists with laboratory training tend to focus on lab-based research, while psychiatrists tend to focus on psychiatric research. Authors also tend to cite papers from their own country much more often than papers from other countries.

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

[Fibromyalgia. A critical review].

Cathébras, P, Lauwers, A, Rousset, H·Annales de medecine interne·1998

Fibromyalgia is a chronic pain condition that affects about 2% of the general population, with symptoms including widespread pain, fatigue, and sleep problems. This review examines how fibromyalgia overlaps with other conditions like ME/CFS and depression, and discusses why current treatments like antidepressants and therapy have limited effectiveness. The authors suggest that fibromyalgia may develop through interconnected factors rather than a single cause.

SleepDiagnostics

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Decreased immunoreactive beta-endorphin in mononuclear leucocytes from patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Stress-associated immune modulation: relevance to viral infections and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia. Dilemmas in diagnosis and clinical management.

Chronic fatigue syndrome: an update.

Illness from low levels of environmental chemicals: relevance to chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia.

Fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, and myofascial pain.

Evidence for and pathophysiologic implications of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis dysregulation in fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Chronic fatigue syndrome: a review for clinicians.

Neurally mediated hypotension and autonomic dysfunction measured by heart rate variability during head-up tilt testing in children with chronic fatigue syndrome.

CD4 T lymphocytes from patients with chronic fatigue syndrome have decreased interferon-gamma production and increased sensitivity to dexamethasone.

Childhood abuse, personality disorder and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate deficiency in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue: the holistic perspective.

A 56-year-old woman with chronic fatigue syndrome, 1 year later.

Hormonal influences on stress-induced neutrophil mobilization in health and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Chronic orofacial muscle pain: a new approach to diagnosis and management.

Silicone breast implants and autoimmune disease.

Future directions in exercise and immunology: regulation and integration.

Reviewing the reviews: the example of chronic fatigue syndrome.

[Fibromyalgia. A critical review].

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