ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

941–960 of 1,198 studies

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Immune and hemorheological changes in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Brenu, Ekua W, Staines, Donald R, Baskurt, Oguz K et al.·Journal of translational medicine·2010

This study looked at immune system cells and blood cell properties in people with ME/CFS compared to healthy people. Researchers found that ME/CFS patients had weaker immune responses in certain white blood cells (neutrophils and NK cells) but normal blood cell flexibility and clumping. These immune differences might help explain why people with ME/CFS feel so tired and unwell.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

[Human herpesvirus 6].

Ongrádi, József, Kövesdi, Valéria, Medveczky, G Péter·Orvosi hetilap·2010

Human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) is a common virus that most people catch in early childhood, usually causing mild symptoms or no symptoms at all. The virus stays dormant in your body for life but can reactivate, especially if your immune system is weakened. Research suggests HHV-6 may play a role in ME/CFS and other serious conditions, possibly by changing how your immune system produces certain signaling molecules.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Gut inflammation in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Lakhan, Shaheen E, Kirchgessner, Annette·Nutrition & metabolism·2010

Many ME/CFS patients experience gut problems similar to irritable bowel syndrome. This review discusses how three interconnected gut issues—changes in the bacteria that live in your intestines, a weakened intestinal lining, and an altered immune response in the gut—may contribute to ME/CFS. The authors suggest that treatments like probiotics (beneficial bacteria) might help by restoring healthy gut bacteria and reducing inflammation.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

Traditional chinese medicine for chronic fatigue syndrome.

Chen, Rui, Moriya, Junji, Yamakawa, Jun-Ichi et al.·Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM·2010

This review examines how traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) might help people with ME/CFS. The authors suggest that TCM treatments may reduce symptoms like fatigue, sleep problems, and brain fog, and may work by improving immune function and reducing oxidative stress. However, they note that current TCM research on ME/CFS has significant quality and consistency issues that need to be addressed.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

A Comparison of Immune Functionality in Viral versus Non-Viral CFS Subtypes.

Porter, Nicole, Lerch, Athena, Jason, Leonard A et al.·Journal of behavioral and neuroscience research·2010

This study compared immune system function between ME/CFS patients whose illness started after a viral infection versus those without a clear viral trigger. Researchers tested blood samples to measure different types of immune cells. They found that the two groups had different patterns of immune cell activity, suggesting that how the immune system becomes unbalanced may differ depending on what caused the illness to start.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM unclearObservational

Severity of symptom flare after moderate exercise is linked to cytokine activity in chronic fatigue syndrome.

White, Andrea T, Light, Alan R, Hughen, Ronald W et al.·Psychophysiology·2010

This study looked at why some people with ME/CFS feel much worse after exercise. Researchers measured immune chemicals in the blood before and after moderate exercise in people with ME/CFS and healthy controls. They found that patients who experienced severe symptom flare had increased levels of certain immune chemicals 8 hours after exercise, while those with mild flare or healthy people did not show this pattern.

Immune SystemPost-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryCommentaryPEM not requiredEditorial

Xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus in chronic fatigue syndrome and prostate cancer.

Baraniuk, James N·Current allergy and asthma reports·2010

This study examined whether a virus called XMRV might be connected to ME/CFS. Researchers found this virus in about half to two-thirds of ME/CFS patients tested, compared to only about 4% of healthy people. The virus was able to spread from patient blood to laboratory cells, raising questions about whether it could be transmitted between people.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM requiredReview-Narrative

Chronic fatigue syndrome: Harvey and Wessely's (bio)psychosocial model versus a bio(psychosocial) model based on inflammatory and oxidative and nitrosative stress pathways.

Maes, Michael, Twisk, Frank N M·BMC medicine·2010

This study compares two different ways of understanding ME/CFS. One model suggests the illness is mainly caused by how the mind and behavior interact with the body, and proposes treatments like cognitive behavioral therapy and graded exercise. The other model focuses on biological problems like inflammation and oxidative stress in the body. The authors argue that the biological model better explains ME/CFS and that exercise-based treatments could actually make some patients worse.

Immune SystemPost-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Biology and pathophysiology of the new human retrovirus XMRV and its association with human disease.

Rusmevichientong, Alice, Chow, Samson A·Immunologic research·2010

Scientists discovered a new virus called XMRV and found it in some people with prostate cancer and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). This review article summarizes what was known about this virus at the time, how it might work in the body, and what still needs to be studied to understand whether XMRV actually causes disease in humans.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM unclearMethods-Paper

Characterization of antibodies elicited by XMRV infection and development of immunoassays useful for epidemiologic studies.

Qiu, Xiaoxing, Swanson, Priscilla, Luk, Ka-Cheung et al.·Retrovirology·2010

Researchers studied how the body's immune system responds to XMRV infection by infecting three monkeys and tracking antibodies (immune markers) over time. They found that infected animals developed detectable antibodies within two weeks and created three new blood tests to reliably detect XMRV infection, which could help researchers study whether XMRV is connected to ME/CFS.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryCommentaryPEM unclearEditorial

Chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis: an update.

Capelli, E, Zola, R, Lorusso, L et al.·International journal of immunopathology and pharmacology·2010

ME/CFS is a serious illness of unknown cause that affects about 1 in every 100 people worldwide, with women affected six times more often than men. Most people develop it between ages 20-40, and symptoms typically last several years. While doctors don't yet have a cure, treatment focuses on managing individual symptoms to help patients improve their quality of life.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

Neuroendocrine and immune contributors to fatigue.

Silverman, Marni N, Heim, Christine M, Nater, Urs M et al.·PM & R : the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitation·2010

This review explores how three body systems—the stress response system, the nervous system, and the immune system—may work together to cause the overwhelming tiredness experienced in ME/CFS. The researchers found that people with chronic fatigue often have an underactive stress-response system, an overactive fight-or-flight response, and immune system imbalances. Understanding how these systems interact may help explain why rest alone doesn't always resolve the fatigue.

Autonomic Nervous SystemImmune System

E3 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM not requiredMethods-Paper

Detection of an infectious retrovirus, XMRV, in blood cells of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Mikovits, Judy A, Lombardi, Vincent C, Pfost, Max A et al.·Virulence·2010

This 2010 study reported finding a virus called XMRV in blood samples from over 75% of people with ME/CFS using multiple detection methods. The researchers emphasized that different laboratory techniques found the virus at different rates, with some methods being much more sensitive than others. The findings were controversial because other research groups had difficulty reproducing these results.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredMechanistic

Apobec 3G efficiently reduces infectivity of the human exogenous gammaretrovirus XMRV.

Stieler, Kristin, Fischer, Nicole·PloS one·2010

This study examined how a virus called XMRV (which has been suspected in ME/CFS) interacts with human immune defense proteins called Apobec3 proteins. Researchers found that one specific immune protein, called A3G, is very effective at stopping XMRV from infecting cells and spreading. Interestingly, cancer cells that are easily infected by XMRV don't produce much of this protective A3G protein.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredObservational

Cytokines across the night in chronic fatigue syndrome with and without fibromyalgia.

Nakamura, Toru, Schwander, Stephan K, Donnelly, Robert et al.·Clinical and vaccine immunology : CVI·2010

Researchers studied immune signaling molecules called cytokines in people with ME/CFS and fibromyalgia while they slept in a lab, comparing them to healthy people. Instead of finding signs of excessive inflammation (which some theories predicted), they found slightly elevated levels of a calming immune molecule called interleukin-10. These small changes might help explain why many ME/CFS patients struggle with disrupted sleep.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredMechanistic

Possible role of oxidative stress and immunological activation in mouse model of chronic fatigue syndrome and its attenuation by olive extract.

Gupta, Amit, Vij, Garima, Chopra, Kanwaljit·Journal of neuroimmunology·2010

Researchers used mice to study whether oxidative stress (chemical damage in cells) and immune activation play a role in ME/CFS-like symptoms. They found that mice treated with immune-triggering substances showed increased fatigue and pain sensitivity, along with signs of cellular damage. When given olive extract, these mice showed improvement in fatigue, pain, and markers of cellular damage.

Immune System

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 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Immunological similarities between cancer and chronic fatigue syndrome: the common link to fatigue?

Meeus, Mira, Mistiaen, Wilhelm, Lambrecht, Luc et al.·Anticancer research·2009

This research review compares immune system abnormalities found in both cancer and ME/CFS, focusing on whether similar immune problems might explain why both conditions cause severe fatigue. The authors identified several immune dysfunctions that appear in both diseases—including problems with natural killer cells, abnormal inflammatory signaling, and increased cellular stress—and suggest these shared immune problems may contribute to the fatigue experienced by patients with either condition.

Immune System

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 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Postulated vasoactive neuropeptide immunopathology affecting the blood-brain/blood-spinal barrier in certain neuropsychiatric fatigue-related conditions: A role for phosphodiesterase inhibitors in treatment?

Staines, Donald R, Brenu, Ekua W, Marshall-Gradisnik, Sonya·Neuropsychiatric disease and treatment·2009

This paper proposes that ME/CFS, along with MS, Parkinson's disease, and ALS, may involve immune system problems affecting the protective barriers around the brain and spinal cord. Specifically, the authors suggest that certain signaling molecules called PACAP and VIP, which normally help maintain these barriers, may become targets of autoimmune attack. They propose that a class of drugs called phosphodiesterase inhibitors might help restore normal function by boosting protective immune responses.

NeuroinflammationImmune System

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Immune and hemorheological changes in chronic fatigue syndrome.

[Human herpesvirus 6].

Gut inflammation in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Traditional chinese medicine for chronic fatigue syndrome.

A Comparison of Immune Functionality in Viral versus Non-Viral CFS Subtypes.

Severity of symptom flare after moderate exercise is linked to cytokine activity in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus in chronic fatigue syndrome and prostate cancer.

Chronic fatigue syndrome: Harvey and Wessely's (bio)psychosocial model versus a bio(psychosocial) model based on inflammatory and oxidative and nitrosative stress pathways.

Biology and pathophysiology of the new human retrovirus XMRV and its association with human disease.

Characterization of antibodies elicited by XMRV infection and development of immunoassays useful for epidemiologic studies.

Chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis: an update.

Neuroendocrine and immune contributors to fatigue.

Detection of an infectious retrovirus, XMRV, in blood cells of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Apobec 3G efficiently reduces infectivity of the human exogenous gammaretrovirus XMRV.

Cytokines across the night in chronic fatigue syndrome with and without fibromyalgia.

Possible role of oxidative stress and immunological activation in mouse model of chronic fatigue syndrome and its attenuation by olive extract.

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

Immunological similarities between cancer and chronic fatigue syndrome: the common link to fatigue?

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

Postulated vasoactive neuropeptide immunopathology affecting the blood-brain/blood-spinal barrier in certain neuropsychiatric fatigue-related conditions: A role for phosphodiesterase inhibitors in treatment?

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