List of ME/CFS studies controlling for deconditioning

Some major potential confounding factors inherent in research on ME/CFS patients include physical deconditioning and social isolation, but these are often not controlled for. A biological abnormality may be present because of a fundamental ME pathway, or it may be an effect of little to no exercise, and would be seen in any sedentary population. This page lists biological marker studies which attempt to control for deconditioning in any observed differences between groups, for example by including a second control group of severely deconditioned people. It is important to note that deconditioning and social isolation are consequences and not causes of ME/CFS.

Studies

• Understanding Muscle Dysfunction in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, 2016
  • This paper describes two studies that tested muscle acidosis after repeat exercise, one in ME/CFS and the other in primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC). They say that PBC causes a similar level of fatigue to ME/CFS. The studies showed that both groups showed abnormally high intramuscular acidosis after exercise. But in contrast, the level of acidosis decreases with repeat exercise in PBC, but not in ME/CFS.
• Buspirone challenge test
  • When buspirone is given to people with ME/CFS, the resulting increase in prolactin is greater than in healthy controls. Studies have also shown a similar abnormally high response in other conditions, such as dyspepsia and social anxiety disorder. A similar response to healthy controls was seen in people with depression or mania. The opposite response, lower prolactin, was seen in those with schizophrenia.
• Plasma metabolomics reveals disrupted response and recovery following maximal exercise in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome, 2022, Germain et al
• Urine Metabolomics Exposes Anomalous Recovery after Maximal Exertion in Female ME/CFS Patients, 2023, Glass et al
• Dysregulation of extracellular vesicle protein cargo in female myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome cases and sedentary controls in response to maximal exercise, 2024, Giloteaux et al
• Cardiopulmonary and metabolic responses during a 2-day CPET in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome: translating reduced oxygen consumption to impairment status to treatment considerations, 2024, Keller et al
• Absence of BOLD adaptation in chronic fatigue syndrome revealed by task functional MRI, 2024, Schönberg et al
• Single-cell transcriptomics of the immune system in ME/CFS at baseline and following symptom provocation, 2024, Vu et al

See myalgic encephalomyelitis.

See chronic fatigue syndrome.

plasma The liquid part of blood, lymph, or milk after removing any suspended material. Most of the time, "plasma" simply refers to blood, after all the blood cells have been removed. If you also remove the clotting factors, then the plasma is referred to as "serum".

metabolomics The analysis of the chemical metabolism within cells, tissues or organisms. The term is often used to refer to the full set of metabolites found in a cell in a given environment.

An extracellular vesicle (sometimes abbreviated EV) is a piece of a cell that has broken off and formed a separate membrane-bound vesicle. A membrane-bound vesicle is like a bubble, or like a mini-cell, in that it has a membrane surrounding some liquid. An extracellular vesicle may also contain some parts of the cell from which the extracellular vesicle arose. There are currently two types of extracellular vesicles: "exosomes" and "microvesicles". An "exosome" is an extracellular vesicle that began inside the cell as an intracellular vesicle known as an "endosome". A "microvesicle" is an extracellular vesicle that begins at the cell surface, and pinches off the cell's own membrane to form a separate vesicle. (Learn more: journals.physiology.org)

extracellular vesicle An extracellular vesicle (sometimes abbreviated EV) is a piece of a cell that has broken off and formed a separate membrane-bound vesicle. A membrane-bound vesicle is like a bubble, or like a mini-cell, in that it has a membrane surrounding some liquid. An extracellular vesicle may also contain some parts of the cell from which the extracellular vesicle arose. There are currently two types of extracellular vesicles: "exosomes" and "microvesicles". An "exosome" is an extracellular vesicle that began inside the cell as an intracellular vesicle known as an "endosome". A "microvesicle" is an extracellular vesicle that begins at the cell surface, and pinches off the cell's own membrane to form a separate vesicle. (Learn more: journals.physiology.org)

two-day cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) - A diagnostic test which involves testing an ME/CFS patient exercising on an exercise machine, while monitoring their respiration, especially oxygen consumption. This test is repeated the following day in order to confirm the patient's inability to replicate the first-day performance. This test is thought to be the most objective way to detect post-exertional malaise.

See two-day cardiopulmonary exercise test.

extracellular vesicle An extracellular vesicle (sometimes abbreviated EV) is a piece of a cell that has broken off and formed a separate membrane-bound vesicle. A membrane-bound vesicle is like a bubble, or like a mini-cell, in that it has a membrane surrounding some liquid. An extracellular vesicle may also contain some parts of the cell from which the extracellular vesicle arose. There are currently two types of extracellular vesicles: "exosomes" and "microvesicles". An "exosome" is an extracellular vesicle that began inside the cell as an intracellular vesicle known as an "endosome". A "microvesicle" is an extracellular vesicle that begins at the cell surface, and pinches off the cell's own membrane to form a separate vesicle. (Learn more: journals.physiology.org)

cerebral 1. of or relating to the brain or the intellect 2. of, relating to, affecting, or being the cerebrum.