Compton, Sabrina, Alkabalan, Rodolf, Cadet, Judd et al. · Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025 · DOI
This research found that women with endometriosis (a painful condition affecting the uterus) are nearly three times more likely to develop ME/CFS than women without endometriosis. Both conditions involve similar patterns of immune system problems and ongoing inflammation. The study combined results from multiple research papers to show this connection is real and consistent across different groups of patients.
This study provides epidemiological evidence that ME/CFS and endometriosis frequently co-occur, suggesting clinicians should screen for comorbidity and consider shared inflammatory mechanisms in treatment planning. For researchers, the findings support investigation of common pathophysiological pathways and may guide development of integrated care models for patients experiencing both conditions.
This study demonstrates association but cannot establish causation—it does not prove that endometriosis causes ME/CFS or vice versa. The authors acknowledge high heterogeneity across studies and emphasize that standardized diagnostic criteria are needed to clarify whether these conditions share causal mechanisms or are independently linked to common risk factors.
About the PEM badge: “PEM required” means post-exertional malaise was an explicit required diagnostic criterion for participant inclusion in this study — not that PEM was studied, observed, or discussed. Studies using criteria that do not require PEM (e.g. Fukuda, Oxford) are tagged “PEM not required”. How the atlas works →
The first block is for the primary paper and is the citation you should use in research work. The atlas-snapshot line only applies if you are specifically referring to this atlas’s reading of the paper on the date shown.
Primary citation
Compton, Sabrina, Alkabalan, Rodolf, Cadet, Judd, Mastali, Azin, & Ramdass, Prakash V A K (2025). Endometriosis and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.. Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland). https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics15182332
BibTeX
@article{mecfsatlas-compton-2025-endometriosis-myalgic,
author = {Compton, Sabrina and Alkabalan, Rodolf and Cadet, Judd and Mastali, Azin and Ramdass, Prakash V A K},
title = {Endometriosis and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.},
journal = {Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland)},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.3390/diagnostics15182332},
note = {PubMed: 41008704},
url = {https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/compton-2025-endometriosis-myalgic},
}Atlas snapshot reference
ME/CFS Atlas. Generator v1 / Scanner v1.4 / policy v0.1. Accessed 2026-05-29. https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/compton-2025-endometriosis-myalgic
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