Jonsjö, Martin A, Olsson, Gunnar L, Wicksell, Rikard K et al. · Psychoneuroendocrinology · 2020 · DOI
This study looked at whether low-level inflammation in the blood is connected to ME/CFS symptoms like exhaustion after activity, brain fog, muscle pain, and flu-like illness. Researchers tested 53 ME/CFS patients for various inflammatory markers and found that several of these markers were associated with cognitive problems and pain, though they were surprisingly less connected to post-exertional fatigue. Interestingly, the connection between inflammation and symptoms was different for men and women in some cases.
This study helps identify which inflammatory pathways may underlie specific ME/CFS symptoms, particularly cognitive impairment and pain—offering potential biomarkers for future research and clinical assessment. The finding that sex influences these inflammatory associations suggests that ME/CFS may manifest differently in men and women, which could have implications for personalized treatment approaches.
This study cannot establish that inflammation causes ME/CFS symptoms; it only shows statistical associations. The cross-sectional design means we cannot determine whether inflammation precedes symptoms, follows them, or both. The small sample size limits the strength of conclusions and may not represent all ME/CFS patients.
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
Jonsjö, Martin A, Olsson, Gunnar L, Wicksell, Rikard K, Alving, Kjell, Holmström, Linda, & Andreasson, Anna (2020). The role of low-grade inflammation in ME/CFS (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) - associations with symptoms.. Psychoneuroendocrinology. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2019.104578
BibTeX
@article{mecfsatlas-jonsj-2020-role-low,
author = {Jonsjö, Martin A and Olsson, Gunnar L and Wicksell, Rikard K and Alving, Kjell and Holmström, Linda and Andreasson, Anna},
title = {The role of low-grade inflammation in ME/CFS (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) - associations with symptoms.},
journal = {Psychoneuroendocrinology},
year = {2020},
doi = {10.1016/j.psyneuen.2019.104578},
note = {PubMed: 31901625},
url = {https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/jonsj-2020-role-low},
}Atlas snapshot reference
ME/CFS Atlas. Generator v1 / Scanner v1.4 / policy v0.1. Accessed 2026-05-26. https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/jonsj-2020-role-low
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