Maes, Michael, Kubera, Marta, Uytterhoeven, Marc et al. · Medical science monitor : international medical journal of experimental and clinical research · 2011 · DOI
This study measured two markers of oxidative stress (damage caused by harmful molecules in the body) in people with ME/CFS compared to healthy people. Researchers found that ME/CFS patients had significantly higher levels of plasma peroxides—harmful molecules that damage cells. These findings suggest that oxidative stress may play a role in ME/CFS, which could help explain some of the illness's symptoms.
Identifying objective biomarkers like elevated plasma peroxides could improve ME/CFS diagnosis and help validate the biological basis of the illness. Understanding that oxidative stress is increased in ME/CFS may point toward potential therapeutic targets and support the recognition of ME/CFS as an organic disease rather than purely psychological.
This study does not prove that oxidative stress causes ME/CFS symptoms or is the primary mechanism of disease—only that it is associated with the condition. The cross-sectional design cannot establish whether oxidative stress precedes ME/CFS or results from it. The findings also do not indicate whether reducing oxidative stress would improve patient outcomes.
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
Maes, Michael, Kubera, Marta, Uytterhoeven, Marc, Vrydags, Nicolas, & Bosmans, Eugene (2011). Increased plasma peroxides as a marker of oxidative stress in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS).. Medical science monitor : international medical journal of experimental and clinical research. https://doi.org/10.12659/msm.881699
BibTeX
@article{mecfsatlas-maes-2011-increased-plasma,
author = {Maes, Michael and Kubera, Marta and Uytterhoeven, Marc and Vrydags, Nicolas and Bosmans, Eugene},
title = {Increased plasma peroxides as a marker of oxidative stress in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS).},
journal = {Medical science monitor : international medical journal of experimental and clinical research},
year = {2011},
doi = {10.12659/msm.881699},
note = {PubMed: 21455120},
url = {https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/maes-2011-increased-plasma},
}Atlas snapshot reference
ME/CFS Atlas. Generator v1 / Scanner v1.4 / policy v0.1. Accessed 2026-05-30. https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/maes-2011-increased-plasma
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