Maquet, D, Demoulin, C, Crielaard, J M · Annales de readaptation et de medecine physique : revue scientifique de la Societe francaise de reeducation fonctionnelle de readaptation et de medecine physique · 2006 · DOI
This review examined all available research about ME/CFS to understand what we know about the condition. Researchers found that ME/CFS affects between 0.2% and 0.7% of people and that despite decades of research into possible causes like infections, immune problems, and hormonal imbalances, we still don't fully understand what causes the illness. Treatment should combine physical rehabilitation with psychological support to address the whole person.
This comprehensive review synthesizes the state of scientific knowledge about ME/CFS and highlights that despite substantial research effort across multiple biological systems, the underlying cause remains unknown. For patients, this emphasizes the complexity of the condition and supports integrated treatment approaches combining physical rehabilitation with psychological support.
This systematic review does not identify the cause of ME/CFS or prove the effectiveness of any single treatment; it rather maps the current knowledge landscape and indicates where investigation has been conducted. The review cannot establish causation for the various biological abnormalities studied, as many may be consequences rather than causes of the illness. It also does not provide new empirical evidence—it synthesizes existing literature.
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 →
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