Mathur, Ravi, Carnes, Megan U, Harding, Alexander et al. · Journal of translational medicine · 2021 · DOI
Researchers created mapMECFS, an online database that brings together research information about ME/CFS from scientists around the world. Instead of having data scattered across different locations and websites, this portal allows researchers to easily find, share, and compare information about the disease in one place. This tool is designed to help scientists discover patterns and connections that might reveal new ways to diagnose and treat ME/CFS.
ME/CFS is a complex disease affecting multiple body systems, and no biomarkers currently exist for diagnosis or treatment. By centralizing data from diverse research areas and sites, mapMECFS accelerates the discovery of connections between different biological systems that might otherwise be missed. This collaborative infrastructure is essential for the global ME/CFS research community to identify biomarkers and develop effective therapies more efficiently.
This study does not identify any new biomarkers, diagnose ME/CFS, or demonstrate the effectiveness of any treatment. It is a tools and infrastructure paper that establishes a data platform rather than conducting original research on disease mechanisms. The study does not prove that data sharing through this portal will lead to biomarker discovery, only that it provides the infrastructure to make such discoveries more feasible.
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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