ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

654 studies

81–100 of 654 studies

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM unclearSystematic-Review

Ignored, dismissed, and minimized: Understanding the harmful consequences of invalidation in health care-A systematic meta-synthesis of qualitative research.

Bontempo, Allyson C, Bontempo, John M, Duberstein, Paul R·Psychological bulletin·2025

This study looked at how doctors dismissing or minimizing patients' symptoms affects people with hard-to-diagnose illnesses like ME/CFS. Researchers reviewed over 150 studies involving more than 11,000 patients and found that when doctors don't believe or validate patients' experiences, it causes serious harm—including shame, anxiety about healthcare, avoidance of doctors, and delays in getting diagnosed. The study shows that invalidation by healthcare providers can actually make patients' health outcomes worse.

Diagnostics

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredMeta-Analysis

The efficacy of acupuncture-based chinese medicine in chronic fatigue syndrome: A meta-analysis.

Feng, Chuwen, Qu, Yuanyuan, Wu, Jianli et al.·Medicine·2025

This review examined multiple studies testing whether acupuncture can help people with ME/CFS feel less tired and improve their quality of life. The researchers found that acupuncture appeared to reduce fatigue in the short term and long term, and seemed to help with depression and overall wellbeing. However, the studies reviewed had some weaknesses, so these results should be interpreted cautiously and larger, better-designed studies are needed to confirm whether acupuncture truly helps.

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredSystematic-Review

Review of the Research Progress and Future Prospects of Acupuncture in the Treatment of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Feng, Chuwen, Qu, Yuanyuan, Lu, Jing et al.·Holistic nursing practice·2025

This review examines whether acupuncture—a traditional Chinese medicine practice involving thin needles placed at specific body points—might help people with ME/CFS. The researchers looked at existing studies on acupuncture for fatigue, how well it worked, whether it improved quality of life, and how it compared to standard treatments. They also explored how acupuncture might work in the body to reduce fatigue symptoms.

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM unclear

Mapping cerebral blood flow in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) and orthostatic intolerance: insights from a systematic review.

Christopoulos, Elena M, Tantanis, Darcy, Huang, Katherine et al.·Journal of translational medicine·2025

This review examined 118 research studies to understand how blood flow to the brain changes in ME/CFS patients, particularly those who also experience orthostatic intolerance (difficulty maintaining blood pressure when standing). Researchers found that blood flow to the brain is often reduced in both conditions, and when patients have both ME/CFS and orthostatic intolerance together, the reduction in brain blood flow appears to be even more pronounced. This finding suggests that measuring brain blood flow might help doctors track how severe the disease is.

Autonomic Nervous System

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredMeta-Analysis

Anxiety in children and adolescents with chronic physical health conditions: an updated meta-analysis.

Pinquart, Martin, Thorwarth, Alexander·Journal of pediatric psychology·2025

This study looked at whether children and teenagers with chronic physical illnesses experience more anxiety than their healthy peers. By reviewing over 1,250 research papers, scientists found that young people with long-term health conditions do tend to have higher anxiety levels. Children with chronic fatigue syndrome showed notably elevated anxiety compared to other chronic conditions studied.

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM unclearSystematic-Review

Evaluating pacing therapy (PT) versus graded exercise therapy (GET) for improving fatigue, pain, and quality of life in adults with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS): A systematic review.

Cooper, Charlotte, Papadopoulos, Konstantinos·Journal of bodywork and movement therapies·2025

This review compared two common treatment approaches for ME/CFS: pacing therapy (learning to manage activity carefully) and graded exercise therapy (gradually increasing exercise). Researchers looked at six studies involving 2,280 patients to see which approach helped most with fatigue, pain, and quality of life. The results suggest both therapies helped more than standard care alone, though they worked differently—pacing therapy showed more symptom improvement in most patients, while graded exercise therapy was better for reducing pain and improving physical function.

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM unclearSystematic-Review

Dietary Supplementation for Fatigue Symptoms in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS)-A Systematic Review.

Dorczok, Marie Celine, Mittmann, Gloria, Mossaheb, Nilufar et al.·Nutrients·2025

This review looked at 14 studies examining whether dietary supplements can help reduce fatigue in ME/CFS patients. Some supplements like L-carnitine, CoQ10 combined with selenium, and NADH showed promise in reducing fatigue symptoms. However, the studies had significant quality issues, making it difficult to draw firm conclusions about which supplements truly work.

Interventions

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM unclearEvidence-Map

Recent research in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome: an evidence map.

Todhunter-Brown, Alex, Campbell, Pauline, Broderick, Cathryn et al.·Health technology assessment (Winchester, England)·2025

This study looked at all ME/CFS research published between 2018 and 2023 to see what scientists have been studying and how much research exists on different topics. Researchers found 639 studies involving over 600,000 people with ME/CFS. More than half of the research focused on trying to understand what causes ME/CFS, while fewer studies looked at treatments or how to diagnose the condition. The researchers created an interactive map so patients and doctors can explore what research has been done.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredSystematic-Review

Comparative efficacy of various exercise therapies for chronic fatigue syndrome: A systematic review and network meta-analysis.

Liao, Zhongxin, Zhao, Suhong, Fang, Sitong et al.·iScience·2025

Researchers reviewed 25 studies testing different types of exercise for ME/CFS to see which worked best. Graded exercise therapy (GET)—where activity is slowly increased over time—showed the most short-term improvement in fatigue, mood, and anxiety compared to no treatment. Other exercises like yoga, qigong, and strength training showed smaller benefits that may not be meaningful for most patients.

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Causes of symptoms and symptom persistence in long COVID and myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Komaroff, Anthony L, Dantzer, Robert·Cell reports. Medicine·2025

This review examines why long COVID and ME/CFS cause such severe, lasting symptoms. Researchers found that both conditions share similar biological problems, including immune system misbehavior, problems with blood vessel function, and issues with how cells produce energy. The study suggests that symptoms may come from both these biological problems and from ancient survival responses in the brain that were meant to protect us during serious illness.

NeuroinflammationSevere MEGut Microbiome

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredSystematic-Review

Effectiveness of Exercise-Based Rehabilitation in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

De Vera Martín, Antonio, Salazar, Alberto Díaz, Pérez, Isidro Miguel Martín et al.·International journal of exercise science·2025

This review examined whether exercise-based treatments help people with ME/CFS feel less tired and function better. Researchers looked at 7 high-quality studies involving 2,276 patients and found that exercise did reduce fatigue in the short to medium term (up to several months). However, improvements in daily functioning were modest and did not last long-term, and some measures actually favored control groups over exercise interventions.

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

Advancing research on regulatory autoantibodies targeting GPCRs: Insights from the 5th international symposium.

Cabral-Marques, Otavio, Schimke, Lena F, Moll, Guido et al.·Autoimmunity reviews·2025

Scientists at an international conference discussed autoantibodies—immune proteins that can attack the body's own cells—that target structures called GPCRs found on many cells. These autoantibodies were once thought to be harmless side effects but are now recognized as active players in diseases including ME/CFS and long COVID. The conference brought together experts to share new ways of detecting these autoantibodies and ideas for using them as diagnostic tools and treatment targets.

BiomarkersImmune System

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM requiredReview-Narrative

Assessment of symptoms in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome: a comparative study of existing scales.

Lu, Jing, Sun, Weibo, Li, Shulin et al.·Frontiers in neurology·2025

This review examined the different questionnaires and tests doctors use to measure ME/CFS symptoms. The researchers looked at how well these tools work for diagnosing the illness and tracking how patients change over time. They found that while current tests are reasonably reliable, we need better tools that measure all the different ways ME/CFS affects people—like fatigue, brain fog, pain, and sleep problems—in a more consistent and objective way.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM unclearSystematic-Review

Decreased Heart Rate Variability Is Associated with Increased Fatigue Across Different Medical Populations: A Systematic Review.

Penfold, Sophie Maria, Cunningham, James, Whelan, Pauline et al.·Pathophysiology : the official journal of the International Society for Pathophysiology·2025

This review looked at 17 studies examining the link between fatigue and heart rate variability (HRV)—a measure of how well your nervous system is working. The researchers found that people who feel more fatigued tend to have imbalanced heart rate patterns, suggesting their autonomic nervous system (the part controlling automatic body functions) may not be working properly. ME/CFS patients were the most studied group, making this particularly relevant to understanding fatigue in this condition.

Autonomic Nervous System

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

[Cognitive impairment in asthenic disorders].

Chutko, L S, Surushkina, S Yu, Yakovenko, E A et al.·Zhurnal nevrologii i psikhiatrii imeni S.S. Korsakova·2025

This review examined research on how chronic fatigue syndrome and related conditions affect thinking and mental processing abilities. The authors looked at different theories about what causes these disorders and found that problems with cognitive control—the brain's ability to focus, plan, and manage mental tasks—may play an important role in how these conditions develop and persist.

Cognitive Impairment

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM unclearSystematic-Review

Clinical evidence of the link between gut microbiome and myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome: a retrospective review.

Wang, Jing-Hua, Choi, Yujin, Lee, Jin-Seok et al.·European journal of medical research·2024

Researchers reviewed 11 studies comparing gut bacteria in ME/CFS patients to healthy people. They found that people with ME/CFS have fewer types of bacteria and different bacterial communities in their guts compared to healthy controls. Additionally, ME/CFS patients produce lower levels of certain beneficial bacterial byproducts that are normally important for health.

Gut Microbiome

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredMeta-Analysis

Does the effect of cognitive behavior therapy for chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) vary by patient characteristics? A systematic review and individual patient data meta-analysis.

Kuut, T A, Buffart, L M, Braamse, A M J et al.·Psychological medicine·2024

This study combined data from 8 clinical trials involving 1,298 people with ME/CFS to see whether cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) works and who benefits most from it. Researchers found that CBT did help reduce fatigue, improve daily functioning, and increase physical activity—but the amount of benefit varied depending on patient characteristics like age, how much disability someone had, and their activity patterns. Younger patients, those with less severe disability at the start, and those with fluctuating activity patterns saw the most improvement.

Severe MEPost-Exertional Malaise

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

Research progress in the treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome through interventions targeting the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis.

Zhang, Yi-Dan, Wang, Li-Na·Frontiers in endocrinology·2024

This review examines how ME/CFS affects the body's stress-response system, called the HPA axis, which controls cortisol (a stress hormone). Research shows that people with ME/CFS tend to have lower cortisol levels, less natural variation in cortisol throughout the day, and a weaker response to stress compared to healthy people. Understanding these hormone changes may help explain why ME/CFS patients experience extreme fatigue and other symptoms, and could guide new treatments.

Endocrine Disruption

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM unclearSystematic-Review

[Long COVID - neurological or somatoform disease?].

Tényi, Dalma, Tényi, Tamás, Janszky, József·Ideggyogyaszati szemle·2024

This study reviews research on long COVID to understand what causes its main symptoms like extreme fatigue, pain, and brain fog. Doctors are still debating whether long COVID is primarily a brain/nerve disease, a whole-body illness affecting multiple systems, or a condition where the brain becomes overly sensitive to signals. The researchers found that long COVID shares many similarities with ME/CFS and other hard-to-diagnose conditions, but no single test currently exists to confirm long COVID diagnosis.

NeuroinflammationPost-Exertional Malaise

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM unclearMeta-Analysis

Meta-analysis of natural killer cell cytotoxicity in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Baraniuk, James N, Eaton-Fitch, Natalie, Marshall-Gradisnik, Sonya·Frontiers in immunology·2024

Researchers combined results from 28 previous studies to confirm that people with ME/CFS have natural killer (NK) cells—a type of immune cell that fights infections and abnormal cells—that work at about half the strength of healthy people's NK cells. This is one of the most reliable biological differences found in ME/CFS. The analysis confirms this is a real, consistent problem in the condition.

Immune System

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Evidence Atlas

Evidence browser

Ignored, dismissed, and minimized: Understanding the harmful consequences of invalidation in health care-A systematic meta-synthesis of qualitative research.

The efficacy of acupuncture-based chinese medicine in chronic fatigue syndrome: A meta-analysis.

Review of the Research Progress and Future Prospects of Acupuncture in the Treatment of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Mapping cerebral blood flow in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) and orthostatic intolerance: insights from a systematic review.

Anxiety in children and adolescents with chronic physical health conditions: an updated meta-analysis.

Evaluating pacing therapy (PT) versus graded exercise therapy (GET) for improving fatigue, pain, and quality of life in adults with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS): A systematic review.

Dietary Supplementation for Fatigue Symptoms in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS)-A Systematic Review.

Recent research in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome: an evidence map.

Comparative efficacy of various exercise therapies for chronic fatigue syndrome: A systematic review and network meta-analysis.

Causes of symptoms and symptom persistence in long COVID and myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Effectiveness of Exercise-Based Rehabilitation in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Advancing research on regulatory autoantibodies targeting GPCRs: Insights from the 5th international symposium.

Assessment of symptoms in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome: a comparative study of existing scales.

Decreased Heart Rate Variability Is Associated with Increased Fatigue Across Different Medical Populations: A Systematic Review.

[Cognitive impairment in asthenic disorders].

Clinical evidence of the link between gut microbiome and myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome: a retrospective review.

Does the effect of cognitive behavior therapy for chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) vary by patient characteristics? A systematic review and individual patient data meta-analysis.

Research progress in the treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome through interventions targeting the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis.

[Long COVID - neurological or somatoform disease?].

Meta-analysis of natural killer cell cytotoxicity in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Curated Collections

Neuroinflammation Evidence

Metabolism & Mitochondria

Biomarkers

PEM-Specific Research