ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

2768 studies

121–140 of 2,768 studies

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCase-Control

People with Long Covid and ME/CFS Exhibit Similarly Impaired Balance and Physical Capacity: A Case-Case-Control Study.

Hayes, Lawrence D, Sanal-Hayes, Nilihan E M, Mclaughlin, Marie et al.·The American journal of medicine·2025

This study compared balance and physical strength in people with long COVID, people with ME/CFS, and healthy volunteers. Both long COVID and ME/CFS patients showed significantly worse balance during standing and took longer to perform simple physical tasks like standing up from a chair compared to healthy people. Importantly, the balance and strength problems were equally severe in both groups, despite long COVID being a much newer illness.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Chronic fatigue syndrome, depression, and anxiety symptoms due to relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis are associated with reactivation of Epstein-Barr virus and Human Herpesvirus 6.

Maes, Michael, Almulla, Abbas F, Vojdani, Elroy et al.·Neuro endocrinology letters·2025

This study looked at whether reactivation of two common viruses—Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and Human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6)—are connected to fatigue, depression, and anxiety in people with a type of multiple sclerosis called RRMS. Researchers measured immune responses (antibodies) to these viruses in MS patients and healthy controls, and found that higher antibody levels were strongly linked to worse fatigue and mood symptoms. The findings suggest that when these dormant viruses become active in the body, they may trigger or worsen fatigue and psychiatric symptoms.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearObservational

Predisposing and Precipitating Factors in Epstein-Barr Virus-Caused Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Jason, Leonard A, Katz, Ben Z·Microorganisms·2025

This study followed college students before and after they got infectious mononucleosis (IM) caused by Epstein-Barr virus to understand why some people develop ME/CFS afterward while others recover. Researchers collected health information and blood samples from students at three time points: before they got sick, shortly after their IM diagnosis, and six months later. By studying these young people over time, the researchers identified certain factors present before and during the infection that seemed to predict who would develop ME/CFS rather than recover.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Autonomic Dysfunction in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS): Findings from the Multi-Site Clinical Assessment of ME/CFS (MCAM) Study in the USA.

Issa, Anindita, Lin, Jin-Mann S, Chen, Yang et al.·Journal of clinical medicine·2025

This study found that people with ME/CFS experience much higher levels of autonomic nervous system problems—which control things like heart rate, blood pressure, and digestion—compared to healthy people. Nearly all ME/CFS patients (97%) had at least one autonomic symptom, with common complaints including dizziness, cold hands and feet, and difficulty standing up. The more autonomic symptoms someone had, especially in certain areas like blood pressure regulation and stomach problems, the more severe their overall illness tended to be.

Autonomic Nervous System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM requiredCross-Sectional

The association of fatigue and pain with cognitive test performance in patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Oosterman, Joukje M, van der Schaaf, Marieke, de Kleijn, Willemien P E et al.·Journal of psychosomatic research·2025

This study looked at how fatigue and pain affect thinking and memory problems in people with ME/CFS. Researchers tested 1,375 patients on tasks like reaction time and attention, and found that both fatigue severity and pain severity were linked to worse cognitive performance. The effects were stronger in older patients, suggesting that age may play a role in how much fatigue and pain impact thinking abilities.

Pain and SensitizationCognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearObservational

Immune Signatures in Post-Acute Sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC) and Myalgia/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS): Insights from the Fecal Microbiome and Serum Cytokine Profiles.

Tobi, Martin, Chaudhari, Diptaraj, Ryan, Elizabeth P et al.·Biomolecules·2025

Researchers compared gut bacteria and immune molecules in the blood of people with long COVID and chronic fatigue syndrome. They found that people with these conditions have unusual patterns of gut bacteria and different levels of immune signaling molecules compared to healthy controls. These differences suggest the immune system and gut health may play a role in why some people develop long-lasting fatigue after infection.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome using beat-to-beat autonomic measurements.

Kujawski, Sławomir, Tabisz, Hanna, Morten, Karl J et al.·Journal of translational medicine·2025

Researchers used artificial intelligence to analyze how the heart and nervous system behave differently in ME/CFS patients compared to healthy people. By measuring heart rate changes beat-by-beat, they found a pattern that could identify ME/CFS patients with 89% accuracy. The key differences included a less responsive vagal nerve (which normally calms the body), a more active stress response in blood vessels, and less efficient heart pumping.

Autonomic Nervous System

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM unclearCase-Control

Bipolar spectrum, hypothyroidism, and their association with chronic fatigue/myalgic encephalomyelitis-like syndrome in long COVID: could they be identified as early determinants?

Tusconi, Massimo, Dursun, Serdar M, Pegreffi, Francesco et al.·Frontiers in psychiatry·2025

This study found that people with long COVID who developed ME/CFS-like symptoms were much more likely to have had hypothyroidism (an underactive thyroid) or bipolar spectrum disorders before getting sick compared to people from before the pandemic. The researchers suggest these pre-existing conditions might make someone more vulnerable to developing ME/CFS after COVID-19, possibly because they affect sleep rhythms and immune function.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM requiredCross-Sectional

Understanding symptom clusters, diagnosis and healthcare experiences in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome and long COVID: a cross-sectional survey in the UK.

Mansoubi, Maedeh, Richards, Thomas, Ainsworth-Wells, Martine et al.·BMJ open·2025

This large UK survey asked over 8,800 people with ME/CFS or long COVID about their symptoms and experiences with healthcare. The study found that fatigue, brain fog, pain, and sleep problems are the most common symptoms, but people often wait years for a diagnosis. Even after new healthcare guidelines were introduced, most patients said they weren't satisfied with the care they received from the NHS.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateCohortPEM requiredCross-Sectional

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic and the 2021 National Institute for Health and Care Excellence Guidelines on Public Perspectives Toward Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Thematic and Sentiment Analysis on Twitter (Rebranded as X).

Khakban, Iliya, Jain, Shagun, Gallab, Joseph et al.·Journal of medical Internet research·2025

Researchers analyzed nearly 900,000 posts about ME/CFS on Twitter from 2010 to 2024 to understand what patients and the public were discussing about the illness. They found that most posts were neutral (47%), but negative posts increased over time, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic and when new UK treatment guidelines were published in 2021. Patients frequently expressed frustration about ME/CFS being dismissed as a mental health condition and celebrated the 2021 guidelines that recognized it as a physical disease.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM requiredLongitudinal

Sustained illness burden over time among Australians with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Weigel, Breanna, Eaton-Fitch, Natalie, Thapaliya, Kiran et al.·PloS one·2025

This Australian study followed 32 people with ME/CFS over one year to document how the illness affects their lives. Participants reported an average of 30 symptoms at each check-in, with no improvement over the year, and their quality of life was significantly worse than the general population. The findings show that ME/CFS causes sustained, long-term disability that requires better support and recognition from Australian healthcare and disability services.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

An In-Depth Exploration of the Autoantibody Immune Profile in ME/CFS Using Novel Antigen Profiling Techniques.

Germain, Arnaud, Jaycox, Jillian R, Emig, Christopher J et al.·International journal of molecular sciences·2025

This study looked for specific immune proteins called autoantibodies in the blood of ME/CFS patients to see if they might be causing the illness. Researchers tested over 7,500 different immune markers using advanced laboratory techniques in 172 people. Surprisingly, they did not find significant differences in autoantibodies between ME/CFS patients and healthy controls, though they did notice some subtle patterns between men and women with ME/CFS that warrant further investigation.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Peripheral Levels of Selected Biomarkers in Patients with Post-Sarcoidosis Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Małujło-Balcerska, Elżbieta, Bączek, Karol, Górski, Witold et al.·Journal of inflammation research·2025

This study looked at 71 people with sarcoidosis (a disease that causes inflammation) to understand why some feel extremely tired even after their disease improves. Researchers measured inflammation markers in the blood and found that people with lingering fatigue had higher levels of a protein called IL-6 compared to those without fatigue. The findings suggest that low-grade inflammation may be keeping people fatigued even when their disease appears to be under control.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearLongitudinal

Long-COVID in children and their parents: A prospective cohort study.

Iijima, Hiroyuki, Funaki, Takanori, Kubota, Mitsuru·Pediatrics international : official journal of the Japan Pediatric Society·2025

This study followed Japanese children hospitalized with COVID-19 and their parents to see how many developed long-COVID symptoms. About 45% of children had lingering symptoms one month after infection, dropping to 23% by six months. The most common symptoms were cough, tiredness, and sleep problems, with sleep issues being most strongly linked to a reduced quality of life.

Sleep

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Psychosocial Nursing Diagnoses of Individuals With Myalgic Encephalomyelitis-Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Descriptive Study.

Oter-Quintana, Cristina, Alameda-Cuesta, Almudena, Brito-Brito, Pedro Ruymán et al.·Nursing open·2025

This study looked at the emotional and psychological challenges that people with ME/CFS commonly experience. Researchers surveyed 48 adults with ME/CFS and found that most experienced feelings of powerlessness, difficulty coping, and fear. The study identified three different groups of patients: one group with more severe symptoms and greater emotional distress, and two other groups with milder symptoms who were still working or retired.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Abnormal breathing patterns and hyperventilation are common in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome during exercise.

Mancini, Donna M, Brunjes, Danielle L, Cook, Dane et al.·Frontiers in medicine·2025

Researchers studied how patients with ME/CFS breathe during exercise and found that many breathe abnormally in ways that healthy people do not. Specifically, 42% of ME/CFS patients showed irregular breathing patterns, and 32% were breathing too fast and too deeply (hyperventilation). These breathing problems were much more common in ME/CFS patients than in the healthy control group, suggesting that abnormal breathing may be contributing to the fatigue and breathlessness patients experience.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

The Diagnostic Journey of Dysautonomia Patients: Insights from a Patient-Reported Outcome Study.

O'Dell, John A, Walker, Ash, Latham, Andrew J et al.·Journal of patient experience·2025

This study followed 672 adults with dysautonomia (a condition where the nervous system that controls automatic body functions doesn't work properly) to understand how long it takes to get diagnosed and which doctors help with diagnosis. On average, it took 7.7 years for people to receive a diagnosis, and they often saw multiple types of doctors before getting answers. The study found that dysautonomia commonly occurs alongside other conditions like Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, mast cell disorders, and ME/CFS, which can make diagnosis even more confusing.

Autonomic Nervous SystemDiagnostics

E2 ModerateCohortPEM requiredCross-Sectional

Exploration of Intersections and Divergences of Long COVID and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Kouyoumdjian, Joao A, Yamamoto, Leticia A, Graca, Carla R·Cureus·2025

This study looked at how Long COVID and ME/CFS might be related by comparing people with Long COVID symptoms to those without and healthy controls. While many Long COVID patients experienced symptoms that overlap with ME/CFS—like post-exertional malaise (feeling worse after activity), brain fog, and sleep problems—only about 1 in 5 Long COVID patients actually met the official diagnostic criteria for ME/CFS. The findings suggest that Long COVID and ME/CFS are related but distinct conditions.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearRegistry-Resource

Unequal access to diagnosis of myalgic encephalomyelitis in England.

Samms, Gemma Louise, Ponting, Chris P·BMC public health·2025

This study examined NHS records from England to understand how many people have ME/CFS and whether diagnosis is fair across different groups. Researchers found that about 100,000 people in England have been officially diagnosed with ME/CFS, but the actual number may be much higher—around 404,000 in the UK. The diagnosis rates varied significantly depending on gender, age, ethnicity, and where people live, suggesting some patients are being missed.

Diagnostics

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearLongitudinal

Characterization of Post-Viral Infection Behaviors Among Patients With Long COVID: Prospective, Observational, Longitudinal Cohort Analyses of Fitbit Data and Patient-Reported Outcomes.

Zhang, Tianmai M, Sharp, Sydney P, Scott, John D et al.·JMIR formative research·2025

Researchers gave 82 people with long COVID or ME/CFS Fitbit devices to track their physical activity, heart rate, and sleep for up to a year, while also asking them to report how they felt. They found that people who were less physically active reported worse fatigue, breathing problems, and physical function, and their symptoms worsened over time compared to those who remained more active. This suggests that activity levels may be related to symptom severity in long COVID, though the study couldn't prove that low activity causes worse symptoms.

Sleep

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People with Long Covid and ME/CFS Exhibit Similarly Impaired Balance and Physical Capacity: A Case-Case-Control Study.

Chronic fatigue syndrome, depression, and anxiety symptoms due to relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis are associated with reactivation of Epstein-Barr virus and Human Herpesvirus 6.

Predisposing and Precipitating Factors in Epstein-Barr Virus-Caused Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Autonomic Dysfunction in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS): Findings from the Multi-Site Clinical Assessment of ME/CFS (MCAM) Study in the USA.

The association of fatigue and pain with cognitive test performance in patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Immune Signatures in Post-Acute Sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC) and Myalgia/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS): Insights from the Fecal Microbiome and Serum Cytokine Profiles.

Diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome using beat-to-beat autonomic measurements.

Bipolar spectrum, hypothyroidism, and their association with chronic fatigue/myalgic encephalomyelitis-like syndrome in long COVID: could they be identified as early determinants?

Understanding symptom clusters, diagnosis and healthcare experiences in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome and long COVID: a cross-sectional survey in the UK.

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic and the 2021 National Institute for Health and Care Excellence Guidelines on Public Perspectives Toward Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Thematic and Sentiment Analysis on Twitter (Rebranded as X).

Sustained illness burden over time among Australians with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

An In-Depth Exploration of the Autoantibody Immune Profile in ME/CFS Using Novel Antigen Profiling Techniques.

Peripheral Levels of Selected Biomarkers in Patients with Post-Sarcoidosis Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Long-COVID in children and their parents: A prospective cohort study.

Psychosocial Nursing Diagnoses of Individuals With Myalgic Encephalomyelitis-Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Descriptive Study.

Abnormal breathing patterns and hyperventilation are common in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome during exercise.

The Diagnostic Journey of Dysautonomia Patients: Insights from a Patient-Reported Outcome Study.

Exploration of Intersections and Divergences of Long COVID and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Unequal access to diagnosis of myalgic encephalomyelitis in England.

Characterization of Post-Viral Infection Behaviors Among Patients With Long COVID: Prospective, Observational, Longitudinal Cohort Analyses of Fitbit Data and Patient-Reported Outcomes.

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