ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

2768 studies

221–240 of 2,768 studies

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Circulating Levels of SMPDL3B Define Metabolic Endophenotypes and Subclinical Kidney Alterations in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis.

Rostami-Afshari, Bita, Elremaly, Wesam, McGregor, Neil R et al.·International journal of molecular sciences·2025

Researchers found that people with ME have lower levels of a kidney protein called SMPDL3B in their blood and urine compared to healthy people. This protein is important for keeping the kidney's filtering system working properly. The study also identified several metabolic imbalances in ME patients' blood that are linked to kidney problems. These findings suggest that kidney function may be affected in ME, and this protein could potentially be used as a simple blood test to help understand the disease.

BiomarkersEnergy Metabolism

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearObservational

Assessing the influence of lived-experience experts on healthcare providers in a virtual community of practice: a qualitative study.

Weaver, Stephanie Sargent, Carry, Monique, Bertolli, Jeanne et al.·Frontiers in health services·2025

This study looked at whether having patients with lived experience of Long COVID and ME/CFS help teach doctors made a real difference in patient care. Researchers tracked what these patient-experts recommended to doctors through online training sessions from 2022-2024, and then asked actual patients if their doctors seemed to apply that advice. The main recommendations focused on validating patients' experiences, showing empathy, helping with referrals, and supporting self-care. Patients reported noticing positive changes in how their doctors treated them, suggesting that including patient-experts in medical education actually works.

Diagnostics

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Increased galanin-galanin receptor 1 signaling, inflammation, and insulin resistance are associated with affective symptoms and chronic fatigue syndrome due to long COVID.

Al Masoodi, Wasim Talib Mahdi, Radhi, Sami Waheed, Abdalsada, Habiba Khdair et al.·PloS one·2025

This study looked at 90 people, some with Long COVID and some without, to understand why Long COVID patients develop depression, anxiety, and chronic fatigue. Researchers measured several substances in the blood related to inflammation and metabolism. They found that people with Long COVID had higher levels of inflammatory markers and abnormal insulin function, and these changes were linked to their mood and fatigue symptoms.

NeuroinflammationEnergy MetabolismImmune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Deoxygenation Trends and Their Multivariate Association with Self-Reported Fatigue in Post-COVID Syndrome.

Ladek, Anja-Maria, Lucio, Marianna, Weiß, Andreas et al.·Biomedicines·2025

This study looked at oxygen levels in the muscles of 100 people with long COVID and 50 healthy controls while they performed light exercise (squeezing a stress ball). The researchers used a special non-invasive scan called NIRS to measure this. People with long COVID, especially those with post-exertional malaise, showed abnormal oxygen patterns in their muscles compared to healthy people, and this was linked to their fatigue levels.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateCohortPEM requiredCross-Sectional

Impaired Hand Grip Strength Correlates with Greater Disability and Symptom Severity in Post-COVID Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Paffrath, Anna, Kim, Laura, Kedor, Claudia et al.·Journal of clinical medicine·2024

Researchers tested hand grip strength in 144 women with long-COVID symptoms, comparing those who met strict ME/CFS criteria (78 patients) with those who had other long-COVID symptoms. People with ME/CFS showed weaker grip strength and more severe disability, fatigue, and symptom worsening after activity compared to other long-COVID patients. Weak grip strength appeared to be connected to the core symptoms that define ME/CFS, suggesting muscle weakness in ME/CFS may share a common cause with other hallmark symptoms.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCase-Control

A case-control study of reaction time deficits in a 3D virtual reality in patients with Post-COVID syndrome.

Güttes, Moritz, Lucio, Marianna, Skornia, Adam et al.·Scientific reports·2024

Researchers tested whether people with Post-COVID syndrome have slower reaction times when responding to visual stimuli shown in virtual reality glasses. They found that Post-COVID patients were indeed slower and less accurate at this task compared to healthy controls, suggesting this test might be a useful tool for identifying Post-COVID cognitive problems in the future.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Frequency and characteristics of chronic fatigue syndrome in multiple sclerosis patients at a university hospital in Eastern Saudi Arabia.

AlAmri, Abdullah S, AlShamrani, Foziah J, AlMohish, Noor M et al.·Journal of family & community medicine·2024

This study looked at fatigue in 225 people with multiple sclerosis (MS) to see how many also had chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). About half of the MS patients experienced long-lasting fatigue lasting over 6 months. Researchers found that 7% of patients truly met the medical criteria for CFS, while 17% believed they had CFS but didn't meet the official diagnostic standards, suggesting confusion about what CFS actually is.

Diagnostics

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Socioeconomic determinants of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome in Norway: a registry study.

Hilland, Geir Haakon, Anthun, Kjartan Sarheim·BMC public health·2024

This Norwegian study looked at whether a person's education level and income affect their risk of being diagnosed with ME/CFS. Using official health records and financial data from thousands of people, researchers compared ME/CFS patients with both healthy people and others with similar chronic illnesses. They found that education and income were linked to ME/CFS diagnosis, but the strength of these connections depended on which groups they compared.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM requiredCross-Sectional

Illness presentation and quality of life in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome and post COVID-19 condition: a pilot Australian cross-sectional study.

Weigel, Breanna, Eaton-Fitch, Natalie, Thapaliya, Kiran et al.·Quality of life research : an international journal of quality of life aspects of treatment, care and rehabilitation·2024

This study compared symptoms and quality of life in people with ME/CFS, people with long COVID, and healthy controls in Australia. Both ME/CFS and long COVID patients experienced similar debilitating symptoms affecting memory, sleep, and physical function, and both groups had much lower quality of life scores than healthy people. The findings suggest that ME/CFS and long COVID are similarly serious illnesses that require comprehensive medical care.

Diagnostics

E2 ModerateCohortPEM requiredCross-Sectional

Heterogeneity in Measures of Illness among Patients with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Is Not Explained by Clinical Practice: A Study in Seven U.S. Specialty Clinics.

Unger, Elizabeth R, Lin, Jin-Mann S, Chen, Yang et al.·Journal of clinical medicine·2024

Researchers studied 465 ME/CFS patients across seven specialized clinics in the United States to see if doctors diagnosed and recognized the same disease. They found that while the clinics had similar patients, there was tremendous variation in how sick individual patients were—some had mild symptoms while others were severely affected. This suggests that ME/CFS may naturally come in many different forms, and understanding these differences could help improve research and treatment.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Do people with ME/CFS and joint hypermobility represent a disease subgroup? An analysis using registry data.

Mudie, Kathleen, Ramiller, Allison, Whittaker, Sadie et al.·Frontiers in neurology·2024

This study looked at whether ME/CFS patients with loose, flexible joints (joint hypermobility) form a distinct group with different symptoms and health impacts. Researchers surveyed 815 ME/CFS patients and found that about 16% had joint hypermobility. These patients reported worse quality of life, more pain, and more symptoms affecting their nervous system, thinking, digestion, and muscles compared to ME/CFS patients without joint hypermobility.

Autonomic Nervous System

E2 ModeratePEM unclearRegistry-Resource

Longterm course of neuropsychological symptoms and ME/CFS after SARS-CoV-2-infection: a prospective registry study.

Reuken, P A, Besteher, B, Finke, K et al.·European archives of psychiatry and clinical neuroscience·2024

This study followed over 1,000 people who had long-lasting symptoms after COVID-19 infection. Researchers found that about 31% of patients met the diagnostic criteria for ME/CFS at their first visit, but this dropped to 19% at a second visit months later. While patients reported feeling less fatigued and having fewer concentration problems over time, many continued to experience long-lasting symptoms that significantly affected their daily lives.

Cognitive ImpairmentLong COVID Overlap

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearObservational

Compelled loneliness and necessitated social isolation: "It's like being on the other side of a mirror, just looking in".

Wotherspoon, Natalie·Sociology of health & illness·2024

This study explored loneliness in people with ME/CFS by listening to 42 patients' experiences. The researchers found that loneliness in ME isn't just about being alone—it happens because ME symptoms keep people isolated AND because others often don't believe the illness is real, leading to rejection. As ME gets worse, people can get caught in a cycle where isolation and loneliness feed each other, making both worse over time.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM requiredCross-Sectional

Impact of COVID-19 on myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome-like illness prevalence: A cross-sectional survey.

Wood, Mariah S, Halmer, Nicole, Bertolli, Jeanne et al.·PloS one·2024

This study found that about 1.67% of adults in a large California health system have ME/CFS-like illness. While COVID-19 can trigger ME/CFS in some people, only about 14% of those with ME/CFS-like illness developed it after having COVID-19. People with ME/CFS-like illness reported significant difficulties with physical activities, work, relationships, and mental health compared to those without the condition.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Systemic antibody responses against gut microbiota flagellins implicate shared and divergent immune reactivity in Crohn's disease and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Bourgonje, Arno R, Hörstke, Nicolai V, Fehringer, Michaela et al.·Microbiome·2024

This study looked at immune responses in ME/CFS and Crohn's disease patients by measuring antibodies against proteins from gut bacteria called flagellins. Researchers found that both patient groups had elevated antibodies against these bacterial proteins, but the pattern of where these antibodies attached differed between the two diseases. These antibody patterns could potentially help doctors diagnose ME/CFS and understand how the immune system may be responding abnormally to gut bacteria.

Gut MicrobiomeImmune System

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

The presence of attentional and interpretation biases in patients with severe MS-related fatigue.

de Gier, Marieke, Oosterman, Joukje M, Hughes, Alicia M et al.·British journal of health psychology·2024

This study looked at whether people with severe fatigue from MS or ME/CFS tend to notice fatigue-related information more readily or interpret unclear physical symptoms in a threatening way compared to healthy people. Researchers found that both MS and ME/CFS patients interpreted ambiguous body sensations as more threatening than healthy controls did, though there was no difference in how they paid attention to fatigue-related words. The way patients interpreted symptoms was linked to how they mentally responded to their symptoms.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Service users' and parents/carers' experiences of a paediatric chronic fatigue service: A service evaluation.

Hartley, Gemma, Purrington, Jack·Chronic illness·2024

This study asked children with chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) and their parents about their experiences at a specialist clinic that treats young people with the condition. Most families felt the service helped them understand their illness better, learn useful strategies to manage their symptoms, and gradually increase their activity levels safely. However, some families had trouble accessing the service due to its location, appointment scheduling, and difficulty contacting staff.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearObservational

Low-dose Naltrexone Improves post-COVID-19 condition Symptoms.

Tamariz, Leonardo, Bast, Elizabeth, Klimas, Nancy et al.·Clinical therapeutics·2024

This study looked at whether treatments used for ME/CFS could help people with long COVID. Researchers reviewed records from 108 patients who tried different treatments including low-dose naltrexone, amitriptyline, duloxetine, and physical therapy. They found that patients taking low-dose naltrexone were about 5 times more likely to improve compared to those doing physical therapy alone, with improvements in both fatigue and pain.

Pain and SensitizationCognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Insomnia and sleep characteristics in post COVID-19 fatigue: A cross-sectional case-controlled study.

Rauwerda, Nynke L, Kuut, Tanja A, Braamse, Annemarie M J et al.·Journal of psychosomatic research·2024

This study looked at sleep problems in people with long COVID fatigue and compared them to people with ME/CFS. Researchers found that 64% of long COVID patients had clinically significant insomnia, and their sleep problems were closely linked to depression and age. While long COVID patients slept slightly less than ME/CFS patients on average, both groups struggled significantly with sleep quality and nighttime insomnia.

Sleep

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Long COVID diagnostic with differentiation from chronic lyme disease using machine learning and cytokine hubs.

Patterson, Bruce K, Guevara-Coto, Jose, Mora, Javier et al.·Scientific reports·2024

Researchers developed a computer-based test using blood measurements called cytokines to accurately identify long COVID (also called PASC) in patients. The test was able to correctly identify long COVID in 97% of cases and correctly rule it out in 90% of cases when tested on a new group of people. Importantly, the test could also distinguish long COVID from chronic Lyme disease, which can cause similar symptoms, helping doctors diagnose the right condition.

Immune System

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Circulating Levels of SMPDL3B Define Metabolic Endophenotypes and Subclinical Kidney Alterations in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis.

Assessing the influence of lived-experience experts on healthcare providers in a virtual community of practice: a qualitative study.

Increased galanin-galanin receptor 1 signaling, inflammation, and insulin resistance are associated with affective symptoms and chronic fatigue syndrome due to long COVID.

Deoxygenation Trends and Their Multivariate Association with Self-Reported Fatigue in Post-COVID Syndrome.

Impaired Hand Grip Strength Correlates with Greater Disability and Symptom Severity in Post-COVID Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

A case-control study of reaction time deficits in a 3D virtual reality in patients with Post-COVID syndrome.

Frequency and characteristics of chronic fatigue syndrome in multiple sclerosis patients at a university hospital in Eastern Saudi Arabia.

Socioeconomic determinants of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome in Norway: a registry study.

Illness presentation and quality of life in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome and post COVID-19 condition: a pilot Australian cross-sectional study.

Heterogeneity in Measures of Illness among Patients with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Is Not Explained by Clinical Practice: A Study in Seven U.S. Specialty Clinics.

Do people with ME/CFS and joint hypermobility represent a disease subgroup? An analysis using registry data.

Longterm course of neuropsychological symptoms and ME/CFS after SARS-CoV-2-infection: a prospective registry study.

Compelled loneliness and necessitated social isolation: "It's like being on the other side of a mirror, just looking in".

Impact of COVID-19 on myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome-like illness prevalence: A cross-sectional survey.

Systemic antibody responses against gut microbiota flagellins implicate shared and divergent immune reactivity in Crohn's disease and chronic fatigue syndrome.

The presence of attentional and interpretation biases in patients with severe MS-related fatigue.

Service users' and parents/carers' experiences of a paediatric chronic fatigue service: A service evaluation.

Low-dose Naltrexone Improves post-COVID-19 condition Symptoms.

Insomnia and sleep characteristics in post COVID-19 fatigue: A cross-sectional case-controlled study.

Long COVID diagnostic with differentiation from chronic lyme disease using machine learning and cytokine hubs.

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