ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

2795 studies

241–260 of 2,795 studies

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

A Multidimensional Assessment of Sleep Disorders in Long COVID Using the Alliance Sleep Questionnaire.

Wilson, Alina, Ricciardiello Mejia, Giorgio Camillo, Lomba, Sara et al.·Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland)·2025

This study looked at sleep problems in 200 people with Long COVID seen at Stanford's clinic. Researchers found that more than half had breathing-related sleep issues, about 4 in 10 had insomnia, and about 3 in 10 had excessive daytime sleepiness. The study identified two different groups of patients: one with more severe sleep and systemic symptoms than the other.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateCohortPEM requiredObservational

Low-dose rapamycin alleviates clinical symptoms of fatigue and PEM in ME/CFS patients via improvement of autophagy: a pilot study.

Ruan, Brian T, Bulbule, Sarojini, Gile, Brooke et al.·Journal of translational medicine·2025

Researchers tested a low-dose drug called rapamycin in 86 ME/CFS patients to see if it could reduce fatigue and post-exertional malaise (PEM). About 74% of patients who completed the first month showed improvements in fatigue, PEM, and other symptoms, and the drug appeared safe with no serious side effects. The study suggests that rapamycin may work by fixing a cellular process called autophagy, which appears to be broken in ME/CFS patients.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredObservational

Identifying commonalities and differences between EHR representations of PASC and ME/CFS in the RECOVER EHR cohort.

Powers, John P, McIntee, Tomas J, Bhatia, Abhishek et al.·Communications medicine·2025

Researchers compared medical records from millions of patients to see how Long COVID (PASC) and ME/CFS are similar and different. They found that both conditions share common symptoms like fatigue, breathing difficulties, and trouble concentrating, but Long COVID tends to have more heart and lung problems, while ME/CFS more often involves pain and sleep issues. These similarities suggest that some treatment approaches might help both conditions.

Pain and SensitizationSleepCognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM requiredObservational

The Clinical Relevance of Mast Cell Activation in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Rohrhofer, Johanna, Ebner, Lilian, Schweighardt, Johannes et al.·Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland)·2025

This study looked at whether mast cells—immune cells that release chemicals causing inflammation—play a role in ME/CFS. Researchers surveyed 687 ME/CFS patients and reviewed records from 383 others, finding that about 25% had signs of problematic mast cell activation. Importantly, patients with mast cell problems who received targeted treatment reported better symptom relief than those without mast cell involvement, suggesting this might be a treatable subtype of ME/CFS.

Immune SystemPost-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Genetic variants associated with chronic fatigue syndrome predict population-level fatigue severity and actigraphic measurements.

Liu, Patrick Z, Raizen, David M, Skarke, Carsten et al.·Sleep·2025

This study looked at whether the genetic factors that cause ME/CFS also influence fatigue levels in people without ME/CFS. Researchers compared movement patterns and body temperature rhythms in people with ME/CFS versus healthy controls, then checked if genetic variations linked to ME/CFS were also connected to fatigue in the general population. They found that people with ME/CFS showed significantly less movement and flatter daily temperature patterns, and some genetic variants associated with ME/CFS were also linked to fatigue symptoms in the broader population.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Long COVID in the population of COVID-19 hospitalized patients discharged from SUS' hospitals in Rio de Janeiro City, Brazil: a patient-engaged cohort survey study.

Portela, Margareth Crisóstomo, Lima, Sheyla Maria Lemos, Escosteguy, Claudia Caminha et al.·BMC infectious diseases·2025

This Brazilian study surveyed over 11,000 people who were hospitalized with COVID-19 to see how many experienced long-lasting symptoms months later. About 71% reported frequent ongoing symptoms like fatigue, brain fog, and joint pain, while 39% said they had Long COVID. The researchers found that women, people with previous health conditions, and certain age groups were more likely to experience these persistent symptoms.

Post-Exertional Malaise

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 not requiredCase-Control

Persistent symptoms and clinical findings in adults with post-acute sequelae of COVID-19/post-COVID-19 syndrome in the second year after acute infection: A population-based, nested case-control study.

Peter, Raphael S, Nieters, Alexandra, Göpel, Siri et al.·PLoS medicine·2025

This study followed nearly 1,000 people who had long-term COVID symptoms for over a year to see who improved and who stayed sick. Researchers found that about two-thirds of patients still had symptoms in the second year after infection, with fatigue, breathing problems, and thinking difficulties being the most common complaints. People who got better tended to have had milder initial infections and were more educated, while those who stayed sick were more likely to be overweight and have had specialist medical care or rehabilitation.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Autonomic Dysfunction and Low Cardio-Respiratory Fitness in Long-Term Post-COVID-19 Syndrome.

Cherneva, Radostina, Cherneva, Zheyna, Youroukova, Vania et al.·Biomedicines·2025

This study looked at 192 people who had COVID-19 to understand why some develop long-term fatigue and exercise problems. Researchers measured how well the heart adjusts during exercise and found that people with moderate-to-severe post-COVID symptoms had problems with their autonomic nervous system (the system that controls automatic body functions like heart rate). However, these nervous system problems didn't fully explain why patients had lower exercise capacity.

Autonomic Nervous System

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 unclearCross-Sectional

A patient-centered view of symptoms, functional impact, and priorities in post-COVID-19 syndrome: cross-sectional results from the Québec Action Post-COVID cohort.

Mayo, Nancy E, Brouillette, Marie-Josée, Falcone, Emilia Liana et al.·BMC infectious diseases·2025

This study surveyed 535 people in Quebec living with long-term COVID symptoms to understand what symptoms they experience, how much these symptoms affect their daily lives, and what treatments matter most to them. The most common symptom was fatigue, and people reported symptoms affecting multiple body systems. Most participants had been dealing with symptoms for over a year, and the impact on their quality of life was significant.

Post-Exertional Malaise

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 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

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 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

IgG Antibody Responses to Epstein-Barr Virus in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Their Effective Potential for Disease Diagnosis and Pathological Antigenic Mimicry.

Fonseca, André, Szysz, Mateusz, Ly, Hoang Thien et al.·Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania)·2024

Researchers examined immune responses (antibodies) against Epstein-Barr virus in ME/CFS patients to see if these could be used to diagnose the condition. They found that a specific set of 26 antibodies could reliably identify ME/CFS patients whose illness started after an infection, but these antibodies don't appear to explain why the autoimmune problems occur. The findings suggest that while these antibodies might be useful for diagnosis in some patients, they may not be the root cause of ME/CFS.

Immune System

E2 ModeratePEM unclearRegistry-Resource

The German Multicenter Registry for ME/CFS (MECFS-R).

Hieber, Hannah, Pricoco, Rafael, Gerrer, Katrin et al.·Journal of clinical medicine·2024

German researchers created a registry to collect detailed health information from ME/CFS patients across multiple medical centers. In their first group of 174 patients, they found that most had a viral illness before developing ME/CFS, with nearly half triggered by COVID-19. Patients reported severe fatigue and greatly reduced quality of life, with significant limitations in daily activities.

Diagnostics

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Longitudinal Progression of Patients with Long COVID Treated in a Post-COVID Clinic: A Cross-Sectional Survey.

Hurt, Ryan T, Yadav, Siddhant, Schroeder, Darrell R et al.·Journal of primary care & community health·2024

This study surveyed over 500 Long COVID patients who received care at a specialized clinic about 2 years after their initial infection. While most patients reported that their symptoms improved compared to their first visit, only 4.5% felt they had fully recovered. Some treatments like low-dose naltrexone, vagal nerve stimulation, and fisetin were rated as helpful by a majority of patients who tried them.

Interventions

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 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredLongitudinal

Predictors of treatment response trajectories to cognitive behavioral therapy for chronic fatigue syndrome: A cohort study.

Van Oudenhove, Lukas, Debyser, Soetkin, Vergaelen, Elfi et al.·Journal of psychosomatic research·2024

This study followed 297 people with ME/CFS who received cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to see how their fatigue improved over time. Researchers found that people responded very differently to treatment: some improved significantly, some improved a little, and some didn't improve at all. People who started treatment with higher anxiety, depression, stress, and physical symptoms—and lower mood—were less likely to benefit from CBT.

Interventions

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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Evidence browser

A Multidimensional Assessment of Sleep Disorders in Long COVID Using the Alliance Sleep Questionnaire.

Low-dose rapamycin alleviates clinical symptoms of fatigue and PEM in ME/CFS patients via improvement of autophagy: a pilot study.

Identifying commonalities and differences between EHR representations of PASC and ME/CFS in the RECOVER EHR cohort.

The Clinical Relevance of Mast Cell Activation in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Genetic variants associated with chronic fatigue syndrome predict population-level fatigue severity and actigraphic measurements.

Long COVID in the population of COVID-19 hospitalized patients discharged from SUS' hospitals in Rio de Janeiro City, Brazil: a patient-engaged cohort survey study.

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.

Persistent symptoms and clinical findings in adults with post-acute sequelae of COVID-19/post-COVID-19 syndrome in the second year after acute infection: A population-based, nested case-control study.

Autonomic Dysfunction and Low Cardio-Respiratory Fitness in Long-Term Post-COVID-19 Syndrome.

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

A patient-centered view of symptoms, functional impact, and priorities in post-COVID-19 syndrome: cross-sectional results from the Québec Action Post-COVID cohort.

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

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

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

IgG Antibody Responses to Epstein-Barr Virus in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Their Effective Potential for Disease Diagnosis and Pathological Antigenic Mimicry.

The German Multicenter Registry for ME/CFS (MECFS-R).

Longitudinal Progression of Patients with Long COVID Treated in a Post-COVID Clinic: A Cross-Sectional Survey.

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

Predictors of treatment response trajectories to cognitive behavioral therapy for chronic fatigue syndrome: A cohort study.

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

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Biomarkers

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