ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

2782 studies

261–280 of 2,782 studies

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Discriminating Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and comorbid conditions using metabolomics in UK Biobank.

Huang, Katherine, G C de Sá, Alex, Thomas, Natalie et al.·Communications medicine·2024

Researchers studied blood samples from nearly 1,200 people with ME/CFS and compared them to people with other common conditions like depression, asthma, and thyroid problems. They found nine specific markers in the blood that, combined with basic health information, could identify ME/CFS patients about 70% of the time. This blood test approach could eventually help doctors diagnose ME/CFS more easily, since there is currently no definitive test for the condition.

Biomarkers

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Factors associated with having previously received a diagnosis of fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome and irritable bowel syndrome: A cross sectional DanFunD study.

Tattan, Mais, Ørnbøl, Eva, Wellnitz, Kaare Bro et al.·Journal of psychosomatic research·2024

This study looked at 1,704 people with symptoms of functional somatic disorders (including ME/CFS, fibromyalgia, and irritable bowel syndrome) to understand who had received a diagnosis from a doctor. The researchers found that people—especially women—who had poor quality of life and negative beliefs about their illness were more likely to have received an official diagnosis. The study suggests that factors beyond just having symptoms affect whether people get diagnosed with these conditions.

Diagnostics

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

["The idea of rehabilitation will have to be completely rethought for this illness" - Qualitative results of an online survey on patients' experiences with inpatient rehabilitation for post COVID-19 condition (long COVID)].

Hammer, Sabine, Schmidt, Julia, Conrad, Annett et al.·Zeitschrift fur Evidenz, Fortbildung und Qualitat im Gesundheitswesen·2024

German researchers asked 1,191 long COVID patients about their experiences with inpatient rehabilitation programs. About half reported their health got worse during rehabilitation, mainly from exercise programs that were too intense. The study found that standard rehabilitation designed for other illnesses often doesn't work for long COVID patients with post-exertional malaise, and programs should instead focus on teaching patients how to pace their activities safely.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

[What Medical Specialties do ME/CFS Sufferers Consult? A Public Health Study on the need for Better Medical Education and Training].

Habermann-Horstmeier, Lotte, Horstmeier, Lukas Maximilian·Gesundheitswesen (Bundesverband der Arzte des Offentlichen Gesundheitsdienstes (Germany))·2024

This German study surveyed 674 ME/CFS patients to understand how they navigate the healthcare system and how long diagnosis takes. Patients saw an average of 6-15 different doctors from various specialties before getting diagnosed, with the diagnostic journey taking up to 10 years for most people. The study found that doctors often refer patients around based on individual symptoms rather than recognizing ME/CFS as a whole condition, highlighting the urgent need for better training about ME/CFS across all medical fields.

Diagnostics

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

How Long Is Long COVID? Evaluation of Long-Term Health Status in Individuals Discharged from a Specialist Community Long COVID Service.

Bodey, Rochelle, Grimaldi, Jennifer, Tait, Hannah et al.·Journal of clinical medicine·2024

This study followed people who had received specialist care for long COVID and were then discharged from the service. Nearly 3 years after their initial COVID infection, most patients (90%) still had long COVID symptoms and hadn't returned to their normal health. About 4 in 10 of these patients also met the criteria for ME/CFS, suggesting long COVID can develop into a lasting condition similar to ME/CFS.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Association of physical symptoms with accelerometer-measured movement behaviors and functional capacity in individuals with Long COVID.

Rosa-Souza, Francisco José, Freire, Yuri Alberto, Galliano, Leony Morgana et al.·Scientific reports·2024

This study looked at 102 people with Long COVID to understand how specific symptoms affect their ability to move and be physically active. Researchers used activity trackers to measure daily movement and tested how far people could walk and how quickly they could stand up from a chair. They found that fatigue and post-exertional malaise (feeling worse after activity) were linked to lower daily step counts, while shortness of breath was linked to poorer performance on physical tests.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearObservational

The economic burden of long COVID in Australia: more noise than signal?

Angeles, Mary Rose, Dinh, Thi Thu Ngan, Zhao, Ting et al.·The Medical journal of Australia·2024

This Australian study looked at how many people have long COVID and how much it costs the economy. Researchers estimated that between 40,000 and 145,000 Australians were severely affected by long COVID in late 2022, costing the economy between $1.7 and $6.3 billion. The study found that tens of thousands of working-age Australians reported being unable to work due to long-term sickness, though Australia doesn't yet have good tracking systems to measure long COVID's true impact.

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 requiredCross-Sectional

A pilot cross-sectional investigation of symptom clusters and associations with patient-reported outcomes in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Post COVID-19 Condition.

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 people with ME/CFS and people with Long COVID to understand how their symptoms affect quality of life and daily functioning. Researchers found that both groups experience similar symptom patterns, particularly autonomic symptoms like breathing problems, which have the biggest impact on wellbeing. The findings suggest that Long COVID and ME/CFS may be closely related conditions, and that some people recovering from COVID-19 may develop ME/CFS-like illness over time.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Metabolomic and immune alterations in long COVID patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Saito, Suguru, Shahbaz, Shima, Luo, Xian et al.·Frontiers in immunology·2024

This study looked at blood samples from people with long COVID who have ME/CFS-like symptoms and compared them to people who recovered from COVID, people with acute COVID, and people who never had COVID. Researchers found that long COVID patients had unusual chemical patterns in their blood, higher levels of inflammation-promoting substances, and lower energy molecules (ATP). They also discovered that two specific chemicals (sarcosine and serine) were reduced in long COVID patients and connected to depression, anxiety, and brain fog.

Energy MetabolismImmune System

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Comorbidity and sex differences in functional disorders and internalizing disorders.

Thomas, Nathaniel S, Gillespie, Nathan A, Kendler, Kenneth S et al.·General hospital psychiatry·2024

This study looked at how often ME/CFS, fibromyalgia, and irritable bowel syndrome occur together with depression and anxiety in over 107,000 people. The researchers found that people with one of these conditions are much more likely to also have depression or anxiety than would be expected by chance. Interestingly, these connections were even stronger in men than in women.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

The Cardiac Output-Cerebral Blood Flow Relationship Is Abnormal in Most Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Patients with a Normal Heart Rate and Blood Pressure Response During a Tilt Test.

van Campen, C Linda M C, Verheugt, Freek W A, Rowe, Peter C et al.·Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland)·2024

This study looked at how blood flow to the brain changes when ME/CFS patients stand up or tilt on a table. Researchers found that in 91% of patients, the heart wasn't pumping enough blood and the brain wasn't getting enough blood flow—and these two problems were directly connected. This suggests that blood vessels in the brain may not be working properly to compensate when blood flow drops, which could explain why many ME/CFS patients feel dizzy or faint when standing.

Autonomic Nervous System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM requiredCross-Sectional

Dry eye symptoms and signs in United States Gulf War era veterans with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Sanchez, Victor, Kim, Colin K, Locatelli, Elyana V T et al.·Clinical & experimental ophthalmology·2024

Researchers studied eye dryness and discomfort in Gulf War veterans with ME/CFS and compared them to veterans without the condition. They found that people with ME/CFS reported significantly more eye pain and dryness symptoms, even though physical examination of their eyes showed similar amounts of tear production and surface damage as the control group. This suggests that the eye pain experienced by ME/CFS patients may come from causes beyond just dry eyes.

Pain and Sensitization

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Cognitive reserve as a protective factor against cognitive impairment in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Surendran, Gopika, Jose, Tony P·Applied neuropsychology. Adult·2024

This study examined whether people's life experiences and education—called 'cognitive reserve'—help protect them from the thinking and memory problems common in ME/CFS. Researchers tested 91 people with ME/CFS and found that those with more cognitive reserve had fewer cognitive problems. The severity of someone's ME/CFS was the main factor affecting both cognitive reserve and cognitive problems, rather than age or gender.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Cluster analysis of long COVID symptoms for deciphering a syndrome and its long-term consequence.

Niewolik, J, Mikuteit, M, Klawitter, S et al.·Immunologic research·2024

Researchers studied 2,371 people with long COVID to understand how their symptoms tend to occur together in groups. They found that long COVID symptoms cluster into three main patterns: one involving joint and nerve problems, another involving mood and heart/breathing issues, and a third involving general infection-like symptoms and skin problems. Importantly, most participants experienced symptoms from all three groups, suggesting long COVID affects multiple body systems at once.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Classification Accuracy and Description of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome in an Integrated Health Care System, 2006-2017.

Liles, Elizabeth G, Irving, Stephanie A, Koppolu, Padma et al.·The Permanente journal·2024

This study looked at how often ME/CFS is diagnosed in a large health care system by checking electronic medical records from 2006 to 2017. Researchers found that while doctors used ME/CFS diagnosis codes for over 500 patients, only about 34% of the cases they reviewed actually matched the real diagnostic criteria for ME/CFS. This shows that relying only on diagnosis codes in medical records can give an inaccurate picture of how many people truly have ME/CFS.

Diagnostics

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

What is the occupational impact of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome for adults living in Australia?

Thomas, Roshni, Hughes, Julie, Kotzur, Cheryl·The British journal of occupational therapy·2024

This study looked at how ME/CFS affects the ability of Australian adults to work and participate in daily activities. Researchers surveyed 29 people with ME/CFS about their work, hobbies, and self-care routines using a standardized assessment tool. The results showed that people with ME/CFS experienced significant reductions in activities across all areas of life and reported feeling isolated, trapped, burdened, and disconnected from their former roles.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Functional and Morphological Differences of Muscle Mitochondria in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Post-COVID Syndrome.

Bizjak, Daniel Alexander, Ohmayer, Birgit, Buhl, Jasmine Leonike et al.·International journal of molecular sciences·2024

This study examined the energy-producing structures (mitochondria) inside muscle cells of people with ME/CFS and long COVID, comparing them to healthy people. Researchers found that mitochondria in both conditions work less efficiently and have structural damage, but the patterns differ: long COVID shows more damage to a specific energy-producing pathway, while ME/CFS shows more overall structural wear and tear in the mitochondria themselves.

Energy Metabolism

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearLongitudinal

Muscle abnormalities worsen after post-exertional malaise in long COVID.

Appelman, Brent, Charlton, Braeden T, Goulding, Richie P et al.·Nature communications·2024

This study looked at muscle tissue changes in long COVID patients, particularly focusing on post-exertional malaise (PEM)—the worsening of fatigue and pain after activity. Researchers found that muscles in long COVID patients showed structural damage, metabolic problems, and unusual deposits that got worse after activity triggered PEM. These findings help explain why exertion makes symptoms worse in some long COVID patients.

Energy MetabolismPost-Exertional Malaise

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Evidence Atlas

Evidence browser

Discriminating Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and comorbid conditions using metabolomics in UK Biobank.

Factors associated with having previously received a diagnosis of fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome and irritable bowel syndrome: A cross sectional DanFunD study.

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

["The idea of rehabilitation will have to be completely rethought for this illness" - Qualitative results of an online survey on patients' experiences with inpatient rehabilitation for post COVID-19 condition (long COVID)].

[What Medical Specialties do ME/CFS Sufferers Consult? A Public Health Study on the need for Better Medical Education and Training].

How Long Is Long COVID? Evaluation of Long-Term Health Status in Individuals Discharged from a Specialist Community Long COVID Service.

Association of physical symptoms with accelerometer-measured movement behaviors and functional capacity in individuals with Long COVID.

The economic burden of long COVID in Australia: more noise than signal?

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

A pilot cross-sectional investigation of symptom clusters and associations with patient-reported outcomes in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Post COVID-19 Condition.

Metabolomic and immune alterations in long COVID patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Comorbidity and sex differences in functional disorders and internalizing disorders.

The Cardiac Output-Cerebral Blood Flow Relationship Is Abnormal in Most Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Patients with a Normal Heart Rate and Blood Pressure Response During a Tilt Test.

Dry eye symptoms and signs in United States Gulf War era veterans with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Cognitive reserve as a protective factor against cognitive impairment in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Cluster analysis of long COVID symptoms for deciphering a syndrome and its long-term consequence.

Classification Accuracy and Description of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome in an Integrated Health Care System, 2006-2017.

What is the occupational impact of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome for adults living in Australia?

Functional and Morphological Differences of Muscle Mitochondria in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Post-COVID Syndrome.

Muscle abnormalities worsen after post-exertional malaise in long COVID.

Curated Collections

Neuroinflammation Evidence

Metabolism & Mitochondria

Biomarkers

PEM-Specific Research