ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

2768 studies

261–280 of 2,768 studies

Identifying the mental health burden in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) patients in Switzerland: A pilot study.

König, Rahel Susanne, Paris, Daniel Henry, Sollberger, Marc et al.·Heliyon·2024

This Swiss study surveyed 169 ME/CFS patients to understand how the disease affects their mental health and well-being. The researchers found that most patients experience significant emotional challenges, including sadness, hopelessness, and concerning rates of suicidal thoughts, often because others don't believe or understand their illness. The study shows that ME/CFS creates serious mental health burdens beyond just physical symptoms, and patients urgently need better medical, psychological, and social support.

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 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 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 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

E2 ModerateCohortPEM requiredLongitudinal

Cognitive assessment in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS): a cognitive substudy of the multi-site clinical assessment of ME/CFS (MCAM).

Lange, Gudrun, Lin, Jin-Mann S, Chen, Yang et al.·Frontiers in neuroscience·2024

This study tested cognitive function (thinking and memory skills) in 261 people with ME/CFS and 165 healthy people using a computer-based screening test. Researchers found that people with ME/CFS process information more slowly than healthy people, but their accuracy was similar. Importantly, a single intense exercise test did not make cognitive problems worse, though the full clinic visit itself did cause some cognitive decline in both groups.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Plasma Neurofilament Light Chain: A Potential Biomarker for Neurological Dysfunction in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Azcue, Naiara, Tijero-Merino, Beatriz, Acera, Marian et al.·Biomedicines·2024

Researchers measured a protein called neurofilament light chain (NfL) in the blood of ME/CFS patients and healthy people. They found that ME/CFS patients had higher levels of this protein, which suggests nerve damage in the brain and nervous system. The patients with higher NfL levels also had more problems with memory, thinking clearly, and with their autonomic nervous system (the part that controls heart rate and other automatic body functions).

Autonomic Nervous SystemCognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM requiredObservational

Fatigue and symptom-based clusters in post COVID-19 patients: a multicentre, prospective, observational cohort study.

Cornelissen, Merel E B, Bloemsma, Lizan D, Vaes, Anouk W et al.·Journal of translational medicine·2024

This study followed 95 Dutch patients with long COVID for up to 18 months after their initial SARS-CoV-2 infection. Most patients experienced persistent fatigue, along with sleep problems, pain, and cognitive difficulties. Interestingly, over half of these patients met the diagnostic criteria for ME/CFS, and their symptom patterns resembled those seen in people with ME/CFS.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModeratePEM unclearRegistry-Resource

Clinical and Diagnostic Features of Post-Acute COVID-19 Vaccination Syndrome (PACVS).

Mundorf, Anna Katharina, Semmler, Amelie, Heidecke, Harald et al.·Vaccines·2024

This study looked at 191 people who developed long-term illness after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine, a rare condition affecting about 2 in 10,000 vaccinated people. The most common symptoms were extreme tiredness and overall malaise (affecting over 80%), along with problems like nerve pain, heart issues, and cognitive difficulties. The researchers found that many of these patients meet the criteria for ME/CFS, though some appear to have a different condition entirely.

Immune System

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

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 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

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

Association of circulating biomarkers with illness severity measures differentiates myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome and post-COVID-19 condition: a prospective pilot cohort study.

Domingo, Joan Carles, Battistini, Federica, Cordobilla, Begoña et al.·Journal of translational medicine·2024

This study compared blood markers and body responses between people with ME/CFS, people with long COVID, and healthy controls. Researchers found that people with ME/CFS had distinct patterns of inflammation and blood vessel dysfunction compared to long COVID patients, suggesting these are different conditions with different underlying problems. By measuring specific proteins in the blood and testing how the body responds to positional changes, researchers could tell the two patient groups apart.

BiomarkersImmune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Stroop task and practice effects demonstrate cognitive dysfunction in long COVID and myalgic encephalomyelitis / chronic fatigue syndrome.

Baraniuk, James N, Thapaliya, Kiran, Inderyas, Maira et al.·Scientific reports·2024

This study tested how quickly people with Long COVID and ME/CFS could complete a simple task involving reading color words displayed in different colored inks. Both patient groups were noticeably slower at this task than healthy people, and unlike healthy people, they didn't get faster with practice. This suggests that ME/CFS and Long COVID may involve a problem with how different parts of the brain communicate during problem-solving.

Cognitive Impairment

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Identifying the mental health burden in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) patients in Switzerland: A pilot study.

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

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.

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?

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

Cognitive assessment in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS): a cognitive substudy of the multi-site clinical assessment of ME/CFS (MCAM).

Plasma Neurofilament Light Chain: A Potential Biomarker for Neurological Dysfunction in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Fatigue and symptom-based clusters in post COVID-19 patients: a multicentre, prospective, observational cohort study.

Clinical and Diagnostic Features of Post-Acute COVID-19 Vaccination Syndrome (PACVS).

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

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.

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

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

Association of circulating biomarkers with illness severity measures differentiates myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome and post-COVID-19 condition: a prospective pilot cohort study.

Stroop task and practice effects demonstrate cognitive dysfunction in long COVID and myalgic encephalomyelitis / chronic fatigue syndrome.

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