ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

2807 studies

501–520 of 2,807 studies

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

High Perceived Stress and Low Self-Efficacy are Associated with Functional Somatic Disorders: The DanFunD Study.

Petersen, Marie Weinreich, Carstensen, Tina Birgitte Wisbech, Frostholm, Lisbeth et al.·Clinical epidemiology·2023

This study of over 9,600 Danish people examined whether stress and confidence in one's abilities are connected to functional somatic disorders—conditions like chronic fatigue, widespread pain, and irritable bowel syndrome where symptoms are real but don't have a clear physical cause. The researchers found that people with these conditions tend to feel more stressed and have lower confidence in their abilities compared to healthy people, though their stress levels were not necessarily higher than people with serious physical diseases.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Evidence of a Novel Mitochondrial Signature in Systemic Sclerosis Patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

van Eeden, Charmaine, Redmond, Desiree, Mohazab, Naima et al.·International journal of molecular sciences·2023

This study looked at people with a connective tissue disease called systemic sclerosis who also experience severe fatigue (ME/CFS symptoms). Researchers found that fatigued patients had different patterns in how their cells' energy-producing structures (mitochondria) work compared to non-fatigued patients. These differences involved specific genes related to energy production, suggesting that measuring these genes might help doctors identify which systemic sclerosis patients have ME/CFS.

Biomarkers

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Severe and Very Severe Myalgic Encephalopathy/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome ME/CFS in Norway: Symptom Burden and Access to Care.

Sommerfelt, Kristian, Schei, Trude, Angelsen, Arild·Journal of clinical medicine·2023

This Norwegian study surveyed 491 patients with severe ME/CFS and their family caregivers to understand how the disease affects their daily lives and what support they receive. The researchers found that the most severely ill patients are often completely bedridden, unable to speak, and experience severe symptom flare-ups from even minimal activity or sensory stimulation. Many patients and caregivers reported that healthcare services were inadequate or sometimes made symptoms worse, though some found help from occupational therapists and family doctors useful.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearObservational

Low-dose naltrexone use for the management of post-acute sequelae of COVID-19.

Bonilla, Hector, Tian, Lu, Marconi, Vincent C et al.·International immunopharmacology·2023

This study looked at whether a medication called low-dose naltrexone (LDN) might help people with long COVID symptoms. Researchers reviewed 59 patients who took LDN and found that those who used it reported fewer overall symptoms, felt less fatigue and brain fog, experienced better sleep, and had improved ability to do daily activities. While these early results are encouraging, the study was not designed like a typical clinical trial, so more rigorous testing is needed to know if LDN truly works.

Immune SystemPost-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearObservational

Pre-pandemic activity on a myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome support forum is highly associated with later activity on a long COVID support forum for a variety of reasons: A mixed methods study.

Meyerson, William U, Hoyle, Rick H·PloS one·2023

This study found that people with ME/CFS who were active on online support forums before the COVID-19 pandemic were much more likely to later join long COVID support forums than people from other health communities. By examining nearly 7,500 Reddit users, researchers discovered that previous ME/CFS forum activity was the strongest predictor of who would participate in long COVID communities. People shared that they joined both communities to find support from others with similar experiences and because they hoped long COVID's increased public attention might help validate ME/CFS as a real illness.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredLongitudinal

Increased risk of chronic fatigue syndrome following infection: a 17-year population-based cohort study.

Chang, Hsun, Kuo, Chien-Feng, Yu, Teng-Shun et al.·Journal of translational medicine·2023

This large study from Taiwan tracked nearly 400,000 people over 17 years to see if getting an infection increased their chances of developing ME/CFS. Researchers found that people who had certain infections—including chickenpox, tuberculosis, flu, and common bacterial infections—were about 1.5 times more likely to develop ME/CFS compared to people without these infections. Interestingly, people who took certain antibiotics had lower rates of ME/CFS, suggesting that some infections may trigger ME/CFS in some people.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredObservational

Predictors of Long COVID in Patients without Comorbidities: Data from the Polish Long-COVID Cardiovascular (PoLoCOV-CVD) Study.

Chudzik, Michał, Lewek, Joanna, Kapusta, Joanna et al.·Journal of clinical medicine·2022

This study followed 488 people without serious health conditions after they recovered from COVID-19 to see who developed Long COVID symptoms. Researchers found that people who had a severe acute COVID-19 illness, higher body weight, and joint pain during their initial infection were more likely to develop Long COVID. About 45% of those who developed Long COVID had symptoms that persisted beyond the follow-up period.

Long COVID Overlap

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

The psychological features of distinct somatic syndromes: A cluster analysis according to population-based somatic symptom profiles in Taiwan.

Huang, Wei-Lieh, Chang, Shu-Sen, Liao, Shih-Cheng·Journal of the Formosan Medical Association = Taiwan yi zhi·2022

This study looked at whether different types of physical symptoms (like fatigue, pain, digestive problems, and heart-related symptoms) represent separate conditions or are all part of one bigger syndrome. Researchers analyzed survey data from 550 people in Taiwan and found that people tend to cluster into four different groups based on their symptom patterns, and each group had different levels of depression, anxiety, and health worry.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

No difference in serum levels of B-cell activating receptor and antibodies against cytolethal distending toxin B and flagellin in post-infectious irritable bowel syndrome and chronic fatigue syndrome after Giardia infection.

Hanevik, Kurt, Saghaug, Christina, Aaland, Maren et al.·JGH open : an open access journal of gastroenterology and hepatology·2022

This study looked for three potential biological markers (BAFF, anti-CdtB, and anti-flagellin antibodies) in the blood of people who developed ME/CFS and/or IBS after a Giardia infection. Researchers compared these markers in patients to healthy controls but found no significant differences between the groups. The findings suggest these three markers are not useful for diagnosing ME/CFS or IBS.

BiomarkersImmune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Regional gray matter volume correlates to physical and mental fatigue in healthy middle-aged adults.

Putra, Handityo Aulia, Park, Kaechang, Yamashita, Fumio et al.·Neuroimage. Reports·2022

Researchers used brain scans to examine whether the size of certain brain regions relates to how tired people feel, both physically and mentally. In a large group of nearly 1,900 healthy middle-aged adults, they found that specific brain areas showed different sizes depending on fatigue levels—some areas were smaller in people reporting more fatigue, while others were larger. This suggests that brain structure may be connected to how tired we feel, even before someone develops a condition like ME/CFS.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM requiredObservational

Long-term neuromuscular consequences of SARS-Cov-2 and their similarities with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome: results of the retrospective CoLGEM study.

Retornaz, Frédérique, Rebaudet, Stanislas, Stavris, Chloé et al.·Journal of translational medicine·2022

This study found that long-COVID patients and ME/CFS patients have very similar symptoms and muscle problems. Researchers measured electrical activity in leg muscles during and after exercise in both groups and found comparable patterns of muscle fatigue. This suggests that COVID-19 infection may trigger ME/CFS-like illness in some people.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearObservational

Activity monitoring and patient-reported outcome measures in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome patients.

Rekeland, Ingrid G, Sørland, Kari, Bruland, Ove et al.·PloS one·2022

This study tracked 27 ME/CFS patients for six months using Fitbit activity monitors and questionnaires to understand how symptoms vary day-to-day and whether activity data matches what patients report. Researchers found that people with milder disease had larger swings in their activity levels week-to-week, while those with severe disease stayed consistently low. Activity monitoring proved feasible and useful as a tool alongside patient surveys.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredObservational

Vaccine Vigilance System: Considerations on the Effectiveness of Vigilance Data Use in COVID-19 Vaccination.

Araja, Diana, Krumina, Angelika, Nora-Krukle, Zaiga et al.·Vaccines·2022

Researchers analyzed publicly available European vaccine safety reports to see which health problems were most commonly reported after COVID-19 vaccination. They found that the most frequently reported issues involved general symptoms (like injection site reactions and fever), nervous system problems (like headaches), and muscle/joint pain. The study notes that while ME/CFS wasn't specifically tracked in the database, reports of chronic fatigue syndrome were present and could be studied.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

The Relationship between Physical Activity and Long COVID: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Wright, Jack, Astill, Sarah L, Sivan, Manoj·International journal of environmental research and public health·2022

This study asked 477 people with Long COVID about their physical activity levels before and after illness, and how exercise affected their symptoms. Participants were much less active after getting Long COVID and needed more help with daily tasks. Most people (about 75%) reported that physical activity made their symptoms worse, while only about 1% said it improved them.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredLongitudinal

Altered Effective Connectivity of Resting-State Networks by Tai Chi Chuan in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Patients: A Multivariate Granger Causality Study.

Li, Yuanyuan, Wu, Kang, Hu, Xiaojie et al.·Frontiers in neurology·2022

This study looked at how a traditional Chinese exercise called Tai Chi Chuan affects the brain in ME/CFS patients. Using brain imaging, researchers found that ME/CFS patients had weaker communication between two important brain networks compared to healthy people. After just one month of Tai Chi Chuan training, this brain communication improved, and patients reported better quality of life, especially with less pain and better physical function.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not required

Risk factors for suicide in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Johnson, Madeline L, Cotler, Joseph, Terman, Julia M et al.·Death studies·2022

This study looked at 64 people with ME/CFS to understand why some experience suicidal thoughts, with 17 having died by suicide. Researchers found that people who identified as having CFS (rather than ME), those with severe functional limitations, and those without other medical conditions were at higher risk. The study suggests that stigma around the illness and difficulty accessing care and support may contribute to these serious mental health risks.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection: relationship of central nervous system manifestations with physical disability and systemic inflammation.

Busatto, Geraldo F, de Araujo, Adriana Ladeira, Castaldelli-Maia, João Mauricio et al.·Psychological medicine·2022

Researchers studied 749 people who had been hospitalized with COVID-19 and assessed them 6-11 months later. They found that 30 different symptoms—including fatigue, brain fog, depression, and anxiety—tend to occur together as part of one underlying condition. People with more severe symptoms also showed signs of ongoing inflammation in their blood and had greater physical disability, suggesting a real biological basis for their illness.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Anti-Correlated Myelin-Sensitive MRI Levels in Humans Consistent with a Subcortical to Sensorimotor Regulatory Process-Multi-Cohort Multi-Modal Evidence.

Barnden, Leighton, Crouch, Benjamin, Kwiatek, Richard et al.·Brain sciences·2022

This study looked at brain scans from people with ME/CFS and healthy people to understand how the brain protects and maintains nerve fibers (myelin). Researchers found that healthy people show a balancing pattern: when one part of the brain has less myelin coverage, another part compensates by having more. The study suggests this balance may be disrupted in ME/CFS, which could contribute to symptom severity.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Brain fog of post-COVID-19 condition and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, same medical disorder?

Azcue, N, Gómez-Esteban, J C, Acera, M et al.·Journal of translational medicine·2022

This study compared brain fog and fatigue symptoms in people with ME/CFS and those recovering from COVID-19 to see if they might be the same condition triggered by different causes. Both groups showed similar problems with fatigue, sleep, and muscle pain, but people with ME/CFS had more severe cognitive difficulties like trouble concentrating and processing information. Interestingly, loss of smell that lasted a long time in COVID-19 patients appeared connected to their cognitive problems.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM unclearObservational

Graded exercise therapy for patients with chronic fatigue syndrome in secondary care - a benchmarking study.

Smakowski, Abigail, Adamson, James, Turner, Tracey et al.·Disability and rehabilitation·2022

This study looked at how graded exercise therapy (gradually increasing physical activity) helped ME/CFS patients who were treated at a specialist clinic in London. Researchers tracked patients' fatigue levels, physical ability, and ability to work and socialize over the course of treatment. The results showed that patients improved significantly, with fatigue decreasing and daily functioning improving by the end of treatment.

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High Perceived Stress and Low Self-Efficacy are Associated with Functional Somatic Disorders: The DanFunD Study.

Evidence of a Novel Mitochondrial Signature in Systemic Sclerosis Patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Severe and Very Severe Myalgic Encephalopathy/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome ME/CFS in Norway: Symptom Burden and Access to Care.

Low-dose naltrexone use for the management of post-acute sequelae of COVID-19.

Pre-pandemic activity on a myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome support forum is highly associated with later activity on a long COVID support forum for a variety of reasons: A mixed methods study.

Increased risk of chronic fatigue syndrome following infection: a 17-year population-based cohort study.

Predictors of Long COVID in Patients without Comorbidities: Data from the Polish Long-COVID Cardiovascular (PoLoCOV-CVD) Study.

The psychological features of distinct somatic syndromes: A cluster analysis according to population-based somatic symptom profiles in Taiwan.

No difference in serum levels of B-cell activating receptor and antibodies against cytolethal distending toxin B and flagellin in post-infectious irritable bowel syndrome and chronic fatigue syndrome after Giardia infection.

Regional gray matter volume correlates to physical and mental fatigue in healthy middle-aged adults.

Long-term neuromuscular consequences of SARS-Cov-2 and their similarities with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome: results of the retrospective CoLGEM study.

Activity monitoring and patient-reported outcome measures in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome patients.

Vaccine Vigilance System: Considerations on the Effectiveness of Vigilance Data Use in COVID-19 Vaccination.

The Relationship between Physical Activity and Long COVID: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Altered Effective Connectivity of Resting-State Networks by Tai Chi Chuan in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Patients: A Multivariate Granger Causality Study.

Risk factors for suicide in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection: relationship of central nervous system manifestations with physical disability and systemic inflammation.

Anti-Correlated Myelin-Sensitive MRI Levels in Humans Consistent with a Subcortical to Sensorimotor Regulatory Process-Multi-Cohort Multi-Modal Evidence.

Brain fog of post-COVID-19 condition and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, same medical disorder?

Graded exercise therapy for patients with chronic fatigue syndrome in secondary care - a benchmarking study.

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