ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

2795 studies

601–620 of 2,795 studies

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

Saliva antibody-fingerprint of reactivated latent viruses after mild/asymptomatic COVID-19 is unique in patients with myalgic-encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Apostolou, Eirini, Rizwan, Muhammad, Moustardas, Petros et al.·Frontiers in immunology·2022

This study found that people with ME/CFS have a different immune response to COVID-19 compared to healthy people, even when the COVID infection is mild. Specifically, the researchers discovered that after COVID-19, dormant viruses (like EBV and others) reactivate more strongly in people with ME/CFS, as shown by antibody patterns in saliva. This suggests that COVID-19 may trigger hidden virus reactivation that could contribute to fatigue symptoms in ME/CFS patients.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Pathway Phenotypes Underpinning Depression, Anxiety, and Chronic Fatigue Symptoms Due to Acute Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Precision Nomothetic Psychiatry Analysis.

Smesam, Hasan Najah, Qazmooz, Hasan Abbas, Khayoon, Sinan Qayes et al.·Journal of personalized medicine·2022

This study looked at 118 people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA, an autoimmune disease affecting joints) and 50 healthy people to understand why RA patients often experience depression, anxiety, and fatigue. Researchers measured immune system markers and psychological symptoms, finding that about 70% of these mental and fatigue symptoms could be explained by the same immune system problems that cause RA itself.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Post-COVID-19 Syndrome: Retinal Microcirculation as a Potential Marker for Chronic Fatigue.

Schlick, Sarah, Lucio, Marianna, Wallukat, Gerd et al.·International journal of molecular sciences·2022

Researchers studied whether tiny blood vessels in the eye could be a measurable sign of fatigue in people with long COVID. Using a special imaging technique to look at blood vessels in the retina (back of the eye), they found that people with long COVID—especially women—had reduced blood flow in these tiny vessels compared to healthy people. Those with long COVID who reported severe fatigue had even lower blood vessel density than those with milder fatigue, suggesting the eye scan might objectively confirm what patients report feeling.

Biomarkers

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Long COVID: Association of Functional Autoantibodies against G-Protein-Coupled Receptors with an Impaired Retinal Microcirculation.

Szewczykowski, Charlotte, Mardin, Christian, Lucio, Marianna et al.·International journal of molecular sciences·2022

Some people with Long COVID have abnormal immune proteins called autoantibodies that attack blood vessel control systems in their bodies. This study found that patients with these specific autoantibodies had reduced blood flow in the tiny vessels at the back of the eye, which may reflect similar problems throughout their whole body and could explain some of their symptoms.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearObservational

Pre-illness data reveals differences in multiple metabolites and metabolic pathways in those who do and do not recover from infectious mononucleosis.

Jason, Leonard A, Conroy, Karl E, Furst, Jacob et al.·Molecular omics·2022

This study looked at blood samples taken from college students before they got sick to see if certain chemical markers could predict who would recover from mononucleosis and who would develop ME/CFS instead. Researchers found that people who later developed ME/CFS had different levels of certain chemicals in their blood before they even got sick, particularly those involved in energy production and immune function. Using a computer model based on these chemical differences, they could correctly predict with 97% accuracy which people would recover and which would develop ME/CFS.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearObservational

The Impact of COVID Vaccination on Symptoms of Long COVID: An International Survey of People with Lived Experience of Long COVID.

Strain, William David, Sherwood, Ondine, Banerjee, Amitava et al.·Vaccines·2022

This survey asked 812 people with long COVID about how COVID-19 vaccination affected their symptoms. Overall, 58% reported feeling better after vaccination, 18% felt worse, and the rest noticed no change. People who received mRNA vaccines (like Pfizer and Moderna) tended to see more improvement than those who received other types of vaccines. However, responses varied greatly from person to person.

Immune System

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 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 unclearCross-Sectional

Lowered Quality of Life in Long COVID Is Predicted by Affective Symptoms, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Inflammation and Neuroimmunotoxic Pathways.

Maes, Michael, Al-Rubaye, Haneen Tahseen, Almulla, Abbas F et al.·International journal of environmental research and public health·2022

This study found that Long COVID patients have significantly lower quality of life compared to healthy people, and this decline is mostly explained by three factors: mood and pain-related symptoms (like depression, anxiety, and fatigue), signs of ongoing inflammation in the body, and problems with how the body processes calcium. The severity of the initial infection—measured by high fever and low oxygen levels—also plays a role by triggering these inflammatory and immune problems that persist afterward.

NeuroinflammationImmune System

E2 ModerateDiagnosticPEM not requiredMethods-Paper

Comparison of assessment scores for fatigue between multidimensional fatigue inventory (MFI-K) and modified chalder fatigue scale (mKCFQ).

Lim, Eun-Jin, Son, Chang-Gue·Journal of translational medicine·2022

This study compared two questionnaires used to measure fatigue: the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory (MFI-K) and the modified Chalder Fatigue Scale (mKCFQ). Researchers asked 70 people with varying levels of fatigue to complete both questionnaires and then analyzed how similarly the two tools measured fatigue. Both questionnaires showed strong agreement overall, but they measured different aspects of fatigue with varying accuracy.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Exposure-response relationship between K. brevis blooms and reporting of upper respiratory and neurotoxin-associated symptoms.

Abdullah, L, Ferguson, S, Niedospial, D et al.·Harmful algae·2022

Researchers studied whether harmful algal blooms caused by Karenia brevis (a type of seaweed) in Florida's Gulf waters trigger respiratory symptoms, headaches, and nerve-related illness symptoms in people living nearby. They surveyed 258 residents in five coastal counties and found a clear link: when blooms were stronger, more people reported these symptoms. People with previous diagnoses of migraines, chronic fatigue syndrome, or memory problems were more likely to report these symptoms during blooms.

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 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredObservational

Genetic association study in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) identifies several potential risk loci.

Hajdarevic, Riad, Lande, Asgeir, Mehlsen, Jesper et al.·Brain, behavior, and immunity·2022

Researchers studied the genes of nearly 3,000 ME/CFS patients from Norway, Denmark, and the UK to find genetic factors that might increase the risk of developing the disease. While they found some interesting patterns in a gene called TPPP that appeared in multiple study groups, none of the findings were strong enough to definitively prove they cause ME/CFS. This study is the largest genetic search for ME/CFS risk factors conducted so far, but more research with even larger groups of patients will be needed to find reliable genetic clues.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM requiredCross-Sectional

Activity measurement in pediatric chronic fatigue syndrome.

Loiacono, Bernardo, Sunnquist, Madison, Nicholson, Laura et al.·Chronic illness·2022

This study compared how active children with ME/CFS are compared to healthy children. Researchers used activity tracking devices and asked children to report their own activity levels. Children with ME/CFS were less active overall and had unusual sleep-wake patterns, with more activity at night and delayed activity during the day. The good news is that children with ME/CFS could accurately report their own activity levels.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModeratePEM unclearRegistry-Resource

The Facilitation of Clinical and Therapeutic Discoveries in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Related Diseases: Protocol for the You + ME Registry Research Platform.

Ramiller, Allison, Mudie, Kathleen, Seibert, Elle et al.·JMIR research protocols·2022

Researchers created a registry called 'You + ME' to collect health information from thousands of people with ME/CFS, long COVID, and healthy volunteers over time. By gathering this large amount of data in one place, researchers hope to better understand why people get sick differently and develop new treatments. As of September 2021, over 4,200 people had joined, with most participants finding the registry helpful and likely to recommend it to others.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredObservational

Clinical characteristics of patients with unexplainable hypothalamic disorder diagnosed by the corticotropin-releasing hormone challenge test: a retrospective study.

Hataya, Yuji, Okubo, Marie, Hakata, Takuro et al.·BMC endocrine disorders·2022

Researchers used a special hormone test (CRH challenge test) to study a group of young women with chronic fatigue who had unusual patterns in their stress hormone system. They found that these patients had a mild form of adrenal insufficiency—their bodies weren't producing quite enough cortisol—but giving them cortisol supplements only helped some of them feel less fatigued. This suggests that their fatigue might involve more than just low cortisol levels.

Endocrine Disruption

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Associations of physical and psychiatric conditions with chronic fatigue syndrome in Germany: an exploratory case-control study.

Jacob, Louis, Haro, Josep Maria, Kostev, Karel·Psychological medicine·2022

Researchers in Germany studied nearly 20,000 adults to see which health conditions are linked to developing ME/CFS. They compared people newly diagnosed with ME/CFS to similar people without it, looking at health problems they had in the year before diagnosis. They found that cancer, sleep disorders, and depression were the conditions most strongly associated with ME/CFS.

Sleep

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Virtual Consultations: Young People and Their Parents' Experience.

Proulx-Cabana, Stephanie, Segal, Terry Yvonne, Gregorowski, Anna et al.·Adolescent health, medicine and therapeutics·2021

This study asked 50 young people (ages 10-18) and their families in the UK about their experience with doctor visits done online instead of in person. Most felt prepared for the visits, found them helpful, and felt private. Many liked that they didn't have to travel and could continue seeing the same doctor, but only about one-third got to speak privately with their doctor without a parent present.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Long COVID and chronic fatigue syndrome: A survey of elderly female survivors in Egypt.

Aly, Menna A E G, Saber, Heba G·International journal of clinical practice·2021

This study looked at 115 elderly women in Egypt who had recovered from COVID-19 to see if their lingering symptoms might lead to chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). Most women reported problems like fatigue, muscle pain, and sleep trouble after COVID, and the study found that stress, sadness, and poor sleep were most strongly linked to developing CFS-like symptoms. Only one person in the study actually met full criteria for probable CFS, but the researchers suggest doctors should watch for these warning signs in long COVID patients.

SleepCognitive Impairment

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Evidence browser

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

Saliva antibody-fingerprint of reactivated latent viruses after mild/asymptomatic COVID-19 is unique in patients with myalgic-encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Pathway Phenotypes Underpinning Depression, Anxiety, and Chronic Fatigue Symptoms Due to Acute Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Precision Nomothetic Psychiatry Analysis.

Post-COVID-19 Syndrome: Retinal Microcirculation as a Potential Marker for Chronic Fatigue.

Long COVID: Association of Functional Autoantibodies against G-Protein-Coupled Receptors with an Impaired Retinal Microcirculation.

Pre-illness data reveals differences in multiple metabolites and metabolic pathways in those who do and do not recover from infectious mononucleosis.

The Impact of COVID Vaccination on Symptoms of Long COVID: An International Survey of People with Lived Experience of Long COVID.

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

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

Lowered Quality of Life in Long COVID Is Predicted by Affective Symptoms, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Inflammation and Neuroimmunotoxic Pathways.

Comparison of assessment scores for fatigue between multidimensional fatigue inventory (MFI-K) and modified chalder fatigue scale (mKCFQ).

Exposure-response relationship between K. brevis blooms and reporting of upper respiratory and neurotoxin-associated symptoms.

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

Genetic association study in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) identifies several potential risk loci.

Activity measurement in pediatric chronic fatigue syndrome.

The Facilitation of Clinical and Therapeutic Discoveries in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Related Diseases: Protocol for the You + ME Registry Research Platform.

Clinical characteristics of patients with unexplainable hypothalamic disorder diagnosed by the corticotropin-releasing hormone challenge test: a retrospective study.

Associations of physical and psychiatric conditions with chronic fatigue syndrome in Germany: an exploratory case-control study.

Virtual Consultations: Young People and Their Parents' Experience.

Long COVID and chronic fatigue syndrome: A survey of elderly female survivors in Egypt.

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