ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

2422 studies

161–180 of 2,422 studies

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

'She thought the same way I that I thought:' a qualitative study of patient-provider concordance among Gulf War Veterans with Gulf War Illness.

Lesnewich, Laura M, Hyde, Justeen K, McFarlin, Mikhaela L et al.·Psychology & health·2025

This study talked to 31 Gulf War Veterans with Gulf War Illness to understand what makes them feel heard and supported by their doctors. The researchers found that patients feel better about their care when doctors believe their symptoms are real, show they understand the condition, and build trust with them. When doctors dismissed patients' experiences or didn't know much about Gulf War Illness, it damaged the relationship and made treatment harder.

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

Hesperidin in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: An Integrated Analysis of Traditional Pharmacology and Machine Learning-Based Therapeutic Predictions.

El-Shiekh, Riham A, Mohamed, Ahmed F, Mandour, Asmaa A et al.·Chemistry & biodiversity·2025

This review examines hesperidin, a natural compound found in citrus fruits like oranges and lemons, and explores whether it might help people with ME/CFS. The authors describe hesperidin's known anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, then use computer algorithms to predict how well it might work for chronic fatigue. They suggest hesperidin could be a promising natural supplement worth studying further.

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM unclearCase-Control

Corticosteroids with low glucocorticoid activity as a potential therapeutic strategy for post-COVID-19 myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome in patients with bipolar affective disorder: A case report.

Nakajima, Kan, Ayani, Nobutaka, Matsuoka, Teruyuki et al.·PCN reports : psychiatry and clinical neurosciences·2025

This case report describes one patient with bipolar disorder who developed ME/CFS after COVID-19 and was treated with different types of steroid medications. Strong steroids (betamethasone and prednisolone) triggered a severe manic episode requiring hospitalization, but a weaker steroid (hydrocortisone) improved her fatigue without worsening her mood. The findings suggest that choosing the right type of steroid may be important for ME/CFS patients who also have mood disorders.

Endocrine Disruption

E3 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM not requiredMethods-Paper

Rasch analysis of the hospital anxiety and depression scale in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Bartholomew, Emerson J, Medvedev, Oleg N, Petrie, Keith J et al.·Journal of psychosomatic research·2025

This study tested whether a common questionnaire called the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) accurately measures anxiety and depression in people with ME/CFS. Researchers analyzed responses from 286 ME/CFS patients and found that the questionnaire works reasonably well, but they discovered that converting the scores into a different format makes the results more precise and reliable for clinical use.

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM unclearObservational

Plasma cell targeting with the anti-CD38 antibody daratumumab in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome-a clinical pilot study.

Fluge, Øystein, Rekeland, Ingrid Gurvin, Sørland, Kari et al.·Frontiers in medicine·2025

Researchers tested a drug called daratumumab that targets specific immune cells (plasma cells) in 10 ME/CFS patients to see if removing these cells could improve symptoms. Six patients experienced significant improvement in fatigue, physical function, and daily activity levels after treatment, while four showed no major changes. The drug was well-tolerated with no serious side effects, and improvements were sustained over 8-24 months of follow-up.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Autonomic phenotyping, brain blood flow control, and cognitive-motor-integration in Long COVID and myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome: A pilot study.

Badhwar, Smriti, Pereira, Tania J, Kerr, Kathleen et al.·Autonomic neuroscience : basic & clinical·2025

This study compared how the nervous systems of ME/CFS patients, Long COVID patients, and healthy people respond to physical stress tests like breathing different air mixtures and tilting upright. The researchers found that ME/CFS and Long COVID patients had different patterns of problems: ME/CFS patients showed difficulty controlling blood flow to the brain during one test, which was linked to coordination problems, while Long COVID patients had lower oxygen levels when upright and their nervous systems didn't adapt as well.

Autonomic Nervous SystemCognitive Impairment

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM unclearMechanistic

Metabolic adaptation and fragility in healthy 3Din vitroskeletal muscle tissues exposed to chronic fatigue syndrome and Long COVID-19 sera.

Mughal, Sheeza, Andújar-Sánchez, Félix, Sabater-Arcis, Maria et al.·Biofabrication·2025

Researchers grew human muscle tissue in the laboratory and exposed it to blood from ME/CFS and Long COVID patients to see what happens. They found that muscle exposed to patient blood initially tries to work harder by burning more fuel, but over time the muscle becomes weak and fragile. The mitochondria (the energy-producing structures in cells) also change shape and stop working properly, suggesting the muscle is struggling under stress.

Energy Metabolism

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredMechanistic

Direct effects of prolonged TNF-α and IL-6 exposure on neural activity in human iPSC-derived neuron-astrocyte co-cultures.

Goshi, Noah, Lam, Doris, Bogguri, Chandrakumar et al.·Frontiers in cellular neuroscience·2025

This study looked at how two inflammatory chemicals (TNF-α and IL-6) that are elevated in ME/CFS and long-COVID patients affect brain cells. Researchers grew human brain cells in the lab and exposed them to these chemicals for several days. They found that these inflammatory chemicals changed how the brain cells communicate with each other, which could help explain why patients experience cognitive problems like brain fog and difficulty concentrating.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredMechanistic

Exploring the anti-fatigue properties of ginseng stem and leaf saponins: Using UHPLC-MS metabolomics and neurotransmitter analysis.

Zhang, Meng, Liu, Rui, Zhou, Ting et al.·Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology·2025

Researchers tested whether ginseng stem and leaf saponins (a compound from ginseng plants) could help treat chronic fatigue syndrome in mice. They found that this compound improved swimming endurance, protected the liver and brain from damage, reduced harmful substances in the body, and restored balance to brain chemicals that are often abnormal in fatigue conditions.

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM requiredReview-Narrative

Advocating the role of trained immunity in the pathogenesis of ME/CFS: a mini review.

Humer, Bart, Dik, Willem A, Versnel, Marjan A·Frontiers in immunology·2025

This review explores how a single severe infection might trigger long-term changes in the immune system that could lead to ME/CFS. After infection, immune cells can become 'trained' to overreact to future triggers, potentially causing the chronic symptoms patients experience. The researchers suggest this overactive immune response might explain why about 60% of ME/CFS patients remember getting sick before their symptoms started.

Immune SystemPost-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Review of Neuroimaging Methods in ME/CFS.

Thapaliya, Kiran, Inderyas, Maira, Barnden, Leighton·Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.)·2025

This review examines different brain imaging techniques that have been used to study ME/CFS and detect changes in the brain. Researchers have used three main types of imaging: MRI (which takes detailed pictures of brain structure), PET and SPECT (which show how brain activity and chemicals function). These studies have found subtle but measurable differences in the brains of people with ME/CFS compared to healthy controls.

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Monitoring of cardiorespiratory vagal desynchrony using novel biomarkers derived from smartwatch electrocardiograms in a patient recovering from long COVID: case report.

Kranck, Gustaf, Ståhlberg, Marcus, Andersson, Ulf et al.·European heart journal. Case reports·2025

Researchers tracked one long COVID patient over time using a smartwatch to record heart activity while he was sitting and standing. They noticed that when his fatigue improved, his heart's electrical patterns also normalized, suggesting smartwatch recordings could help monitor autonomic dysfunction (when the nervous system struggles to control heart rate and blood pressure). This simple at-home method may offer a practical way for patients to track their own recovery.

Autonomic Nervous System

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM requiredCross-Sectional

Neurodevelopment Genes Encoding Olduvai Domains Link Myalgic Encephalomyelitis to Neuropsychiatric Disorders.

Arcos-Burgos, Mauricio, Arcos-Holzinger, Mauricio, Mastronardi, Claudio et al.·Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland)·2025

Researchers compared DNA samples from 77 Australian ME/CFS patients with genetic databases to identify differences that might explain the disease. They found that certain genes involved in brain development—particularly those encoding special protein structures called Olduvai domains—were associated with ME/CFS. When they checked these findings in a separate U.S. patient group, they confirmed several of the same genetic associations, suggesting these genes may play a role in ME/CFS.

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

Myopraktikk (NO): A Narrative Review and Conceptual Hypothesis on Intrafasciomembranal Fluid Pressure, Biotensegrity, and Immediate Remote Myofascial Responses.

Hopen, Stig Runar, Mjøen, Tor Arne·Cureus·2025

This article proposes a new theory about muscle pain and stiffness called Myopraktikk, which focuses on fluid pressure building up in the spaces around muscles. The authors suggest that when fluid pressure increases in these areas, it can cause muscles to feel tight, knotted, and painful—similar to what happens in conditions like ME/CFS and fibromyalgia. According to their hypothesis, releasing this pressure through manual treatment may help reduce symptoms in both the treated area and elsewhere in the body.

Pain and Sensitization

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Autoantibody targeting therapies in post COVID syndrome and myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Wohlrab, Felix, Eltity, Mailam, Ufer, Friederike et al.·Expert opinion on biological therapy·2025

This article reviews how certain immune system proteins called autoantibodies—which the body mistakenly makes against itself—may contribute to both long COVID and ME/CFS. The authors discuss different treatment approaches that aim to reduce or neutralize these harmful autoantibodies. This editorial examines the current evidence and potential of these new therapies to help patients with these conditions.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Metabolomics-Based Machine Learning Diagnostics of Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 Infection.

Cai, Ethan, Kouznetsova, Valentina L, Tsigelny, Igor F·Metabolites·2025

Researchers developed a computer program that can identify Long COVID (PASC) by analyzing chemical markers in the blood called metabolites. The program successfully distinguished Long COVID from several similar conditions like Lyme disease and POTS, but had difficulty telling Long COVID apart from fibromyalgia, suggesting these two conditions may share similar chemical patterns in the body.

Biomarkers

E3 PreliminaryCommentaryPEM requiredEditorial

mTORC1 syndrome (TorS): unifying paradigm for PASC, ME/CFS and PAIS.

Bar-Tana, Jacob·Journal of translational medicine·2025

This study proposes that ME/CFS, Long COVID, and similar post-infection illnesses may all be caused by the same underlying problem: excessive activity of a cellular control system called mTORC1. The authors suggest that if this overactive system is the shared driver of these conditions, it could explain why patients experience fatigue, worsening after exercise, pain, heart rate changes, and brain fog—and it might point toward new treatments.

Energy MetabolismPost-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Creatine and post-viral fatigue syndrome: an update.

Ostojic, Sergej M, Candow, Daren G, Tarnopolsky, Mark A·Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition·2025

This review examines how creatine—a natural substance that helps muscles produce energy—might help people with post-viral fatigue syndrome (the prolonged exhaustion that can follow viral infections like COVID-19). The researchers found that people with this condition often have problems with how their body produces and uses energy, particularly in the mitochondria (the cell's power centers). They suggest that taking creatine supplements could help restore energy production and reduce symptoms like fatigue and brain fog.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Upregulation of olfactory receptors and neuronal-associated genes highlights complex immune and neuronal dysregulation in Long COVID patients.

Shahbaz, Shima, Rezaeifar, Maryam, Syed, Hussein et al.·Brain, behavior, and immunity·2025

Researchers studied blood samples from Long COVID patients with ME/CFS-like symptoms and compared them to healthy controls. They found that certain genes related to immune function and brain health were turned on in the patients, while others were turned off. The study also discovered unusual activation of smell-related genes and changes in immune cell types, suggesting the body remains in a state of ongoing inflammation and stress.

NeuroinflammationBiomarkersImmune System

E3 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM unclear

Voice of the patient: people with myalgic encephalomyelitis/ chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) share in their own words.

Brimmer, Dana J, Lin, Jin-Mann S, Unger, Elizabeth R·Fatigue : biomedicine, health & behavior·2025

Researchers created a respectful way to collect and share stories directly from people living with ME/CFS in their own words. Over four years, eight patient stories were completed and shared on the CDC website, where they were read more than 196,000 times. This study shows that patients appreciate having their voices heard and can help educate others about what it's really like to live with ME/CFS.

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'She thought the same way I that I thought:' a qualitative study of patient-provider concordance among Gulf War Veterans with Gulf War Illness.

Hesperidin in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: An Integrated Analysis of Traditional Pharmacology and Machine Learning-Based Therapeutic Predictions.

Corticosteroids with low glucocorticoid activity as a potential therapeutic strategy for post-COVID-19 myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome in patients with bipolar affective disorder: A case report.

Rasch analysis of the hospital anxiety and depression scale in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Plasma cell targeting with the anti-CD38 antibody daratumumab in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome-a clinical pilot study.

Autonomic phenotyping, brain blood flow control, and cognitive-motor-integration in Long COVID and myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome: A pilot study.

Metabolic adaptation and fragility in healthy 3Din vitroskeletal muscle tissues exposed to chronic fatigue syndrome and Long COVID-19 sera.

Direct effects of prolonged TNF-α and IL-6 exposure on neural activity in human iPSC-derived neuron-astrocyte co-cultures.

Exploring the anti-fatigue properties of ginseng stem and leaf saponins: Using UHPLC-MS metabolomics and neurotransmitter analysis.

Advocating the role of trained immunity in the pathogenesis of ME/CFS: a mini review.

Review of Neuroimaging Methods in ME/CFS.

Monitoring of cardiorespiratory vagal desynchrony using novel biomarkers derived from smartwatch electrocardiograms in a patient recovering from long COVID: case report.

Neurodevelopment Genes Encoding Olduvai Domains Link Myalgic Encephalomyelitis to Neuropsychiatric Disorders.

Myopraktikk (NO): A Narrative Review and Conceptual Hypothesis on Intrafasciomembranal Fluid Pressure, Biotensegrity, and Immediate Remote Myofascial Responses.

Autoantibody targeting therapies in post COVID syndrome and myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Metabolomics-Based Machine Learning Diagnostics of Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 Infection.

mTORC1 syndrome (TorS): unifying paradigm for PASC, ME/CFS and PAIS.

Creatine and post-viral fatigue syndrome: an update.

Upregulation of olfactory receptors and neuronal-associated genes highlights complex immune and neuronal dysregulation in Long COVID patients.

Voice of the patient: people with myalgic encephalomyelitis/ chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) share in their own words.

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