ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

2420 studies

181–200 of 2,420 studies

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredMechanistic

Polymerized Type I Collagen Downregulates STAT-1 Phosphorylation Through Engagement with LAIR-1 in Circulating Monocytes, Avoiding Long COVID.

Olivares-Martínez, Elizabeth, Hernández-Ramírez, Diego Francisco, Núñez-Álvarez, Carlos Alberto et al.·International journal of molecular sciences·2025

Researchers tested a treatment called polymerized type I collagen (PTIC) in COVID-19 patients and found it may help reduce excessive inflammation by calming down immune cells called monocytes. The treatment appeared to improve breathing, reduce fatigue, chest pain, and cough in both the acute phase and long-term recovery from COVID-19. This finding could potentially be relevant for patients with long COVID or ME/CFS, which involve similar inflammatory problems.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM requiredCase-Control

Case-Control Study of Individuals With Small Fiber Neuropathy After COVID-19.

McAlpine, Lindsay, Zubair, Adeel S, Joseph, Phillip et al.·Neurology(R) neuroimmunology & neuroinflammation·2024

This study looked at 16 patients who developed nerve damage in their small nerves after COVID-19. The researchers found that 92% of these patients also had symptoms of ME/CFS, including post-exertional malaise (feeling much worse after activity). When 9 patients were treated with IVIG (an immune therapy), all of them improved significantly, while only 3 out of 7 untreated patients improved.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

'Welcome to my world': a thematic analysis of the lived experiences of people with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis during the UK COVID-19 lockdown.

Portch, Emma, Moseley, Rachel L, Wignall, Liam et al.·Psychology & health·2024

This study asked 30 people with ME/CFS about their experiences during the UK's first COVID-19 lockdown in 2020. The researchers found that while digital tools became more accessible during lockdown (which helped some participants), people with ME/CFS had already developed their own coping strategies from being isolated by their illness for years. Participants were concerned that once lockdown ended, society wouldn't better understand what it's like to live with severe restrictions due to illness.

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

The role of clinical neurophysiology in the definition and assessment of fatigue and fatigability.

Tankisi, Hatice, Versace, Viviana, Kuppuswamy, Annapoorna et al.·Clinical neurophysiology practice·2024

This review article explains how doctors and researchers can better understand fatigue and 'fatigability'—the reduced ability to sustain physical or mental effort. The authors describe different types of tests that can measure these problems objectively by looking at how the brain, nerves, and muscles work, rather than relying only on what patients report. These specialized tests may help identify the actual cause of fatigue in different conditions, including long COVID and ME/CFS.

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM unclearObservational

Head-down tilt reduces the heart rate in postural tachycardia syndrome in acute setting: a pilot study.

Novak, Peter·Neurological sciences : official journal of the Italian Neurological Society and of the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology·2024

This small study tested whether tilting the head downward slightly could help people with POTS (a condition causing rapid heart rate when standing). Researchers found that a 10-degree head-down tilt for 2 minutes safely reduced heart rate by about 10% and improved blood oxygen levels. Four of the seven patients tested also had ME/CFS, suggesting this approach might have potential for multiple related conditions.

Autonomic Nervous System

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

Cardiac Geometry and Function in Patients with Reflex Syncope.

Coseriu, Giorgia, Schiop-Tentea, Patricia, Apetrei, Csilla-Andrea et al.·Journal of clinical medicine·2024

This review examines how the size and function of the heart relate to fainting episodes in people with reflex syncope. Researchers found that people with smaller hearts and very forceful heartbeats are more prone to fainting, and this pattern is also seen in some people with chronic fatigue syndrome. Understanding these heart differences may help doctors predict who will faint again and choose better treatments.

Autonomic Nervous System

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Current update on the neurological manifestations of long COVID: more questions than answers.

Stefanou, Maria-Ioanna, Panagiotopoulos, Evangelos, Palaiodimou, Lina et al.·EXCLI journal·2024

This review examines the nerve and brain-related symptoms that can persist after COVID-19 infection, which doctors call long COVID. About one-third of COVID-19 survivors experience lasting neurological problems such as fatigue, brain fog, sleep issues, and problems with smell or taste that can last at least 12 months. The authors discuss what we currently know about why these symptoms happen and what treatments might help.

NeuroinflammationPost-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Hypocortisolemic ASIA: a vaccine- and chronic infection-induced syndrome behind the origin of long COVID and myalgic encephalomyelitis.

Ruiz-Pablos, Manuel, Paiva, Bruno, Zabaleta, Aintzane·Frontiers in immunology·2024

This review proposes that ME/CFS, long COVID, and post-vaccine syndrome may share a common cause: an immune system problem that damages the pituitary gland (a small gland that controls many hormones). The researchers suggest that in genetically susceptible people, a weak initial response to viruses can lead to an overactive immune response that mistakenly attacks the body's own pituitary gland, lowering levels of crucial hormones like cortisol. They propose that treatments like antivirals, steroids, and antioxidants might help by reducing inflammation and restoring hormone balance.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM unclearCase-Control

Identification of CD8 T-cell dysfunction associated with symptoms in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) and Long COVID and treatment with a nebulized antioxidant/anti-pathogen agent in a retrospective case series.

Gil, Anna, Hoag, George E, Salerno, John P et al.·Brain, behavior, & immunity - health·2024

This study found that people with ME/CFS and Long COVID have immune cells (called CD8 T-cells) that don't work properly—they can't produce certain protective substances as well as healthy people can. The researchers also tested a nebulized (inhaled) treatment made from five natural antioxidant ingredients in a small group of patients and found that both the immune cell function and symptom severity improved over time with treatment, without serious side effects.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

Creatine Supplementation Beyond Athletics: Benefits of Different Types of Creatine for Women, Vegans, and Clinical Populations-A Narrative Review.

Gutiérrez-Hellín, Jorge, Del Coso, Juan, Franco-Andrés, Arturo et al.·Nutrients·2024

This review article examines how creatine, a natural substance that helps muscles produce energy, might help people beyond just athletes. The authors suggest creatine supplementation could reduce fatigue in women during certain phases of their menstrual cycle, help vegans and vegetarians compensate for lower creatine from their diet, and potentially support people with chronic fatigue syndrome, muscle loss, and other health conditions by improving how their cells produce energy.

Energy Metabolism

E3 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM unclearMethods-Paper

Machine learning algorithms for detection of visuomotor neural control differences in individuals with PASC and ME.

Ahuja, Harit, Badhwar, Smriti, Edgell, Heather et al.·Frontiers in human neuroscience·2024

Researchers developed a new method using a simple headband that reads brain activity (EEG) to help identify people with long COVID or ME/CFS. The study used artificial intelligence to analyze brain patterns, and when trained on computer-generated synthetic data, the system was able to correctly identify these conditions 93% of the time. This approach could eventually help doctors diagnose and monitor these conditions more quickly.

Biomarkers

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Mast cells in the autonomic nervous system and potential role in disorders with dysautonomia and neuroinflammation.

Theoharides, Theoharis C, Twahir, Assma, Kempuraj, Duraisamy·Annals of allergy, asthma & immunology : official publication of the American College of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology·2024

This study examines mast cells, which are immune cells found throughout the body, and how they may be involved in conditions like ME/CFS that affect the nervous system and cause abnormal heart rate and blood pressure responses. Mast cells sit near nerve endings and important organs, where they can release chemicals that affect how the body regulates basic functions like temperature and blood pressure. The researchers suggest that controlling mast cell activation might help treat these conditions, though currently there are no proven treatments.

NeuroinflammationImmune System

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM unclearMechanistic

Exploring the shared mechanism of fatigue between systemic lupus erythematosus and myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome: monocytic dysregulation and drug repurposing.

Zheng, Daisi, Li, Xiaolong, Wang, Peicheng et al.·Frontiers in immunology·2024

Researchers discovered that ME/CFS and lupus (SLE) may share similar immune problems, particularly involving immune cells called monocytes that become overactive and produce excess inflammation. By studying genes and immune cells from both diseases, they identified five key inflammatory proteins that appear important in fatigue, and they predict that certain existing drugs—particularly N-acetyl-L-cysteine and camptothecin—might help reduce this inflammation.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM unclearMethods-Paper

Health Controversies: Long-Term Disagreement Management Challenges.

Jackson, Sally·Journal of health communication·2024

This paper examines how major disagreements about health topics—including ME/CFS—develop and persist over long periods of time across different countries and communities. The author explains that these health controversies involve many people with different viewpoints who argue in multiple places (medical journals, courts, social media, etc.), and that how we manage these disagreements matters. The study shows that ME/CFS is a particularly important example because disagreements about it have shaped how institutions are designed to handle health disputes.

Diagnostics

E3 PreliminaryBehavioralPEM unclearCase-Control

[Effect of ECT on chronic fatigue syndrome].

Novakovic, Mina, Løhde, Linda, Brandt-Christensen, Anne Mette et al.·Ugeskrift for laeger·2024

This case report describes an older woman who was diagnosed with ME/CFS 30 years ago but was later found to actually have depression with severe fatigue as a main symptom. She received electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) for depression and regained the ability to walk after six years of immobility. The case highlights how depression and ME/CFS can look similar and sometimes get confused with one another.

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

The molecular fingerprint of neuroinflammation in COVID-19: A comprehensive discussion on molecular mechanisms of neuroinflammation due to SARS-COV2 antigens.

Zayeri, Zeinab Deris, Torabizadeh, Mehdi, Kargar, Masoud et al.·Behavioural brain research·2024

This study explains how COVID-19 can damage the brain and nervous system, causing inflammation and injury. The researchers found that about half of people recovering from COVID-19 develop ME/CFS symptoms, and brain scans show reduced activity in key areas that control memory, movement, and mood. The study focuses on the biological mechanisms—essentially how viruses trigger harmful immune responses in the brain that can lead to long-term neurological problems.

Neuroinflammation

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM unclear

Successful treatment of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome using hydrogen gas: four case reports.

Hirano, Shin-Ichi, Ichikawa, Yusuke, Sato, Bunpei et al.·Medical gas research·2024

This study looked at four patients with ME/CFS who were treated with hydrogen gas and reported improvements in their symptoms. The researchers described how each patient used hydrogen gas therapy and what changes they noticed over time. While the results are encouraging for these individual cases, this is a very small study that needs much larger research to confirm whether hydrogen gas could help ME/CFS patients more broadly.

Interventions

E3 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM unclearMethods-Paper

KombOver: Efficient k-core and K-truss based characterization of perturbations within the human gut microbiome.

Sapoval, Nicolae, Tanevski, Marko, Treangen, Todd J·Pacific Symposium on Biocomputing. Pacific Symposium on Biocomputing·2024

This study describes a new computer tool called KombOver that analyzes bacteria in the gut more efficiently than previous methods. Researchers tested it on nearly 1,000 gut samples from people with ME/CFS and other conditions to see how microbial communities change in response to illness. The tool works much faster and requires less computing power than earlier versions, making it more practical for large research studies.

Gut Microbiome

E3 PreliminaryBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

A taxonomy of threat and soothing influences in rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases and central sensitivity syndromes.

Hijne, Kim, Gerritsen, Lotte, Pinto, Ana M et al.·International journal of clinical and health psychology : IJCHP·2024

This study asked nearly 700 people with ME/CFS, fibromyalgia, and related conditions what makes their symptoms worse and what helps them feel better. Researchers then organized these responses into 8 types of 'threats' (things that worsen symptoms, like stress or overactivity) and 10 types of 'soothers' (things that help, like rest, support from others, and understanding). The results create a practical checklist that doctors and patients can use together to identify what triggers each person's symptoms and what treatments might help most.

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredMechanistic

Effect of electroacupuncture on expression of protein phosphorylation in hippocampus tissues of rats with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Yang, Yan, Sun, Zhong-Ren, Li, Chao-Ran et al.·Zhen ci yan jiu = Acupuncture research·2024

Researchers tested whether acupuncture with electrical stimulation could help rats with an artificially induced fatigue-like condition. After 28 days of treatment, the acupuncture-treated rats showed improvements in their overall condition, anxiety levels, and memory compared to untreated rats. The researchers found changes in brain proteins that might explain how the treatment helped.

Cognitive Impairment

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Polymerized Type I Collagen Downregulates STAT-1 Phosphorylation Through Engagement with LAIR-1 in Circulating Monocytes, Avoiding Long COVID.

Case-Control Study of Individuals With Small Fiber Neuropathy After COVID-19.

'Welcome to my world': a thematic analysis of the lived experiences of people with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis during the UK COVID-19 lockdown.

The role of clinical neurophysiology in the definition and assessment of fatigue and fatigability.

Head-down tilt reduces the heart rate in postural tachycardia syndrome in acute setting: a pilot study.

Cardiac Geometry and Function in Patients with Reflex Syncope.

Current update on the neurological manifestations of long COVID: more questions than answers.

Hypocortisolemic ASIA: a vaccine- and chronic infection-induced syndrome behind the origin of long COVID and myalgic encephalomyelitis.

Identification of CD8 T-cell dysfunction associated with symptoms in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) and Long COVID and treatment with a nebulized antioxidant/anti-pathogen agent in a retrospective case series.

Creatine Supplementation Beyond Athletics: Benefits of Different Types of Creatine for Women, Vegans, and Clinical Populations-A Narrative Review.

Machine learning algorithms for detection of visuomotor neural control differences in individuals with PASC and ME.

Mast cells in the autonomic nervous system and potential role in disorders with dysautonomia and neuroinflammation.

Exploring the shared mechanism of fatigue between systemic lupus erythematosus and myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome: monocytic dysregulation and drug repurposing.

Health Controversies: Long-Term Disagreement Management Challenges.

[Effect of ECT on chronic fatigue syndrome].

The molecular fingerprint of neuroinflammation in COVID-19: A comprehensive discussion on molecular mechanisms of neuroinflammation due to SARS-COV2 antigens.

Successful treatment of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome using hydrogen gas: four case reports.

KombOver: Efficient k-core and K-truss based characterization of perturbations within the human gut microbiome.

A taxonomy of threat and soothing influences in rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases and central sensitivity syndromes.

Effect of electroacupuncture on expression of protein phosphorylation in hippocampus tissues of rats with chronic fatigue syndrome.

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Neuroinflammation Evidence

Metabolism & Mitochondria

Biomarkers

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