ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

2420 studies

221–240 of 2,420 studies

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM requiredMechanistic

Single-cell transcriptomics of the immune system in ME/CFS at baseline and following symptom provocation.

Vu, Luyen Tien, Ahmed, Faraz, Zhu, Hongya et al.·Cell reports. Medicine·2024

Researchers used advanced technology to examine immune cells from ME/CFS patients and healthy controls, both at rest and after exercise. They found that ME/CFS patients have problems with a type of immune cell called monocytes that appear abnormal and may be moving into tissues inappropriately. After exercise, patients showed additional problems with platelets (cells involved in blood clotting), suggesting the disease involves multiple layers of immune system dysfunction.

Immune SystemPost-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Over-Representation of Torque Teno Mini Virus 9 in a Subgroup of Patients with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Pilot Study.

Giménez-Orenga, Karen, Martín-Martínez, Eva, Oltra, Elisa·Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland)·2024

Researchers found that a virus called Torque Teno Mini Virus 9 (TTMV9) was present at much higher levels in the blood cells of some ME/CFS patients compared to healthy people and patients with fibromyalgia. This virus could potentially be used as a biological marker to identify and categorize certain ME/CFS patients. The findings suggest that viruses may play a role in ME/CFS, though more research is needed to understand exactly how.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Current understanding of nociplastic pain.

Yoo, Yeong-Min, Kim, Kyung-Hoon·The Korean journal of pain·2024

This article explains 'nociplastic pain'—a type of chronic pain that occurs when the nervous system becomes overly sensitive to pain signals, even when there is no obvious tissue damage or nerve injury. People with ME/CFS, fibromyalgia, and similar conditions often experience this kind of pain. The article describes how doctors can recognize nociplastic pain and groups it with other conditions that share this same underlying mechanism of nervous system sensitivity.

Pain and Sensitization

E3 PreliminaryCommentaryPEM unclear

Medical students highlight the importance of medical education, kindness, compassion and belief when learning about patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Muirhead, Nina Louise·The journal of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh·2024

This article is an editorial discussing what medical students have learned about treating ME/CFS patients effectively. The key message is that doctors need to combine medical knowledge with kindness, compassion, and genuine belief in their patients' experiences. The authors emphasize that how doctors treat ME/CFS patients matters just as much as the medical facts they know.

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM unclearObservational

Deep phenotyping of post-infectious myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Walitt, Brian, Singh, Komudi, LaMunion, Samuel R et al.·Nature communications·2024

This study carefully examined 17 people with ME/CFS that started after an infection and compared them to healthy controls to understand what's happening in their bodies and brains. Researchers found that people with ME/CFS have trouble with how their brain decides whether to exert effort (not because their muscles are weak, but because their brain's decision-making is altered), along with immune system changes showing ongoing response to past infections, and differences in how their cells use energy. These discoveries suggest ME/CFS involves multiple body systems working abnormally together, which could help guide future treatments.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM unclearMechanistic

Investigation into the restoration of TRPM3 ion channel activity in post-COVID-19 condition: a potential pharmacotherapeutic target.

Sasso, Etianne Martini, Muraki, Katsuhiko, Eaton-Fitch, Natalie et al.·Frontiers in immunology·2024

This study looked at a tiny channel (called TRPM3) that sits on immune cells called NK cells, which help fight infections. Researchers found that both ME/CFS and post-COVID patients have a broken version of this channel. Importantly, they discovered that a drug called naltrexone (NTX) could fix this broken channel in lab-grown cells from post-COVID patients, suggesting it might help real patients feel better.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Dysregulation of the Kynurenine Pathway, Cytokine Expression Pattern, and Proteomics Profile Link to Symptomology in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS).

Kavyani, Bahar, Ahn, Seong Beom, Missailidis, Daniel et al.·Molecular neurobiology·2024

This study found that ME/CFS patients have imbalances in a particular chemical pathway in their body (the kynurenine pathway) that appears connected to inflammation and symptom severity. The researchers discovered that higher levels of one early chemical in this pathway correlated with worse symptoms, while lower levels of later chemicals in the pathway might affect how cells produce energy. Interestingly, they also found that five of the most significantly changed proteins in ME/CFS patients are involved in gut health, suggesting the gut microbiome may play an important role in the disease.

BiomarkersGut MicrobiomeEnergy MetabolismImmune System

E3 PreliminaryPEM unclear

A suffering body, hidden away from others: The experience of being long-term bedridden with severe myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome in childhood and adolescence.

Krabbe, Silje Helen, Bjorbækmo, Wenche Schrøder, Mengshoel, Anne Marit et al.·Nursing inquiry·2024

This study explored how young women experienced being severely ill with ME/CFS during their teenage years, looking back from a point where they had recovered or improved. Researchers interviewed 13 women aged 16-29 about their memories of being bedridden and isolated. The study found that patients often felt caught between wanting company and needing to be alone, experienced their bodies as fragile and unstable, endured long periods of darkness and isolation, and eventually had to make sense of these painful memories as they recovered.

Severe ME

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM unclearMechanistic

Six-Week Supplementation with Creatine in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS): A Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy Feasibility Study at 3 Tesla.

Godlewska, Beata R, Sylvester, Amy L, Emir, Uzay E et al.·Nutrients·2024

Researchers gave 11 people with ME/CFS a creatine supplement (a natural substance that helps cells produce energy) for 6 weeks. Brain scans showed the supplement increased creatine levels in key brain regions, and participants reported feeling less fatigued, had faster reaction times on thinking tests, and showed stronger hand grip strength. The supplement was well tolerated with no side effects reported.

Cognitive Impairment

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM unclearMechanistic

Immunometabolic changes and potential biomarkers in CFS peripheral immune cells revealed by single-cell RNA sequencing.

Sun, Yujing, Zhang, Zhenhua, Qiao, Qincheng et al.·Journal of translational medicine·2024

Researchers used advanced cell analysis to examine immune cells from the blood of 4 ME/CFS patients and 4 healthy people. They found that ME/CFS patients have an unusual mix of immune cells, with too many T cells but too few natural killer cells and other immune cells that normally fight infections. Some of their immune cells also show signs of overactivity while others seem weakened, and the researchers identified a potential blood test marker that could help diagnose ME/CFS.

BiomarkersImmune System

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM unclearCase-Control

Clinical Remission After Therapeutic Apheresis in a Patient Suffering from Long Term Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS): A Case Report.

Burgard, Harald·International medical case reports journal·2024

This case report describes one woman with ME/CFS for over 15 years who underwent a blood-cleaning treatment called double-filtration apheresis eight times over two years. After treatment, she experienced significant improvement in her fatigue, thinking problems, and other symptoms, with benefits that lasted over time. While this is promising, it is based on just one patient's experience and needs much larger studies to confirm whether this treatment works for others with ME/CFS.

Immune 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 PreliminaryCommentaryPEM requiredEditorial

Attenuating post-exertional malaise in Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome and long-COVID: Is blood lactate monitoring the answer?

Faghy, Professor Mark A, Ashton, Dr Ruth Em, McNelis, Mr Robin et al.·Current problems in cardiology·2024

This editorial discusses whether measuring blood lactate levels could help manage post-exertional malaise (PEM)—the debilitating fatigue that occurs after physical activity in ME/CFS and long-COVID patients. The authors suggest that blood lactate monitoring might help identify safe exercise limits and prevent PEM crashes. However, this is an opinion piece rather than a research study with new data.

BiomarkersPost-Exertional Malaise

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 not requiredLongitudinal

Time-dependent complexity characterisation of activity patterns in patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Rabaey, Paloma, Decat, Peter, Heytens, Stefan et al.·BioPsychoSocial medicine·2024

Researchers tracked the physical activity patterns of 7 ME/CFS patients over 3 weeks to see if the complexity of how they move changes over time and relates to how well they're functioning. They found that each patient's activity complexity varied significantly from week to week, and these changes didn't consistently match whether patients reported feeling better or worse. This suggests that measuring activity patterns alone may not be a reliable way to track how ME/CFS patients are doing.

Autonomic Nervous System

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM requiredCase-Control

Mitochondrial DNA Missense Mutations ChrMT: 8981A > G and ChrMT: 6268C > T Identified in a Caucasian Female with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) Triggered by the Epstein-Barr Virus.

Tang-Siegel, Gaoyan G, Maughan, David W, Frownfelter, Milah B et al.·Case reports in genetics·2024

This study describes one patient with ME/CFS whose symptoms began after a severe viral infection (Epstein-Barr virus, which causes mononucleosis) 24 years ago. Researchers found that her cells had genetic mutations affecting the mitochondria—the 'power plants' that produce energy for our bodies—which may explain her extreme fatigue and difficulty recovering from physical activity. The study also found abnormal mitochondria circulating in her blood, suggesting that energy production problems may be contributing to her ME/CFS symptoms.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM unclearCase-Control

Longitudinal cytokine and multi-modal health data of an extremely severe ME/CFS patient with HSD reveals insights into immunopathology, and disease severity.

Jahanbani, Fereshteh, Sing, Justin Cyril, Maynard, Rajan Douglas et al.·Frontiers in immunology·2024

This study tracked one very severely ill ME/CFS patient over time, measuring immune system markers and detailed health information. Researchers found that the patient's immune system was shifted toward a Th2-type response (typically seen in allergies), with unusually high levels of certain immune chemicals. The study also introduced new smartphone apps to help patients and doctors track symptoms and treatment responses in real time.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryPEM not required

'The world was going through what we go through everyday': The experiences of women with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) living with their partners during the COVID-19 lockdown in the United Kingdom.

Sehmbi, Tarnjit, Wearden, Alison, Peters, Sarah et al.·British journal of health psychology·2024

This study asked 21 women with ME/CFS in the UK about their experiences during the COVID-19 lockdown, particularly how living with their partners affected them. The researchers found that while lockdown disrupted the routines these women had carefully built to manage their illness, having their partners at home more often was actually helpful. Interestingly, the lockdown made them feel less different from the rest of society, though they worried greatly about catching COVID-19 and making their ME/CFS worse.

E3 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM requiredMethods-Paper

Assessing Functional Capacity in Myalgic Encephalopathy/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Patient-Informed Questionnaire.

Sommerfelt, Kristian, Schei, Trude, Seton, Katharine A et al.·Journal of clinical medicine·2024

Researchers created a new questionnaire called FUNCAP to measure how much people with ME/CFS can actually do in their daily lives. The tool has two versions: a longer one with 55 questions (for doctors and disability assessments) and a shorter one with 27 questions (for regular check-ups). After testing it with thousands of patients from Norway and around the world, they found it works reliably and accurately captures the impact of ME/CFS on real-life activities.

Post-Exertional Malaise

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.

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Single-cell transcriptomics of the immune system in ME/CFS at baseline and following symptom provocation.

Over-Representation of Torque Teno Mini Virus 9 in a Subgroup of Patients with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Pilot Study.

Current understanding of nociplastic pain.

Medical students highlight the importance of medical education, kindness, compassion and belief when learning about patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Deep phenotyping of post-infectious myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Investigation into the restoration of TRPM3 ion channel activity in post-COVID-19 condition: a potential pharmacotherapeutic target.

Dysregulation of the Kynurenine Pathway, Cytokine Expression Pattern, and Proteomics Profile Link to Symptomology in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS).

A suffering body, hidden away from others: The experience of being long-term bedridden with severe myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome in childhood and adolescence.

Six-Week Supplementation with Creatine in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS): A Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy Feasibility Study at 3 Tesla.

Immunometabolic changes and potential biomarkers in CFS peripheral immune cells revealed by single-cell RNA sequencing.

Clinical Remission After Therapeutic Apheresis in a Patient Suffering from Long Term Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS): A Case Report.

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

Attenuating post-exertional malaise in Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome and long-COVID: Is blood lactate monitoring the answer?

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

Time-dependent complexity characterisation of activity patterns in patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Mitochondrial DNA Missense Mutations ChrMT: 8981A > G and ChrMT: 6268C > T Identified in a Caucasian Female with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) Triggered by the Epstein-Barr Virus.

Longitudinal cytokine and multi-modal health data of an extremely severe ME/CFS patient with HSD reveals insights into immunopathology, and disease severity.

'The world was going through what we go through everyday': The experiences of women with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) living with their partners during the COVID-19 lockdown in the United Kingdom.

Assessing Functional Capacity in Myalgic Encephalopathy/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Patient-Informed Questionnaire.

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

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