ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

2420 studies

381–400 of 2,420 studies

E3 PreliminaryCommentaryPEM requiredEditorial

Post-exertional malaise in daily life and experimental exercise models in patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Vøllestad, Nina K, Mengshoel, Anne Marit·Frontiers in physiology·2023

This paper reviews how post-exertional malaise (PEM)—the worsening of symptoms after physical or mental activity—is experienced and studied in ME/CFS patients. Patients describe PEM in many different ways and report that it can start immediately or be delayed by days, lasting anywhere from a few days to months. When researchers use standardized exercise tests in laboratories, they see more immediate symptom worsening, but the duration still varies widely between patients.

Autonomic Nervous SystemPost-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM requiredReview-Narrative

[Myalgic Encephalitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Diagnostic and Therapeutic Approach and Biological Research].

Sato, Wakiro·Brain and nerve = Shinkei kenkyu no shinpo·2023

This article reviews what we currently know about ME/CFS, a serious illness marked by extreme tiredness, sleep problems, difficulty thinking clearly, and difficulty standing up without symptoms getting worse. A key feature is post-exertional malaise—when patients feel much worse after physical or mental activity—which means people with ME/CFS need to carefully manage their activity levels. The article summarizes current approaches to diagnosis and treatment, as well as recent scientific discoveries about what happens in the body during this disease.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM requiredObservational

Exercise-induced changes in gene expression do not mediate post exertional malaise in Gulf War illness.

Boruch, Alexander E, Lindheimer, Jacob B, Ninneman, Jacob V et al.·Brain, behavior, & immunity - health·2023

This study looked at whether post-exertional malaise (PEM)—the worsening of symptoms after physical activity—is caused by changes in gene activity in Gulf War illness patients. Veterans with Gulf War illness and healthy controls exercised on stationary bikes, and researchers measured gene expression in blood samples before and after exercise. While the study found that certain genes did change after exercise in Gulf War illness patients, these gene changes did not explain why their symptoms got worse.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Mitochondria: It is all about energy.

Casanova, Amaloha, Wevers, Anne, Navarro-Ledesma, Santiago et al.·Frontiers in physiology·2023

This review explains that mitochondria—the energy-producing structures in our cells—do much more than just make energy. They also help control sleep-wake cycles, interact with gut bacteria, and regulate the immune system. When mitochondria don't work properly, it may contribute to several diseases including ME/CFS, and the authors suggest that specific lifestyle and physiological strategies might help restore mitochondrial health.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM requiredMethods-Paper

Development and measurement properties of the PEM/PESE activity questionnaire (PAQ).

Davenport, Todd E, Stevens, Staci R, Stevens, Jared et al.·Work (Reading, Mass.)·2023

This study created and tested a new questionnaire called the PAQ that helps measure how post-exertional malaise (PEM) affects a person's ability to do everyday activities. Patients chose three activities that were important to them and rated how much their performance had changed compared to their good days and before they got sick. The questionnaire was given to 675 people twice to make sure it reliably measured the same thing each time, and the results showed it works well.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryGuidelinePEM requiredGuideline

Cardiovascular Considerations in the Management of People With Suspected Long COVID.

Quinn, Kieran L, Lam, Grace Y, Walsh, Jillian F et al.·The Canadian journal of cardiology·2023

This review examines how doctors should evaluate and treat heart-related symptoms in people with long COVID. It highlights that about 15% of Canadians infected with COVID-19 develop persistent symptoms lasting more than 12 weeks, including fatigue, shortness of breath, chest pain, and irregular heartbeats. The authors emphasize that doctors need to consider conditions like ME/CFS, postexertional malaise (symptom flare-ups after activity), and dysautonomia (problems with the autonomic nervous system) when evaluating these patients.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryPEM unclear

Converging Evidence of Similar Symptomatology of ME/CFS and PASC Indicating Multisystemic Dyshomeostasis.

Marks, David F·Biomedicines·2023

This study found that ME/CFS and long COVID (PASC) cause very similar symptoms in patients. Researchers compared symptom reports from two groups and found they matched about 90% of the time. The authors suggest both conditions may involve the body's control systems (nervous system, hormones, and immune system) getting stuck in a broken state, similar to a thermostat that can't turn off.

Autonomic Nervous System

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Potential molecular mechanisms of chronic fatigue in long haul COVID and other viral diseases.

Gottschalk, Carl Gunnar, Peterson, Daniel, Armstrong, Jan et al.·Infectious agents and cancer·2023

This review article examines how viral infections—including long COVID, EBV, and others—can trigger severe, lasting fatigue and related symptoms. The authors explore the biological mechanisms that might explain why some patients develop chronic muscle fatigue and brain fog after viral illness, and compare these processes to ME/CFS. This research suggests that multiple different viruses may cause fatigue through similar pathways in the body.

Immune SystemPost-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM requiredCase-Control

A case of post-COVID-19 myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome characterized by post-exertional malaise and low serum acylcarnitine level.

Jinushi, Ryuhei, Nishiguchi, Sho, Masuda, Sakue et al.·Clinical case reports·2023

This study describes a patient who developed ME/CFS after recovering from COVID-19. The researchers found that this patient had lower-than-normal levels of acylcarnitine, a substance the body uses to produce energy. The study reviews existing research on how COVID-19 can lead to ME/CFS, a condition that causes severe fatigue and symptoms that worsen after physical activity.

BiomarkersPost-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Altered brain connectivity in Long Covid during cognitive exertion: a pilot study.

Barnden, Leighton, Thapaliya, Kiran, Eaton-Fitch, Natalie et al.·Frontiers in neuroscience·2023

Researchers used advanced brain imaging to compare how the brains of Long Covid patients and healthy people respond during a challenging thinking task. They found that Long Covid patients showed different patterns of communication between brain regions, particularly in areas that control alertness, heart rate, and sleep. These brain connection differences were linked to how disabled patients felt and their autonomic nervous system symptoms.

Cognitive Impairment

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Epstein-Barr virus-acquired immunodeficiency in myalgic encephalomyelitis-Is it present in long COVID?

Ruiz-Pablos, Manuel, Paiva, Bruno, Zabaleta, Aintzane·Journal of translational medicine·2023

This study proposes that a virus called Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) may play a central role in both ME/CFS and long COVID by gradually weakening the immune system. The researchers suggest that in people with certain genetic traits, EBV can hide in various body tissues and repeatedly reactivate, causing ongoing inflammation and exhaustion of the immune system. They hypothesize that long COVID may follow a similar pattern, possibly starting with a COVID-19 infection in people whose immune systems struggle to control EBV.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredMechanistic

Ginsenoside Rg1 can reverse fatigue behavior in CFS rats by regulating EGFR and affecting Taurine and Mannose 6-phosphate metabolism.

Lei, Chaofang, Chen, Jiaxu, Huang, Zhen et al.·Frontiers in pharmacology·2023

This study tested whether ginsenoside Rg1, a compound from ginseng, could reduce fatigue in rats with chronic fatigue syndrome. Researchers found that the treatment reversed fatigue behavior and corrected abnormal metabolism patterns in the rats' blood, particularly affecting molecules called taurine and mannose 6-phosphate. The results suggest ginseng-derived compounds might help ME/CFS patients, though human studies would be needed to confirm this.

Energy Metabolism

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM unclearMechanistic

Long read sequencing characterises a novel structural variant, revealing underactive AKR1C1 with overactive AKR1C2 as a possible cause of severe chronic fatigue.

Oakley, Julia, Hill, Martin, Giess, Adam et al.·Journal of translational medicine·2023

Researchers used advanced DNA sequencing technology to find a structural variant (a large rearrangement in genetic material) in the AKR1C gene region of a patient with severe, unexplained fatigue. This variant appears to alter how the body produces certain steroids and neurochemicals, potentially leading to reduced neuronal activity and widespread tissue dysfunction. The discovery suggests that genetic changes in this region may be a cause of severe chronic fatigue in some patients, and blood tests for specific steroid markers could help identify others with similar underlying issues.

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM unclearMechanistic

Serum from Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome patients causes loss of coherence in cellular circadian rhythms.

Wei, Heather, Adelsheim, Zoe, Fischer, Rita et al.·Journal of neuroimmunology·2023

This study found that blood serum from ME/CFS patients disrupts the internal 24-hour biological clock (circadian rhythm) in cells grown in the laboratory, compared to serum from healthy people. The disruption was linked to how severe patients' sleep problems were. While a protein called TGF-beta contributed to some rhythm changes, it didn't fully explain the effect, suggesting other unknown factors in ME/CFS patients' blood are responsible.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM requiredMechanistic

Altered Fatty Acid Oxidation in Lymphocyte Populations of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Maya, Jessica, Leddy, Sabrina M, Gottschalk, C Gunnar et al.·International journal of molecular sciences·2023

Researchers studied immune cells called lymphocytes from ME/CFS patients and found that these cells use fatty acids (a type of fuel) differently than healthy people's immune cells do. When immune cells are activated or working hard, ME/CFS patients' cells rely more heavily on burning fat for energy compared to cells from healthy controls. This suggests that ME/CFS patients' immune systems may have a fundamental problem with how they fuel their cells.

Energy MetabolismImmune SystemPost-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

Exploring the scope of homoeopathy in combating the unfortunate consequences of post-COVID-19 survivors based on non-COVID conditions: a narrative review.

Dixit, Ashish Kumar, Giri, Nibha, Singh, Shishir·Journal of complementary & integrative medicine·2023

This review looked at whether homeopathy—a complementary medicine approach—might help people recover from long-term symptoms after COVID-19. The authors searched published research and found that homeopathy has shown some promise in treating anxiety, depression, pain, and heart problems in other conditions, and they suggest it might be worth studying for post-COVID recovery.

Pain and Sensitization

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM requiredMechanistic

Post-COVID exercise intolerance is associated with capillary alterations and immune dysregulations in skeletal muscles.

Aschman, Tom, Wyler, Emanuel, Baum, Oliver et al.·Acta neuropathologica communications·2023

Researchers examined muscle tissue from people with long COVID who experience fatigue and worsening symptoms after activity. They found that these patients had fewer blood vessels in their muscles, thicker vessel walls, and signs of immune cells that might have been triggered by the initial infection. These physical changes in the muscle's blood supply could explain why exercise makes their symptoms worse.

Immune SystemPost-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM unclearCase-Control

A Case Study of Successful Application of the Principles of ME/CFS Care to an Individual with Long COVID.

Petracek, Lindsay S, Broussard, Camille A, Swope, Renee L et al.·Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland)·2023

A 19-year-old developed severe ME/CFS-like symptoms after COVID-19 infection. Doctors used ME/CFS treatment approaches—including physical therapy, heart rate monitoring, and medications for heart and immune problems—and the patient improved significantly over 2.5 years. This case suggests that treatments developed for ME/CFS may also help some long COVID patients.

Autonomic Nervous System

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

Research progress on central mechanism of acupuncture treatment for chronic fatigue syndrome.

Li, Bin-Bin, Feng, Chu-Wen, Qu, Yuan-Yuan et al.·World journal of acupuncture-moxibustion·2023

This review examined how ME/CFS affects the brain and nervous system by looking at laboratory tests and brain imaging studies. Researchers found that people with ME/CFS have changes in brain structure, abnormal inflammation, and problems with chemical messengers in the brain. The study also explored how acupuncture might help correct some of these brain abnormalities in animal models of the condition.

Neuroinflammation

E3 PreliminaryGuidelinePEM unclearGuideline

[Post-COVID Rehabilitation].

Küst, Jutta, Disko, Andreas, Calendo, Luigi Riccardo et al.·Praxis·2023

This guideline explains how to help people recover from post-COVID illness, which can cause lasting fatigue and memory problems that make it hard to work or manage daily life. Since there is no cure yet, treatment focuses on rehabilitation that is tailored to each patient's symptoms and goals, with special attention to gradually rebuilding activity while watching for post-exertional malaise—a worsening of symptoms after physical or mental effort. The approach involves multiple healthcare professionals working together to adjust the workload based on how the patient is doing over time.

Post-Exertional Malaise

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Post-exertional malaise in daily life and experimental exercise models in patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

[Myalgic Encephalitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Diagnostic and Therapeutic Approach and Biological Research].

Exercise-induced changes in gene expression do not mediate post exertional malaise in Gulf War illness.

Mitochondria: It is all about energy.

Development and measurement properties of the PEM/PESE activity questionnaire (PAQ).

Cardiovascular Considerations in the Management of People With Suspected Long COVID.

Converging Evidence of Similar Symptomatology of ME/CFS and PASC Indicating Multisystemic Dyshomeostasis.

Potential molecular mechanisms of chronic fatigue in long haul COVID and other viral diseases.

A case of post-COVID-19 myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome characterized by post-exertional malaise and low serum acylcarnitine level.

Altered brain connectivity in Long Covid during cognitive exertion: a pilot study.

Epstein-Barr virus-acquired immunodeficiency in myalgic encephalomyelitis-Is it present in long COVID?

Ginsenoside Rg1 can reverse fatigue behavior in CFS rats by regulating EGFR and affecting Taurine and Mannose 6-phosphate metabolism.

Long read sequencing characterises a novel structural variant, revealing underactive AKR1C1 with overactive AKR1C2 as a possible cause of severe chronic fatigue.

Serum from Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome patients causes loss of coherence in cellular circadian rhythms.

Altered Fatty Acid Oxidation in Lymphocyte Populations of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Exploring the scope of homoeopathy in combating the unfortunate consequences of post-COVID-19 survivors based on non-COVID conditions: a narrative review.

Post-COVID exercise intolerance is associated with capillary alterations and immune dysregulations in skeletal muscles.

A Case Study of Successful Application of the Principles of ME/CFS Care to an Individual with Long COVID.

Research progress on central mechanism of acupuncture treatment for chronic fatigue syndrome.

[Post-COVID Rehabilitation].

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