ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

2420 studies

401–420 of 2,420 studies

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Increased SARS-CoV-2 reactive low avidity T cells producing inflammatory cytokines in pediatric post-acute COVID-19 sequelae (PASC).

Paniskaki, Krystallenia, Goretzki, Sarah, Anft, Moritz et al.·Pediatric allergy and immunology : official publication of the European Society of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology·2023

This study looked at children who had COVID-19 and developed long-lasting symptoms like breathing problems, fatigue, and brain fog—a condition called pediatric long COVID. Researchers found that these children had more immune cells fighting the virus that were less effective than usual, and these cells released inflammatory chemicals that may have been causing their symptoms. The findings suggest that ongoing immune system activation after COVID-19 might explain why some children develop persistent health problems similar to ME/CFS.

Immune System

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 PreliminaryPEM required

My experience with ME/CFS and implications: A personal narrative.

Sirotiak, Zoe·Work (Reading, Mass.)·2023

This article shares the personal story of a young woman who is also a physical therapist and developed ME/CFS after a COVID-19 infection. She describes how the condition dramatically changed her life and how healthcare providers, including rehabilitation specialists, often lack the knowledge needed to properly help ME/CFS patients. The author highlights that ME/CFS remains poorly understood and undertreated, with few proven treatments available.

Post-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 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM requiredPreprintPreprint

A Mixed Methods System for the Assessment of Post Exertional Malaise in Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Stussman, Barbara, Calco, Brice, Norato, Gina et al.·medRxiv : the preprint server for health sciences·2023

This study looked at how to better measure post-exertional malaise (PEM)—the symptom flare-up that happens after activity in ME/CFS patients. Researchers asked 10 ME/CFS patients and 9 healthy people to do an exercise test, then tracked their symptoms over 72 hours using both rating scales and detailed interviews. They found that combining interviews with rating scales captured PEM patterns much better than rating scales alone, especially because rating scales sometimes hit their limits and couldn't show the full picture of symptom changes.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Investigating Antibody Reactivity to the Intestinal Microbiome in Severe Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS): A Feasibility Study.

Seton, Katharine A, Defernez, Marianne, Telatin, Andrea et al.·International journal of molecular sciences·2023

This study explored whether ME/CFS might be caused by a leaky gut that allows bacteria to escape into the bloodstream, triggering an abnormal immune response. Researchers compared antibody levels and immune reactions to gut bacteria in severely ill ME/CFS patients and healthy household members. They found that ME/CFS patients showed reduced immune responses to their gut bacteria, which was unexpected and suggests the immune system may not be working properly in ME/CFS.

Immune System

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 PreliminaryMechanismPEM unclearMechanistic

EBV/HHV-6A dUTPases contribute to myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome pathophysiology by enhancing TFH cell differentiation and extrafollicular activities.

Cox, Brandon S, Alharshawi, Khaled, Mena-Palomo, Irene et al.·JCI insight·2022

This study found that some people with ME/CFS have abnormal immune responses linked to past infections with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and human herpesvirus 6A (HHV-6A). The researchers discovered that proteins from these viruses may trigger the immune system to produce excess amounts of certain signaling molecules, leading to confused immune cell behavior. This suggests a possible biological mechanism for how these common viruses might contribute to ME/CFS symptoms in some patients.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryBehavioralPEM not requiredObservational

SingStrong-A singing and breathing retraining intervention for respiratory and other common symptoms of long COVID: A pilot study.

Cahalan, Roisin M, Meade, Ciara, Mockler, Sarah·Canadian journal of respiratory therapy : CJRT = Revue canadienne de la therapie respiratoire : RCTR·2022

Researchers tested a 10-week online program called SingStrong that combines breathing exercises, singing, and mindfulness to help people with long COVID. The 21 participants who completed the program reported significant improvements in breathlessness, fatigue, pain, voice quality, and ability to do daily activities. Qualitative feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with participants reporting better breathing and overall wellbeing.

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

Fatigue in Cirrhosis.

Bhandari, Krishnagopal, Kapoor, Dharmesh·Journal of clinical and experimental hepatology·2022

This review examines fatigue in patients with liver disease, explaining that fatigue is common and significantly affects quality of life. The authors describe how the liver plays a central role in energy production and how fatigue in liver disease likely has multiple causes involving the gut, muscles, and brain. The article discusses various ways to measure fatigue and different treatment approaches, including lifestyle changes, medications, diet, and exercise.

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM unclearCase-Control

An Exercise Prescription as a Novel Management Strategy for Treatment of Long COVID.

Rudofker, Eric W, Parker, Hugh, Cornwell, William K·JACC. Case reports·2022

This study describes a small group of long COVID patients whose symptoms improved or went away when they exercised regularly. The researchers suggest that exercise might be a helpful treatment strategy for long COVID, since the condition may partly involve the heart and muscles becoming deconditioned (weak from lack of use).

Interventions

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM unclearMechanistic

Decreased NO production in endothelial cells exposed to plasma from ME/CFS patients.

Bertinat, Romina, Villalobos-Labra, Roberto, Hofmann, Lidija et al.·Vascular pharmacology·2022

This study looked at how blood from ME/CFS patients affects the inner lining of blood vessels in a laboratory setting. Researchers found that blood vessels exposed to ME/CFS patient blood produced less of a substance called nitric oxide, which is important for healthy blood vessel function. This suggests that problems with blood vessel health in ME/CFS patients may involve reduced nitric oxide production.

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM unclearMechanistic

Serum of Post-COVID-19 Syndrome Patients with or without ME/CFS Differentially Affects Endothelial Cell Function In Vitro.

Flaskamp, Lavinia, Roubal, Constanze, Uddin, Steven et al.·Cells·2022

This study examined blood samples from people with long COVID and those who developed ME/CFS after COVID-19, comparing them to healthy controls. Researchers tested whether certain proteins in these blood samples could harm the cells that line blood vessels. They found that the blood of ME/CFS patients contained more of these harmful proteins, and the blood samples from both patient groups affected blood vessel cells in different ways that could contribute to the fatigue and other symptoms these patients experience.

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM unclearMechanistic

Epipharyngeal Abrasive Therapy (EAT) Reduces the mRNA Expression of Major Proinflammatory Cytokine IL-6 in Chronic Epipharyngitis.

Nishi, Kensuke, Yoshimoto, Shohei, Nishi, Soichiro et al.·International journal of molecular sciences·2022

This study looked at a Japanese treatment called Epipharyngeal Abrasive Therapy (EAT) that targets chronic inflammation in the epipharynx (the area behind your nasal cavity). The researchers found that patients who received EAT had significantly lower levels of IL-6, a key inflammatory molecule linked to ME/CFS symptoms, compared to those who didn't receive the treatment. This suggests that reducing inflammation in this specific area might help improve systemic symptoms in ME/CFS and similar conditions.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryCommentaryPEM unclearEditorial

[Patients with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) Who Have Already Visited Some Medical Institutions: The Points of Diagnosis and Treatment].

Shimomura, Tokio·Brain and nerve = Shinkei kenkyu no shinpo·2022

ME/CFS is a debilitating condition characterized primarily by severe fatigue, but doctors currently have no reliable blood tests or biomarkers to definitively diagnose it. This editorial discusses how ME/CFS diagnosis and treatment require specialized medical knowledge, and notes that common treatments like vitamins and herbal medicines have not proven effective. The authors also observed ME/CFS-like symptoms in some COVID-19 patients, which has prompted renewed research into understanding how ME/CFS develops and finding better treatments.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM unclearMechanistic

Impaired TRPM3-dependent calcium influx and restoration using Naltrexone in natural killer cells of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome patients.

Eaton-Fitch, Natalie, Du Preez, Stanley, Cabanas, Hélène et al.·Journal of translational medicine·2022

This study found that immune cells called natural killer cells in ME/CFS patients have a broken calcium channel (TRPM3) that prevents them from working properly. When researchers treated these cells overnight with a drug called naltrexone, the calcium channel started working better and the immune cells functioned more like those from healthy people. This suggests that ME/CFS may involve faulty ion channels and that naltrexone could potentially help restore immune cell function.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryGuidelinePEM requiredGuideline

[Recommendation for standardized medical care for children and adolescents with long COVID].

Töpfner, Nicole, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Pädiatrische Infektiologie e. V. (DGPI), Alberer, Martin et al.·Monatsschrift Kinderheilkunde : Organ der Deutschen Gesellschaft fur Kinderheilkunde·2022

This guideline provides doctors with expert recommendations for recognizing and treating long COVID in children and teenagers. It includes screening questions and step-by-step evaluation tools to help identify long COVID cases, as well as guidance on how different medical specialists should work together to care for affected young people. The recommendations are based on the best available evidence, though more research is still needed.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM requiredMechanistic

Exosome-associated mitochondrial DNA from patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome stimulates human microglia to release IL-1β.

Tsilioni, Irene, Natelson, Benjamin, Theoharides, Theoharis C·The European journal of neuroscience·2022

This study found that after exercise, patients with ME/CFS have more pieces of DNA from their mitochondria (the energy-producing parts of cells) floating in their blood inside tiny particles called exosomes. When researchers tested these exosomes on immune cells in the lab, they triggered the release of IL-1β, a chemical that causes inflammation in the brain. This suggests that exercise might trigger a chain reaction involving these DNA-carrying particles that could contribute to ME/CFS symptoms.

NeuroinflammationImmune SystemPost-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Neurochemical abnormalities in chronic fatigue syndrome: a pilot magnetic resonance spectroscopy study at 7 Tesla.

Godlewska, Beata R, Williams, Stephen, Emir, Uzay E et al.·Psychopharmacology·2022

Researchers used a powerful brain scanning technique to measure chemicals in the brains of people with ME/CFS and compared them to healthy people. They found that people with ME/CFS had lower levels of three important brain chemicals: glutathione (which helps protect against cell damage), creatine (which helps produce energy), and myo-inositol (which is important for brain cell function). These findings suggest that ME/CFS may involve problems with energy production and cell damage in the brain.

Energy Metabolism

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

[Long COVID: nosographic aspects and clinical epidemiology].

Abrignani, Maurizio G, Maloberti, Alessandro, Temporelli, Pier Luigi et al.·Giornale italiano di cardiologia (2006)·2022

Long COVID is a condition where people experience ongoing symptoms weeks or months after recovering from COVID-19 infection. Symptoms can include fatigue, difficulty thinking clearly, shortness of breath, muscle pain, sleep problems, and reduced ability to do daily activities. This review looks at how common long COVID is, who is most likely to develop it, and what we currently know about the condition.

Post-Exertional Malaise

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Increased SARS-CoV-2 reactive low avidity T cells producing inflammatory cytokines in pediatric post-acute COVID-19 sequelae (PASC).

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

My experience with ME/CFS and implications: A personal narrative.

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

A Mixed Methods System for the Assessment of Post Exertional Malaise in Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Investigating Antibody Reactivity to the Intestinal Microbiome in Severe Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS): A Feasibility Study.

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

EBV/HHV-6A dUTPases contribute to myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome pathophysiology by enhancing TFH cell differentiation and extrafollicular activities.

SingStrong-A singing and breathing retraining intervention for respiratory and other common symptoms of long COVID: A pilot study.

Fatigue in Cirrhosis.

An Exercise Prescription as a Novel Management Strategy for Treatment of Long COVID.

Decreased NO production in endothelial cells exposed to plasma from ME/CFS patients.

Serum of Post-COVID-19 Syndrome Patients with or without ME/CFS Differentially Affects Endothelial Cell Function In Vitro.

Epipharyngeal Abrasive Therapy (EAT) Reduces the mRNA Expression of Major Proinflammatory Cytokine IL-6 in Chronic Epipharyngitis.

[Patients with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) Who Have Already Visited Some Medical Institutions: The Points of Diagnosis and Treatment].

Impaired TRPM3-dependent calcium influx and restoration using Naltrexone in natural killer cells of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome patients.

[Recommendation for standardized medical care for children and adolescents with long COVID].

Exosome-associated mitochondrial DNA from patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome stimulates human microglia to release IL-1β.

Neurochemical abnormalities in chronic fatigue syndrome: a pilot magnetic resonance spectroscopy study at 7 Tesla.

[Long COVID: nosographic aspects and clinical epidemiology].

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