ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

2420 studies

441–460 of 2,420 studies

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM unclearMechanistic

Tissue specific signature of HHV-6 infection in ME/CFS.

Kasimir, Francesca, Toomey, Danny, Liu, Zheng et al.·Frontiers in molecular biosciences·2022

This study looked for signs of active HHV-6 virus (a common herpesvirus) in brain and spinal cord tissue from ME/CFS patients after death, compared to people without ME/CFS. Using a special detection technique, researchers found markers of active viral infection in the nervous tissue of ME/CFS patients but not in the control group. This suggests that HHV-6 may be reactivating specifically in the brain and nervous system in ME/CFS, rather than in the blood where it's usually tested.

Neuroinflammation

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

COVID-19 and chronic fatigue syndrome: An endocrine perspective.

Bansal, Rashika, Gubbi, Sriram, Koch, Christian A·Journal of clinical & translational endocrinology·2022

Some people who recover from COVID-19 experience long-lasting exhaustion and other debilitating symptoms similar to ME/CFS. This review examines how COVID-19 might affect the body's hormone systems, particularly the glands that control stress response and energy levels. The authors suggest doctors should check patients' hormone levels as part of their care plan.

Endocrine DisruptionLong COVID Overlap

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredMechanistic

Study on the active components and mechanism of Suanzaoren decoction in improving cognitive impairment caused by sleep deprivation.

Cheng, Li, Wang, Fei, Li, Zi-Heng et al.·Journal of ethnopharmacology·2022

This study examined how an ancient Chinese herbal remedy called Suanzaoren Decoction (SZRD) might help improve thinking and memory problems caused by poor sleep. Researchers used computer analysis and laboratory experiments to identify the active ingredients in the herbs and understand how they work in the body, finding that the remedy may work through pathways related to estrogen in the brain.

SleepCognitive Impairment

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

A central role for amyloid fibrin microclots in long COVID/PASC: origins and therapeutic implications.

Kell, Douglas B, Laubscher, Gert Jacobus, Pretorius, Etheresia·The Biochemical journal·2022

This study suggests that Long COVID may be caused by unusual blood clots called 'fibrin amyloid microclots' that form after COVID-19 infection. These tiny clots may block small blood vessels and reduce oxygen delivery throughout the body, which could explain many Long COVID symptoms like fatigue, brain fog, and breathing problems. The researchers found these microclots in Long COVID patients' blood and propose that special blood-thinning treatments might help dissolve them and relieve symptoms.

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Autoimmune Autonomic Dysfunction Syndromes: Potential Involvement and Pathophysiology Related to Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Silicone Breast Implant-Related Symptoms and Post-COVID Syndrome.

Mahroum, Naim, Shoenfeld, Yehuda·Pathophysiology : the official journal of the International Society for Pathophysiology·2022

This article suggests that several chronic conditions—including ME/CFS, fibromyalgia, long COVID, and complex regional pain syndrome—may share a common cause: the immune system mistakenly producing antibodies that attack the autonomic nervous system (the part of your body that controls automatic functions like heart rate and blood pressure). The authors propose calling these conditions "autoimmune autonomic dysfunction syndromes" to highlight this shared mechanism and potentially help doctors diagnose and treat them more effectively.

Autonomic Nervous System

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Unexplained post-acute infection syndromes.

Choutka, Jan, Jansari, Viraj, Hornig, Mady et al.·Nature medicine·2022

This review explains that several different infections—not just COVID-19—can sometimes cause long-lasting illness in some people who recover from the initial infection. These post-infection conditions share similar symptoms and overlap with ME/CFS, suggesting they might have common underlying causes that scientists don't yet understand. The authors argue that researchers need to invest more effort in understanding why and how these mysterious long-term illnesses develop.

Long COVID Overlap

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Proposed subtypes of post-COVID-19 syndrome (or long-COVID) and their respective potential therapies.

Yong, Shin Jie, Liu, Shiliang·Reviews in medical virology·2022

This review examines long COVID (persistent symptoms lasting months after COVID-19 infection) and proposes that it comes in six different subtypes, one of which is ME/CFS-like illness. The authors describe the symptoms and potential treatments for each subtype, helping doctors and patients better understand which type of long COVID a person might have. This framework could help lead to more targeted treatments since different subtypes may need different approaches.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Inflammation From Peripheral Organs to the Brain: How Does Systemic Inflammation Cause Neuroinflammation?

Sun, Yuanjie, Koyama, Yoshihisa, Shimada, Shoichi·Frontiers in aging neuroscience·2022

This review explores how inflammation in the body's organs—like the gut, lungs, or joints—can trigger inflammation in the brain. The authors describe several pathways by which this happens, including damage to the protective barrier around the brain, activation of immune cells in the brain, and communication through nerves connecting organs to the brain. ME/CFS is highlighted as one disease where this peripheral-to-brain inflammation mechanism may be important.

NeuroinflammationImmune System

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM unclearMechanistic

Phenotypic characteristics of peripheral immune cells of Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome via transmission electron microscopy: A pilot study.

Jahanbani, Fereshteh, Maynard, Rajan D, Sing, Justin Cyril et al.·PloS one·2022

Researchers used a powerful microscope to examine immune cells from people with ME/CFS and found several abnormalities. They observed that immune cells from ME/CFS patients died more frequently when activated, had swollen energy-producing structures (mitochondria), and in one severely ill patient, contained unusual fat-like accumulations. These cellular changes suggest that ME/CFS involves real, measurable damage to immune system function.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryCommentaryPEM requiredEditorial

[Facts and myths about chronic fatigue syndrome].

Fink, Per, Skjernov, Mathias, Petersen, Line Kirkeby et al.·Ugeskrift for laeger·2022

This article discusses updates to ME/CFS treatment guidelines and challenges some common beliefs about the condition. The authors argue that new guidelines recommend against intense exercise programs for severely ill patients and suggest energy management instead, but they question whether the evidence supporting these changes was properly evaluated. They raise concerns about how the new guidelines were developed and what type of evidence was considered.

Severe MEPost-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Dyspnea in Post-COVID Syndrome following Mild Acute COVID-19 Infections: Potential Causes and Consequences for a Therapeutic Approach.

Wirth, Klaus J, Scheibenbogen, Carmen·Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania)·2022

Many people with post-COVID syndrome experience shortness of breath and chest pain, even though their lungs and heart are typically healthy. This study proposes that the problem may stem from overbreathing (hyperventilation) during exercise, combined with problems in how the body regulates breathing and uses energy in muscles. The authors suggest that overbreathing creates a harmful cascade inside cells—disrupting sodium and calcium balance—which worsens fatigue and breathing difficulties. Preventing overbreathing might be a way to help these patients recover.

Energy MetabolismPost-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryBehavioralPEM unclearCross-Sectional

'A life I can cope with'. An alternative model of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) for CFS/ME.

Clark, Catherine, Holttum, Sue·Health expectations : an international journal of public participation in health care and health policy·2022

This study looked at a different approach to cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for ME/CFS that focuses on helping people manage and cope with their condition, rather than pushing them to do more activity. Researchers interviewed 13 people who tried this type of CBT and found that patients felt better able to handle their illness and felt less distressed, even when their fatigue didn't improve much. This suggests that CBT can help people feel more in control and emotionally better, separately from whether the fatigue itself gets better.

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

[Treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome from yangming meridian].

Xue, Kai-Yang, Cui, Jin·Zhongguo zhen jiu = Chinese acupuncture & moxibustion·2022

This paper discusses a traditional Chinese medicine approach to treating ME/CFS by focusing on the yangming meridian (energy pathways in the body). The authors propose that ME/CFS is connected to the brain and digestive system and suggest using Chinese herbal medicine combined with acupuncture might help by clearing heat, reducing inflammation, improving energy flow, and strengthening the body.

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

[Fatigue Doesn't Always have to be caused by SARS-CoV-2: Case Report].

Howanietz, Helmuth, Graf, Ulrike, Kainz, Theresa·Padiatrie und Padologie·2022

This case report describes a 17-year-old girl who experienced severe fatigue caused by Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection, commonly known as infectious mononucleosis. The authors highlight that fatigue in young people can come from many different causes, not just COVID-19, and that it's important to identify the correct cause. Notably, about 13.5% of people who have EBV infection go on to develop ME/CFS, making proper diagnosis essential.

Diagnostics

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Muscle sodium content in patients with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Petter, Elisabeth, Scheibenbogen, Carmen, Linz, Peter et al.·Journal of translational medicine·2022

Researchers used a special type of MRI scan to measure sodium levels in the leg muscles of ME/CFS patients and healthy people. They found that ME/CFS patients had higher sodium buildup in their muscles both at rest and after exercise, and this sodium overload was linked to weaker grip strength. This suggests that muscles in ME/CFS may not be handling sodium properly, which could contribute to fatigue and muscle pain.

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM unclearMechanistic

Elevated ATG13 in serum of patients with ME/CFS stimulates oxidative stress response in microglial cells via activation of receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE).

Gottschalk, Gunnar, Peterson, Daniel, Knox, Konstance et al.·Molecular and cellular neurosciences·2022

Researchers found that people with ME/CFS have higher levels of a protein called ATG13 in their blood compared to healthy people. When they tested this protein on brain immune cells in the lab, it triggered the production of harmful molecules called free radicals (oxidative stress). This suggests that a breakdown in the body's cellular recycling system (autophagy) might contribute to the inflammation and stress response seen in ME/CFS.

NeuroinflammationImmune System

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM unclear

Living with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome: Experiences of occupational disruption for adults in Australia.

Bartlett, Chelsea, Hughes, Julie L, Miller, Laura·The British journal of occupational therapy·2022

This Australian study interviewed five people with ME/CFS about how the illness affected their ability to work and participate in daily activities. Participants described losing the ability to do the things that mattered to them—first hobbies and leisure activities, then work, and eventually basic self-care tasks. They also faced challenges from lack of understanding about ME/CFS, financial difficulties, and limited healthcare support.

Cognitive Impairment

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

COVID-19 in the perioperative setting: A review of the literature and the clinical landscape.

O'Glasser, Avital Y, Schenning, Katie J·Perioperative care and operating room management·2022

This article reviews what doctors know about surgical risks for people who have had COVID-19. It discusses how hospitals have had to balance treating COVID-19 patients while also catching up on surgeries that were delayed during the pandemic. The authors highlight that COVID-19 survivors face higher risks during surgery and anesthesia, and they call for careful planning to keep these patients safe.

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 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM unclearMethods-Paper

A common language for Gulf War Illness (GWI) research studies: GWI common data elements.

Cohen, Devra E, Sullivan, Kimberly A, McNeil, Rebecca B et al.·Life sciences·2022

This study created a standardized checklist of symptoms and tests that researchers should use when studying Gulf War Illness (GWI). Experts, veterans, and doctors worked together to decide which questions and measurements are most important to collect consistently across different research studies. This approach was based on a similar checklist already created for ME/CFS, allowing both conditions to use comparable research methods. Having this common language helps different research teams share and compare their findings more easily.

Diagnostics

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Evidence Atlas

Evidence browser

Tissue specific signature of HHV-6 infection in ME/CFS.

COVID-19 and chronic fatigue syndrome: An endocrine perspective.

Study on the active components and mechanism of Suanzaoren decoction in improving cognitive impairment caused by sleep deprivation.

A central role for amyloid fibrin microclots in long COVID/PASC: origins and therapeutic implications.

Autoimmune Autonomic Dysfunction Syndromes: Potential Involvement and Pathophysiology Related to Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Silicone Breast Implant-Related Symptoms and Post-COVID Syndrome.

Unexplained post-acute infection syndromes.

Proposed subtypes of post-COVID-19 syndrome (or long-COVID) and their respective potential therapies.

Inflammation From Peripheral Organs to the Brain: How Does Systemic Inflammation Cause Neuroinflammation?

Phenotypic characteristics of peripheral immune cells of Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome via transmission electron microscopy: A pilot study.

[Facts and myths about chronic fatigue syndrome].

Dyspnea in Post-COVID Syndrome following Mild Acute COVID-19 Infections: Potential Causes and Consequences for a Therapeutic Approach.

'A life I can cope with'. An alternative model of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) for CFS/ME.

[Treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome from yangming meridian].

[Fatigue Doesn't Always have to be caused by SARS-CoV-2: Case Report].

Muscle sodium content in patients with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Elevated ATG13 in serum of patients with ME/CFS stimulates oxidative stress response in microglial cells via activation of receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE).

Living with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome: Experiences of occupational disruption for adults in Australia.

COVID-19 in the perioperative setting: A review of the literature and the clinical landscape.

Fatigue in Cirrhosis.

A common language for Gulf War Illness (GWI) research studies: GWI common data elements.

Curated Collections

Neuroinflammation Evidence

Metabolism & Mitochondria

Biomarkers

PEM-Specific Research