ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

2420 studies

481–500 of 2,420 studies

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

"I Just Want to Feel Safe Going to a Doctor": Experiences of Female Patients with Chronic Conditions in Australia.

Merone, Lea, Tsey, Komla, Russell, Darren et al.·Women's health reports (New Rochelle, N.Y.)·2022

This study interviewed 20 Australian women with various chronic conditions, including chronic fatigue syndrome, to understand their experiences with doctors and the healthcare system. The women reported that their pain and exhaustion were often dismissed or not taken seriously, which created fear and trauma around seeking medical care. The researchers found that women with chronic illnesses need doctors who are more knowledgeable, understanding, and empathetic about their conditions.

Diagnostics

E3 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM not requiredMethods-Paper

Estimating total morbidity burden of COVID-19: relative importance of death and disability.

Smith, Maia P·Journal of clinical epidemiology·2022

This study looked at the total health impact of COVID-19 by measuring not just deaths, but also the years of healthy life lost due to long-COVID symptoms. The researchers found that most of the burden from COVID-19 actually comes from people who survive but live with ongoing disability—not from deaths alone. The study suggests that resources should focus on preventing and treating long-COVID, especially in younger people and women who appear to bear a larger share of this burden.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Chronic post-COVID-19 syndrome and chronic fatigue syndrome: Is there a role for extracorporeal apheresis?

Bornstein, Stefan R, Voit-Bak, Karin, Donate, Timo et al.·Molecular psychiatry·2022

Some people who had COVID-19 continue to experience fatigue and breathing problems long after recovering from the infection, a condition called long-COVID. This pattern of ongoing symptoms looks similar to ME/CFS, another condition that causes persistent fatigue. Researchers found that both conditions may involve the body producing antibodies (immune proteins) that attack certain nerve receptors. A treatment called extracorporeal apheresis, which filters blood to remove these harmful antibodies, showed promise in improving symptoms in ME/CFS patients and might also help those with long-COVID.

Immune System

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

Mucosal Immunity and the Gut-Microbiota-Brain-Axis in Neuroimmune Disease.

Sterling, Kathryn G, Dodd, Griffin Kutler, Alhamdi, Shatha et al.·International journal of molecular sciences·2022

This review article examines the connection between gut bacteria, immunity, and the brain in diseases like ME/CFS. The authors explain that the bacteria in our gut can communicate with our brain through chemical signals and nerves, but this communication can be disrupted in certain illnesses. They focus on how the immune system in the gut lining controls which bacteria thrive there, and how changes in these bacterial communities might contribute to neuroimmune diseases.

NeuroinflammationGut MicrobiomeImmune System

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredMechanistic

Metabolomics study of the effect of Danggui Buxue Tang on rats with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Miao, Xiaoyao, Li, Shuo, Xiao, Bingkun et al.·Biomedical chromatography : BMC·2022

Researchers tested whether a traditional Chinese medicine formula called Danggui Buxue Tang (DBT) could help rats with chronic fatigue syndrome caused by stress and food restriction. After 4 weeks of treatment, rats given DBT showed better energy levels, reduced fatigue markers in their blood, and improved physical performance compared to untreated rats with CFS.

E3 PreliminaryBehavioralPEM not requiredObservational

Mechanism of the Huangguoshu waterfall forest environment's promotive effect on human health in Guizhou, China.

Zhu, Zixin, Zhao, Xueke, Ouyang, Qiuyue et al.·Annals of translational medicine·2022

This study looked at whether spending time in a waterfall forest environment in China could help people with ME/CFS feel better. Researchers tracked what participants looked at, measured their fatigue and mood, and checked blood markers for inflammation and antioxidants. They found that people who spent time near the waterfall had less fatigue and depression, lower inflammation, and higher antioxidant levels.

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Stellate ganglion block reduces symptoms of Long COVID: A case series.

Liu, Luke D, Duricka, Deborah L·Journal of neuroimmunology·2022

This small study looked at a procedure called a stellate ganglion block, which uses local anesthetic to temporarily quiet the nerve signals in the neck that control your 'fight or flight' response. Two Long COVID patients received this procedure, and their symptoms—including fatigue, brain fog, and dizziness upon standing—improved. The authors suggest that an imbalance in the autonomic nervous system (the system that controls automatic body functions) may be contributing to Long COVID symptoms.

Neuroinflammation

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Perspective: Drawing on Findings From Critical Illness to Explain Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Stanculescu, Dominic, Bergquist, Jonas·Frontiers in medicine·2022

This paper suggests that ME/CFS might develop through similar biological problems seen in people with severe critical illnesses. The researchers propose that four interconnected issues—reduced blood flow to tissues, damage to the gut lining, problems with pituitary gland function, and low thyroid hormone activity—could work together to create a cycle that keeps ME/CFS going. Understanding these connections could help develop better treatments.

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 PreliminaryCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Late-Onset Hypogonadism in a Male Patient with Long COVID Diagnosed by Exclusion of ME/CFS.

Soejima, Yoshiaki, Otsuka, Yuki, Tokumasu, Kazuki et al.·Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania)·2022

This case report describes a 36-year-old man who had persistent fatigue after COVID-19 infection. Doctors discovered he had abnormally low testosterone levels and pituitary gland problems, which can cause fatigue and other symptoms. After treatment with traditional herbal medicine, his fatigue improved along with his hormone levels and gland function.

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM unclearCase-Control

Stellate Ganglion Block for Long COVID Symptom Management: A Case Report.

Khan, Mashfee H, Kirkpatrick, Kennedy P, Deng, Yi et al.·Cureus·2022

This study describes one patient with long COVID who received a stellate ganglion block (SGB)—an injection that calms an overactive nervous system. The treatment helped reduce their fatigue, post-exertional malaise (worsening after activity), shortness of breath, and stomach problems. Because the nervous system controls many body functions, blocking specific nerve signals may help relieve symptoms driven by this dysregulation.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryCommentaryPEM unclearEditorial

Editorial: The Brain Under Fatigue.

Niu, Haijing, Ming, Dong, Papadelis, Christos et al.·Frontiers in neuroscience·2022

This editorial discusses how fatigue affects the brain and brain function. It serves as an introduction to recent research exploring the connections between fatigue and brain activity, highlighting why scientists are interested in understanding how exhaustion impacts our ability to think and function.

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM unclearMechanistic

Aberrations in the Cross-Talks Among Redox, Nuclear Factor-κB, and Wnt/β-Catenin Pathway Signaling Underpin Myalgic Encephalomyelitis and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Maes, Michael, Kubera, Marta, Kotańska, Magdalena·Frontiers in psychiatry·2022

This study examined proteins and metabolites in ME/CFS patients to understand how the disease works at a molecular level. Researchers found that ME/CFS involves problems with three interconnected cellular systems: how cells handle harmful oxidative stress, how the immune system responds through inflammation, and how cells communicate through a pathway called Wnt/β-catenin. The study suggests ME/CFS may be triggered by various causes—like infections or toxic exposures—but they all damage these same three systems.

NeuroinflammationImmune System

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM requiredReview-Narrative

The potential role of ischaemia-reperfusion injury in chronic, relapsing diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, Long COVID, and ME/CFS: evidence, mechanisms, and therapeutic implications.

Kell, Douglas B, Pretorius, Etheresia·The Biochemical journal·2022

This paper proposes that ME/CFS, Long COVID, and some other chronic diseases may be caused by a harmful cycle involving tiny blood clots blocking small blood vessels, followed by damage when blood flow returns. The authors suggest that this process creates harmful molecules called free radicals and triggers inflammation and other problems. They review existing evidence that treatments like antioxidants, anti-inflammatory drugs, and blood thinners might help address these underlying mechanisms.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Experiences of pain in paediatric chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis: a single-centre qualitative study.

Serafimova, Teona, Ascough, Caitlin, Parslow, Roxanne Morin et al.·BMJ paediatrics open·2022

This study explored how children with ME/CFS experience pain by interviewing 13 young people (average age 15). Researchers found that pain is very common, highly varied, and significantly impacts daily life—affecting physical activity, eating, schooling, and mental health. Most importantly, the children reported that current treatments don't work well, highlighting an urgent need for better pain management options.

Pain and Sensitization

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 PreliminaryReviewPEM requiredReview-Narrative

The Pathobiology of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: The Case for Neuroglial Failure.

Renz-Polster, Herbert, Tremblay, Marie-Eve, Bienzle, Dorothee et al.·Frontiers in cellular neuroscience·2022

This study suggests that ME/CFS might be caused by problems with certain support cells in the brain called glia, which help protect and maintain nerve cells. The researchers reviewed existing research on two key ME/CFS symptoms—feeling worse after activity and reduced blood flow to the brain—and found evidence that brain cell dysfunction could explain many of the different problems seen in ME/CFS.

NeuroinflammationPost-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

[Mechanism of acupuncture and moxibustion in treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome from perspective of intestinal flora].

Li, Chao-Ran, Sun, Zhong-Ren, Wang, Yu-Lin et al.·Zhongguo zhen jiu = Chinese acupuncture & moxibustion·2022

This study explores how gut bacteria may contribute to chronic fatigue syndrome and suggests that acupuncture and moxibustion (traditional Chinese medicine techniques) might help by restoring healthy gut bacteria. The researchers believe that an imbalance in gut bacteria can trigger inflammation and metabolism problems in ME/CFS patients, and that these traditional treatments could reduce fatigue by improving gut health and communication between the gut and brain.

Gut MicrobiomeImmune System

E3 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM requiredMethods-Paper

The Hindi Version of International Consensus Criteria: A Cross-cultural Adaptation and Validation Study for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis in Post-COVID Patients.

Shah, Mansi, Kakar, Atul, Gogia, Atul·The Journal of the Association of Physicians of India·2022

This study created and tested a Hindi-language version of a tool that doctors use to diagnose ME/CFS. Researchers translated the original English diagnostic criteria into Hindi and verified that it works just as well for Hindi-speaking patients in India. This makes it easier for more people to be accurately identified and diagnosed with ME/CFS, rather than being told they simply have fatigue from long COVID.

Diagnostics

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"I Just Want to Feel Safe Going to a Doctor": Experiences of Female Patients with Chronic Conditions in Australia.

Estimating total morbidity burden of COVID-19: relative importance of death and disability.

Chronic post-COVID-19 syndrome and chronic fatigue syndrome: Is there a role for extracorporeal apheresis?

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

Mucosal Immunity and the Gut-Microbiota-Brain-Axis in Neuroimmune Disease.

Metabolomics study of the effect of Danggui Buxue Tang on rats with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Mechanism of the Huangguoshu waterfall forest environment's promotive effect on human health in Guizhou, China.

Stellate ganglion block reduces symptoms of Long COVID: A case series.

Perspective: Drawing on Findings From Critical Illness to Explain Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

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

Late-Onset Hypogonadism in a Male Patient with Long COVID Diagnosed by Exclusion of ME/CFS.

Stellate Ganglion Block for Long COVID Symptom Management: A Case Report.

Editorial: The Brain Under Fatigue.

Aberrations in the Cross-Talks Among Redox, Nuclear Factor-κB, and Wnt/β-Catenin Pathway Signaling Underpin Myalgic Encephalomyelitis and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

The potential role of ischaemia-reperfusion injury in chronic, relapsing diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, Long COVID, and ME/CFS: evidence, mechanisms, and therapeutic implications.

Experiences of pain in paediatric chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis: a single-centre qualitative study.

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

The Pathobiology of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: The Case for Neuroglial Failure.

[Mechanism of acupuncture and moxibustion in treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome from perspective of intestinal flora].

The Hindi Version of International Consensus Criteria: A Cross-cultural Adaptation and Validation Study for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis in Post-COVID Patients.

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Metabolism & Mitochondria

Biomarkers

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