ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

2420 studies

541–560 of 2,420 studies

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

Post-COVID-19 syndrome: epidemiology, diagnostic criteria and pathogenic mechanisms involved.

Carod-Artal, F J·Revista de neurologia·2021

Many people who have had COVID-19, even mild cases, don't fully recover and experience long-lasting symptoms for months afterward. This article reviews what we know about post-COVID-19 syndrome, including who gets it, what symptoms they have, and what might be causing it. Common symptoms include fatigue, breathing problems, difficulty concentrating, anxiety, and depression. The exact biological reasons why this happens are still unknown, though experts think abnormal immune and inflammatory responses may play a role.

DiagnosticsCognitive Impairment

E3 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Testing a newly developed activity pacing framework for chronic pain/fatigue: a feasibility study.

Antcliff, Deborah, Keenan, Anne-Maree, Keeley, Philip et al.·BMJ open·2021

This study tested whether a new framework could help healthcare professionals teach patients with chronic pain and fatigue (including ME/CFS) how to pace their activities more effectively. Patients attended a 6-week rehabilitation program and were asked about their pain, fatigue, mood, and quality of life before the program, at the end, and 3 months later. Most patients felt satisfied with the program, and those who completed it showed improvements in their ability to pace themselves and manage their symptoms.

Interventions

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Case Report: Neutralization of Autoantibodies Targeting G-Protein-Coupled Receptors Improves Capillary Impairment and Fatigue Symptoms After COVID-19 Infection.

Hohberger, Bettina, Harrer, Thomas, Mardin, Christian et al.·Frontiers in medicine·2021

This case report describes one patient with long COVID who had ongoing fatigue, loss of taste, and poor blood flow in the eyes after a mild COVID-19 infection. The patient was found to have unusual antibodies that attack certain receptors in the body. When treated with a drug called BC 007 that neutralizes these antibodies, the patient's fatigue, taste, and eye blood flow all improved within days and stayed better for at least 4 weeks.

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM unclearCase-Control

Young and exhausted.

Oleksak, Filip, Durdik, Peter, Jakusova, Lubica et al.·Advances in respiratory medicine·2021

This case report describes a young patient who was diagnosed with ME/CFS (extreme exhaustion lasting at least six months) but actually had a different, treatable heart and lung condition. The doctors used a special exercise test called cardiopulmonary exercise testing to discover the real cause. This story reminds us that it's important to carefully check for other medical conditions before diagnosing someone with ME/CFS, especially in children and young people.

Diagnostics

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

An Audit of UK Hospital Doctors' Knowledge and Experience of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis.

Hng, Keng Ngee, Geraghty, Keith, Pheby, Derek F H·Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania)·2021

This study surveyed 44 UK hospital doctors about their knowledge of ME/CFS. Most doctors had little formal training on ME and lacked confidence in diagnosing or treating it, even though many had seen patients with the condition. The doctors showed significant gaps in understanding what ME actually is, how to properly diagnose it, and how to manage it effectively.

Diagnostics

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM unclearCase-Control

Idiopathic combined adrenocorticotropin and growth hormone deficiency mimicking chronic fatigue syndrome.

Tokumasu, Kazuki, Ochi, Kanako, Otsuka, Fumio·BMJ case reports·2021

This case describes a 42-year-old man who was told he had chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and fibromyalgia, but was actually missing two important hormones: cortisol and growth hormone. When doctors tested his pituitary gland (which makes these hormones), they found deficiencies that weren't caught before. After starting treatment with these hormones, his severe tiredness, muscle pain, and depression all improved significantly.

Diagnostics

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

Split-Second Unlearning: Developing a Theory of Psychophysiological Dis-ease.

Hudson, Matt, Johnson, Mark I·Frontiers in psychology·2021

This study proposes that early emotional experiences—both traumatic and everyday—can create lasting patterns in how our bodies respond to stress. When we encounter triggers related to those memories, our body automatically activates a stress response even if the threat is no longer present. The researchers describe a new therapy approach where patients learn to observe their own automatic responses in the moment and gradually 'unlearn' the connection between the memory and the physical stress reaction.

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome: Immunologic contrasts and connective tissue comparisons.

Islam, Mareesa, Chang, Christopher, Gershwin, M Eric·Journal of translational autoimmunity·2021

This review article explains Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS), a group of inherited disorders that affect connective tissue in the body, causing symptoms like loose, stretchy skin and flexible joints. The authors describe the 13 different types of EDS, how doctors diagnose them, and how they're treated. While some forms of EDS involve inflammation, the exact mechanisms causing the disease are not fully understood.

Diagnostics

E3 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM not requiredMethods-Paper

A comparison of approaches for combining predictive markers for personalised treatment recommendations.

Pierce, Matthias, Emsley, Richard·Trials·2021

This study compared three statistical methods for using blood test results (biomarkers) to predict which ME/CFS patients would benefit most from rehabilitation treatment. The researchers tested these methods using computer simulations and real data from a rehabilitation trial, to figure out the best way to combine multiple biomarkers to personalize treatment recommendations for individual patients.

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Fibromyalgia and Associated Disorders: From Pain to Chronic Suffering, From Subjective Hypersensitivity to Hypersensitivity Syndrome.

Maugars, Yves, Berthelot, Jean-Marie, Le Goff, Benoit et al.·Frontiers in medicine·2021

This article reviews what scientists know about fibromyalgia as of 2020, including how it's diagnosed and why it happens. The authors explain that fibromyalgia involves the brain processing pain signals too intensely, and that people with fibromyalgia often experience many other symptoms like fatigue, sleep problems, and sensitivity to sounds, lights, and touch. They also discuss how fibromyalgia shares common features with other conditions like ME/CFS, all involving a heightened sensitivity to stimuli controlled by the central nervous system.

Sleep

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredMechanistic

Inflammation plays a causal role in fatigue-like behavior induced by pelvic irradiation in mice.

Wolff, Brian S, Alshawi, Sarah A, Feng, Li Rebekah et al.·Brain, behavior, & immunity - health·2021

Researchers gave mice targeted radiation to the pelvis (similar to cancer treatment) and found that the mice became less active afterward—a fatigue-like behavior. They discovered that inflammation, particularly a protein called IL-6, plays a key role in causing this fatigue. When they reduced inflammation using a drug called minocycline or using mice genetically unable to trigger certain inflammatory pathways, the fatigue was reduced but not completely eliminated.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM unclearCase-Control

Life-Threatening Malnutrition in Very Severe ME/CFS.

Baxter, Helen, Speight, Nigel, Weir, William·Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland)·2021

This study describes five patients with very severe ME/CFS who developed life-threatening malnutrition because doctors delayed providing tube feeding support. Some severely affected patients cannot eat or drink normally due to swallowing difficulties, severe stomach problems, or being too ill to feed themselves. The research shows that doctors sometimes mistakenly blamed psychological factors instead of recognizing nutrition problems as a direct result of the disease, leading to dangerous delays in life-saving treatment.

Severe ME

E3 PreliminaryBehavioralPEM not requiredCase-Control

Recovery from refractory chronic fatigue syndrome with CBT and modafinil.

Garg, Himanshu, Douglas, Maggie, Turkington, Gordon Douglas et al.·BMJ case reports·2021

This small study looked at three patients with severe, long-lasting ME/CFS who had not improved with standard treatments. When doctors added a medication called modafinil to cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), two of the three patients reported meaningful improvements in fatigue, pain, and concentration, and all three were able to return to work or study. This suggests that combining modafinil with CBT might help some treatment-resistant patients, though more research is needed.

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

Post-Acute COVID-19 Syndrome and the cardiovascular system: What is known?

Dixit, Neal M, Churchill, Austin, Nsair, Ali et al.·American heart journal plus : cardiology research and practice·2021

Some people who have had COVID-19 develop long-lasting symptoms weeks or months later, including chest pain and heart palpitations (feeling your heart racing). This review examines what we know about how COVID-19 affects the heart during this long-COVID period. While the virus itself rarely causes direct heart damage, it can trigger several heart-related conditions that may explain why patients experience these symptoms.

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM requiredCross-Sectional

Submaximal Exercise Provokes Increased Activation of the Anterior Default Mode Network During the Resting State as a Biomarker of Postexertional Malaise in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Rayhan, Rakib U, Baraniuk, James N·Frontiers in neuroscience·2021

Researchers used brain imaging to look at what happens in ME/CFS patients' brains after exercise. They found that after submaximal exercise, a specific brain region (the anterior Default Mode Network) showed increased activity in ME/CFS patients but decreased activity in healthy controls. This brain pattern may help explain why ME/CFS patients experience symptom flare-ups after physical activity.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

Benefits of micronutrient supplementation on nutritional status, energy metabolism, and subjective wellbeing.

Maggini, Silvia, Óvári, Veronika, Ferreres Giménez, Inmaculada et al.·Nutricion hospitalaria·2021

Your body needs several vitamins and minerals—like vitamins A, D, E, folate, iron, zinc, and selenium—to make energy in your cells. Many people, even in wealthy countries, don't get enough of these nutrients. Studies show that taking a combination of these micronutrients, sometimes with coenzyme Q10, may help reduce fatigue, improve thinking, and make people feel better overall.

Energy Metabolism

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM unclearObservational

An Open-Label, Pilot Trial of HRG80™ Red Ginseng in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, and Post-Viral Fatigue.

Teitelbaum, Jacob, Goudie, Sarah·Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)·2021

This study tested a special form of red ginseng called HRG80 in people with ME/CFS, fibromyalgia, and post-COVID fatigue. Over one month, 188 patients took daily ginseng supplements and reported their symptoms. About 60% of participants felt better, with improvements in energy, mental clarity, sleep, and stamina.

Pain and SensitizationSleepCognitive Impairment

E3 PreliminaryCommentaryPEM unclear

Insights from myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome may help unravel the pathogenesis of postacute COVID-19 syndrome.

Komaroff, Anthony L, Lipkin, W Ian·Trends in molecular medicine·2021

This article compares myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) with long COVID to see if they might share similar causes. The authors suggest that some people who develop long COVID symptoms—like persistent fatigue, cognitive problems, and pain—may experience similar biological problems to those seen in ME/CFS. Understanding these shared mechanisms could help doctors better treat both conditions.

Energy MetabolismLong COVID Overlap

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM unclearMechanistic

Dysregulated Provision of Oxidisable Substrates to the Mitochondria in ME/CFS Lymphoblasts.

Missailidis, Daniel, Sanislav, Oana, Allan, Claire Y et al.·International journal of molecular sciences·2021

This study looked at how cells from ME/CFS patients use energy differently than healthy cells. Researchers found that ME/CFS cells are overproducing enzymes that break down fats, amino acids, and other nutrients to fuel their mitochondria (the cell's power plants), while their glycolysis (the main way cells normally produce energy) stays normal. This suggests ME/CFS cells may be forced to use alternative, less efficient pathways to generate the energy they need.

Energy Metabolism

E3 PreliminaryCommentaryPEM requiredEditorial

Pathophysiology of skeletal muscle disturbances in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS).

Wirth, Klaus J, Scheibenbogen, Carmen·Journal of translational medicine·2021

This study proposes that ME/CFS may be caused by a problem with how the body's nervous system controls blood vessels and muscle function. The researchers suggest that faulty beta-2 receptors (proteins that normally help regulate these systems) lead to poor blood flow in muscles, buildup of harmful substances, and damage to the energy-producing structures inside muscle cells. This creates a harmful cycle where even small amounts of activity can trigger the same problems again and again, explaining why patients experience crashes after exertion.

Post-Exertional Malaise

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Evidence browser

Post-COVID-19 syndrome: epidemiology, diagnostic criteria and pathogenic mechanisms involved.

Testing a newly developed activity pacing framework for chronic pain/fatigue: a feasibility study.

Case Report: Neutralization of Autoantibodies Targeting G-Protein-Coupled Receptors Improves Capillary Impairment and Fatigue Symptoms After COVID-19 Infection.

Young and exhausted.

An Audit of UK Hospital Doctors' Knowledge and Experience of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis.

Idiopathic combined adrenocorticotropin and growth hormone deficiency mimicking chronic fatigue syndrome.

Split-Second Unlearning: Developing a Theory of Psychophysiological Dis-ease.

Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome: Immunologic contrasts and connective tissue comparisons.

A comparison of approaches for combining predictive markers for personalised treatment recommendations.

Fibromyalgia and Associated Disorders: From Pain to Chronic Suffering, From Subjective Hypersensitivity to Hypersensitivity Syndrome.

Inflammation plays a causal role in fatigue-like behavior induced by pelvic irradiation in mice.

Life-Threatening Malnutrition in Very Severe ME/CFS.

Recovery from refractory chronic fatigue syndrome with CBT and modafinil.

Post-Acute COVID-19 Syndrome and the cardiovascular system: What is known?

Submaximal Exercise Provokes Increased Activation of the Anterior Default Mode Network During the Resting State as a Biomarker of Postexertional Malaise in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Benefits of micronutrient supplementation on nutritional status, energy metabolism, and subjective wellbeing.

An Open-Label, Pilot Trial of HRG80™ Red Ginseng in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, and Post-Viral Fatigue.

Insights from myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome may help unravel the pathogenesis of postacute COVID-19 syndrome.

Dysregulated Provision of Oxidisable Substrates to the Mitochondria in ME/CFS Lymphoblasts.

Pathophysiology of skeletal muscle disturbances in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS).

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Neuroinflammation Evidence

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