ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

2420 studies

621–640 of 2,420 studies

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Bone Marrow Defects of the Jaw - A Case Report on Additional Dental X-Ray Diagnostics with Ultrasound.

Lechner, Johann, Schick, Fabian·International medical case reports journal·2021

This case report describes a young man with ME/CFS who had headaches and tinnitus but no visible bone problems on standard X-rays. When doctors used ultrasound imaging, they found a suspicious area in his lower jawbone. Surgery revealed a fungal infection (aspergillosis) and inflamed tissue that standard X-rays had missed. This suggests that ultrasound might be a better tool for detecting hidden bone and jaw problems in some ME/CFS patients.

E3 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM requiredMethods-Paper

The development of an instrument to assess post-exertional malaise in patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Jason, Leonard A, Holtzman, Carly S, Sunnquist, Madison et al.·Journal of health psychology·2021

This study created a new questionnaire called the DePaul Post-Exertional Malaise Questionnaire to measure post-exertional malaise (PEM)—the worsening of symptoms that happens after physical or mental activity in ME/CFS patients. Researchers worked with hundreds of patients to develop questions that accurately capture what PEM feels like. Early testing showed the questionnaire works well and connects meaningfully with how much physical activity patients can do.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredMechanistic

Homeostatic disturbance of thermoregulatory functions in rats with chronic fatigue.

Li, Danxi, Hu, Di, Shigeta, Mika et al.·Neuroscience research·2021

Many ME/CFS patients report feeling feverish or chilled even when their body temperature is normal. This study used rats with chronic fatigue to understand what goes wrong with the body's temperature control system. Researchers found that in early fatigue, the body tried to raise its temperature to cope, but over time this system broke down and stopped working properly, which may explain why fatigue becomes long-lasting.

Autonomic Nervous System

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM requiredReview-Narrative

A Natural History of Disease Framework for Improving the Prevention, Management, and Research on Post-viral Fatigue Syndrome and Other Forms of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

O'Boyle, Shennae, Nacul, Luis, Nacul, Flavio E et al.·Frontiers in medicine·2021

This study proposes a new way to understand ME/CFS by looking at how the disease develops over time in stages, rather than trying to categorize patients by their different symptoms. The authors suggest that each stage of the disease may need different types of care—early stages might focus on rest and preventing worsening, while later stages need more comprehensive treatment tailored to individual patients. They emphasize that clearer definitions and standards are needed in ME/CFS research to make treatments and policies more reliable.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryBehavioralPEM unclear

Is Cognitive Change Necessary to Alleviate Symptoms in Patients With Functional Somatic Syndrome?

Maroti, Daniel, Johansson, Robert·Frontiers in psychiatry·2021

This study examined whether changing how patients think about their symptoms (cognitive change) is necessary to improve symptoms in people with functional somatic syndromes like ME/CFS. The researchers explored the relationship between psychological thinking patterns and symptom improvement to understand better which approaches might help patients feel better.

Cognitive Impairment

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM unclearObservational

Insights From Invasive Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing of Patients With Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Joseph, Phillip, Arevalo, Carlo, Oliveira, Rudolf K F et al.·Chest·2021

This study used specialized heart and lung testing during exercise to understand why people with ME/CFS struggle with physical activity. Researchers found that ME/CFS patients had two different problems during exercise: some had reduced blood flow returning to the heart, while others couldn't efficiently extract oxygen from their blood. About 31% of patients also showed evidence of small nerve fiber damage in their skin biopsies.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryPEM unclear

Extremely Severe ME/CFS-A Personal Account.

Dafoe, Whitney·Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland)·2021

This is a detailed personal account from a patient living with extremely severe ME/CFS, a condition so debilitating that they are bedridden. The patient describes their illness progression over time, medical history, and what daily life is actually like with this most severe form of the disease. Through personal essays and detailed descriptions, the account provides insight into specific experiences and challenges that extremely severe patients face.

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM requiredMechanistic

Profile of circulating microRNAs in myalgic encephalomyelitis and their relation to symptom severity, and disease pathophysiology.

Nepotchatykh, Evguenia, Elremaly, Wesam, Caraus, Iurie et al.·Scientific reports·2020

This study looked at tiny molecules called microRNAs in the blood of severely ill ME/CFS patients before and after a stress challenge designed to trigger post-exertional malaise (the worsening of symptoms after activity). The researchers found that eleven different microRNAs changed in response to this challenge, with patterns that varied depending on symptom severity. These microRNA signatures could potentially be used one day as blood tests to help diagnose ME/CFS.

BiomarkersPost-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryGuidelinePEM not requiredGuideline

International expert consensus on the management of allergic rhinitis (AR) aggravated by air pollutants: Impact of air pollution on patients with AR: Current knowledge and future strategies.

Naclerio, Robert, Ansotegui, Ignacio J, Bousquet, Jean et al.·The World Allergy Organization journal·2020

Allergic rhinitis (hay fever and similar nasal allergies) affects millions of people and becomes worse when air pollution is present. This expert consensus report reviews how air pollution—both indoors and outdoors—makes allergic rhinitis symptoms worse, and discusses the best ways to manage it. The main treatment involves following standard allergy guidelines and reducing exposure to pollutants, though more research is needed on which medicines work best for people dealing with both allergies and air pollution.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

Mitochondria disease due to humidifier disinfectants: diagnostic criteria and its evidences.

Leem, Jong Han, Kim, Hwan-Cheol·Environmental analysis, health and toxicology·2020

In 2011, millions of people in South Korea were exposed to toxic chemicals in humidifier disinfectants, which caused widespread illness beyond just lung damage. Researchers found that these chemicals harm the mitochondria—the energy-producing parts of cells—leading to symptoms like chronic fatigue, muscle pain, exercise intolerance, and neurological problems similar to those seen in ME/CFS. This study reviews evidence that mitochondrial damage from chemical exposure may explain why victims developed multi-system health problems.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Determination by ICP-MS and multivariate data analysis of elemental urine excretion profile during the EDTA chelation therapy: A case study.

Robotti, Elisa, Quasso, Fabio, Manfredi, Marcello et al.·Journal of trace elements in medicine and biology : organ of the Society for Minerals and Trace Elements (GMS)·2020

This study looked at one patient with ME/CFS symptoms who may have had heavy metal poisoning. The doctors gave the patient a chelation therapy treatment (a medicine designed to bind to and remove heavy metals from the body) every two weeks for 17 months, and measured how much metal came out in the urine. The study found that most heavy metals were eliminated in the first 24 hours after treatment, but the effect wore off quickly—suggesting more frequent treatments might work better.

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredMechanistic

An Adrenalectomy Mouse Model Reflecting Clinical Features for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Lee, Jin-Seok, Jeon, Yoo-Jin, Park, Samuel-Young et al.·Biomolecules·2020

Researchers tested three different mouse models to find the best one for studying ME/CFS. They found that removing the adrenal glands (small organs that produce stress hormones) in mice created fatigue and pain symptoms most similar to ME/CFS, while other common models mainly produced depression-like behaviors. The adrenal-removed mice also showed specific brain changes involving inflammation and stress hormone pathways.

Neuroinflammation

E3 PreliminaryPEM unclear

How Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) Progresses: The Natural History of ME/CFS.

Nacul, Luis, O'Boyle, Shennae, Palla, Luigi et al.·Frontiers in neurology·2020

This study proposes a framework for understanding how ME/CFS develops and changes over time, similar to other long-term illnesses. The authors suggest that ME/CFS progresses through stages—starting with genetic and environmental risk factors, moving through an early phase with high energy use and immune system problems, and potentially progressing to a later phase with low energy production and multiple system involvement. They emphasize that ME/CFS is not the same in every person or at every stage of illness, and that some people may improve if their body can restore better balance.

Energy MetabolismImmune System

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM requiredReview-Narrative

Environmental accommodations for university students affected by Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS).

Chu, Lily, Fuentes, Lynn R, Marshall, Olena M et al.·Work (Reading, Mass.)·2020

Many college students with ME/CFS struggle because universities don't understand how unpredictably the illness changes day-to-day. This article explains how occupational therapists (OTs) can help by learning about ME/CFS and working with universities to create reasonable accommodations—like flexible attendance policies or rest spaces—that let students participate in college life despite their illness.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM requiredMethods-Paper

The Development of a Consistent Europe-Wide Approach to Investigating the Economic Impact of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME/CFS): A Report from the European Network on ME/CFS (EUROMENE).

Pheby, Derek F H, Araja, Diana, Berkis, Uldis et al.·Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland)·2020

This study created a unified European system for measuring how much ME/CFS costs society in terms of healthcare, lost work, and other expenses. The researchers found that ME/CFS places a heavy financial burden on Europe, mostly because patients lose work productivity. However, they discovered that calculating these true costs is very difficult because different countries use different diagnostic criteria and many doctors don't diagnose ME/CFS, leaving many patients uncounted.

Diagnostics

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Brain Responses in CFS and TMD to Autonomic Challenges: An Exploratory fMRI Study.

Vuong, Q C, Allison, J R, Finkelmeyer, A et al.·JDR clinical and translational research·2020

This study looked at how the brains of people with ME/CFS respond during a specific breathing test (the Valsalva maneuver) that activates the autonomic nervous system—the part of your nervous system that controls automatic body functions like heart rate and breathing. Researchers compared brain scans of people with ME/CFS who also had jaw pain (temporomandibular disorder) to those with ME/CFS alone and healthy controls. They found that people with both conditions showed stronger brain activity in areas related to pain and fatigue, suggesting that problems with autonomic nervous system control may contribute to both conditions.

Autonomic Nervous System

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM unclearCase-Control

Successful Treatment of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome with Chronic Febricula Using the Traditional Japanese Medicine Shosaikoto.

Numata, Takehiro, Miura, Kazuki, Akaishi, Tetsuya et al.·Internal medicine (Tokyo, Japan)·2020

A 14-year-old girl with ME/CFS who had experienced severe tiredness, low-grade fevers, and school absence for 20 months was treated with shosaikoto, a traditional Japanese herbal medicine. Within several weeks, her symptoms improved dramatically and she was able to return to school. This case suggests that shosaikoto may help some ME/CFS patients, particularly those with persistent low fevers.

E3 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM not requiredMethods-Paper

Development of a conceptual framework to underpin a health-related quality of life outcome measure in paediatric chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalopathy (CFS/ME): prioritisation through card ranking.

Parslow, Roxanne M, Anderson, Nina, Byrne, Danielle et al.·Quality of life research : an international journal of quality of life aspects of treatment, care and rehabilitation·2020

Researchers asked young people with ME/CFS and their parents what aspects of their health and daily life matter most to them. Using a card-ranking game, 21 young people (ages 12-17) and their parents identified and discussed the outcomes that would be most important to improve. The study found that symptoms, tiredness, 'payback' (crashing after activity), and hobbies were ranked as most important by both groups, though young people prioritized school more and parents worried more about mood.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Association of small-fiber polyneuropathy with three previously unassociated rare missense SCN9A variants.

Kelley, Mary A, Oaklander, Anne Louise·Canadian journal of pain = Revue canadienne de la douleur·2020

This study describes two patients who developed small fiber nerve damage (affecting the smallest nerves in the body) and severe fatigue after infections. Both had immune system abnormalities and improved dramatically with immune-suppressing treatments. Genetic testing found rare changes in a gene called SCN9A that affects how nerve cells communicate. The findings suggest that genetic variations in this gene might play a role in some cases of small fiber nerve damage that respond to immune therapy.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM requiredMechanistic

Exercise alters cerebellar and cortical activity related to working memory in phenotypes of Gulf War Illness.

Washington, Stuart D, Rayhan, Rakib U, Garner, Richard et al.·Brain communications·2020

This study looked at how exercise affects brain activity in Gulf War veterans with illness that causes fatigue, pain, and cognitive problems after physical or mental effort. Researchers used brain imaging to measure how the brain worked during a memory task before and after exercise in three different subgroups of affected veterans. They found that exercise changed how specific brain regions functioned, but only in those with Gulf War Illness—not in healthy controls.

Post-Exertional Malaise

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Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Bone Marrow Defects of the Jaw - A Case Report on Additional Dental X-Ray Diagnostics with Ultrasound.

The development of an instrument to assess post-exertional malaise in patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Homeostatic disturbance of thermoregulatory functions in rats with chronic fatigue.

A Natural History of Disease Framework for Improving the Prevention, Management, and Research on Post-viral Fatigue Syndrome and Other Forms of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Is Cognitive Change Necessary to Alleviate Symptoms in Patients With Functional Somatic Syndrome?

Insights From Invasive Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing of Patients With Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Extremely Severe ME/CFS-A Personal Account.

Profile of circulating microRNAs in myalgic encephalomyelitis and their relation to symptom severity, and disease pathophysiology.

International expert consensus on the management of allergic rhinitis (AR) aggravated by air pollutants: Impact of air pollution on patients with AR: Current knowledge and future strategies.

Mitochondria disease due to humidifier disinfectants: diagnostic criteria and its evidences.

Determination by ICP-MS and multivariate data analysis of elemental urine excretion profile during the EDTA chelation therapy: A case study.

An Adrenalectomy Mouse Model Reflecting Clinical Features for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

How Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) Progresses: The Natural History of ME/CFS.

Environmental accommodations for university students affected by Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS).

The Development of a Consistent Europe-Wide Approach to Investigating the Economic Impact of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME/CFS): A Report from the European Network on ME/CFS (EUROMENE).

Brain Responses in CFS and TMD to Autonomic Challenges: An Exploratory fMRI Study.

Successful Treatment of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome with Chronic Febricula Using the Traditional Japanese Medicine Shosaikoto.

Development of a conceptual framework to underpin a health-related quality of life outcome measure in paediatric chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalopathy (CFS/ME): prioritisation through card ranking.

Association of small-fiber polyneuropathy with three previously unassociated rare missense SCN9A variants.

Exercise alters cerebellar and cortical activity related to working memory in phenotypes of Gulf War Illness.

Curated Collections

Neuroinflammation Evidence

Metabolism & Mitochondria

Biomarkers

PEM-Specific Research