ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

2420 studies

781–800 of 2,420 studies

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredMechanistic

Anti-stress effects of human placenta extract: possible involvement of the oxidative stress system in rats.

Park, Hyun-Jung, Shim, Hyun Soo, Lee, Sunyoung et al.·BMC complementary and alternative medicine·2018

Researchers tested whether a supplement made from human placenta could help reduce stress-related depression and fatigue in rats. They found that rats treated with this supplement showed improvements in depression-like behaviors and had better antioxidant protection in their brains compared to untreated rats.

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM unclearMechanistic

Loss of Transient Receptor Potential Melastatin 3 ion channel function in natural killer cells from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis patients.

Cabanas, Hélène, Muraki, Katsuhiko, Eaton, Natalie et al.·Molecular medicine (Cambridge, Mass.)·2018

This study examined a specific ion channel called TRPM3 in immune cells called natural killer (NK) cells, which help fight infections and cancer. Researchers found that this channel doesn't work properly in ME/CFS patients compared to healthy people, which may affect how these immune cells function. This discovery could help explain why ME/CFS patients often have weakened immune responses.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryPEM not requiredRegistry-Resource

Supplementation with Robuvit® in post-traumatic stress disorders associated to high oxidative stress.

Belcaro, Gianni, Luzzi, Roberta, Hosoi, Morio et al.·Minerva medica·2018

This study looked at whether a plant-based supplement called Robuvit® could help people with PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) recover faster alongside standard therapy. Over 4 weeks, people who took Robuvit® along with therapy showed greater improvements in symptoms like intrusive memories, nightmares, flashbacks, sleep problems, and fatigue compared to those who received therapy alone.

Sleep

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Old muscle in young body: an aphorism describing the Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Pietrangelo, Tiziana, Fulle, Stefania, Coscia, Francesco et al.·European journal of translational myology·2018

This study found that muscles in people with ME/CFS show patterns similar to muscles in elderly people, even though the patients are young. The researchers discovered problems with how muscles use energy, handle calcium, and produce new muscle protein. Importantly, the findings suggest that appropriate physical activity may actually help rather than harm, though the right type and intensity still need to be determined.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

The biopolitics of CFS/ME.

Karfakis, Nikos·Studies in history and philosophy of biological and biomedical sciences·2018

This paper examines how ME/CFS is shaped by different groups—doctors, scientists, government officials, and patients themselves—who all try to define and understand the illness. The author shows that ME/CFS sits uncomfortably between medical and psychiatric explanations, which makes it hard for everyone to agree on what it is and how to treat it. Patients aren't just passive recipients of medical care; they actively educate themselves and push back against explanations they disagree with, which influences how the illness is understood.

Diagnostics

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM unclearObservational

The expression signature of very long non-coding RNA in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Yang, Chin-An, Bauer, Sandra, Ho, Yu-Chen et al.·Journal of translational medicine·2018

Researchers looked at special molecules called very long non-coding RNAs in the blood of ME/CFS patients to see if they might be disease markers. They found that three of these RNA molecules (NTT, MIAT, and EmX2OS) were present at higher levels in ME/CFS patients compared to healthy people, and two of them (NTT and EmX2OS) increased with disease severity. When they tested these findings in lab cells exposed to oxidative stress and viral signals, the RNA levels increased, suggesting these molecules respond to the kinds of biological stresses that may occur in ME/CFS.

BiomarkersImmune System

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Circulating extracellular vesicles as potential biomarkers in chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis: an exploratory pilot study.

Castro-Marrero, Jesús, Serrano-Pertierra, Esther, Oliveira-Rodríguez, Myriam et al.·Journal of extracellular vesicles·2018

This small pilot study looked at tiny particles called extracellular vesicles (EVs) in the blood of ME/CFS patients compared to healthy people. The researchers found that ME/CFS patients had higher amounts of these particles, and the particles were smaller than in healthy controls. This suggests that blood tests measuring these particles might one day help doctors identify ME/CFS.

Biomarkers

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM unclearObservational

Using the internet to cope with chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis in adolescence: a qualitative study.

Brigden, Amberly, Barnett, Julie, Parslow, Roxanne Morin et al.·BMJ paediatrics open·2018

This study looked at how teenagers with ME/CFS use the internet to understand and cope with their condition. Researchers interviewed 9 young people (ages 12-17) about which websites and online spaces they visited. The teenagers found that official health websites were helpful when first diagnosed, but over time they preferred online communities where they could read other patients' stories, get emotional support, and connect with peers who understood what they were going through.

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Integration of DNA methylation & health scores identifies subtypes in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

de Vega, Wilfred C, Erdman, Lauren, Vernon, Suzanne D et al.·Epigenomics·2018

Researchers studied 70 women with ME/CFS and found that their DNA showed different chemical patterns in immune cells. These chemical differences matched up with specific symptoms and health problems that patients reported. The study identified four distinct subtypes of ME/CFS, each with its own pattern of DNA changes and symptom profile, suggesting that ME/CFS may not be one uniform condition but rather several related conditions with different underlying biology.

Immune SystemPost-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Challenges in fibromyalgia diagnosis: from meaning of symptoms to fibromyalgia labeling.

Bidari, Ali, Ghavidel Parsa, Banafsheh, Ghalehbaghi, Babak·The Korean journal of pain·2018

Fibromyalgia (FM) is difficult to diagnose because there is no clear dividing line between having FM and not having it. This review examines why doctors and patients struggle with FM diagnosis, including how symptoms vary between people and over time, and how cultural and emotional factors influence whether a doctor labels someone as having FM. The authors argue that doctors' judgment based on talking with patients may be more reliable than relying only on scoring systems.

Diagnostics

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM unclearMechanistic

Therapeutic Effect and Metabolic Mechanism of A Selenium-Polysaccharide from Ziyang Green Tea on Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Shao, Changzhuan, Song, Jing, Zhao, Shanguang et al.·Polymers·2018

Researchers tested whether a compound called selenium-polysaccharide (Se-TP) from a Chinese green tea called Ziyang could help rats with fatigue similar to ME/CFS. They found that the treatment improved certain markers in the rats' blood and urine, suggesting it may work by affecting how the body makes and uses steroid hormones and processes amino acids.

Energy Metabolism

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM requiredReview-Narrative

Neuroinflammation and Cytokines in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS): A Critical Review of Research Methods.

VanElzakker, Michael B, Brumfield, Sydney A, Lara Mejia, Paula S·Frontiers in neurology·2018

This review examines different methods scientists use to look for signs of brain inflammation in ME/CFS, including specialized brain scans and blood tests. The authors found that while these techniques show promise, many studies have used inconsistent methods that make it hard to compare results across different research teams. They argue that scientists need better techniques and more careful standardization if we want to find reliable biological markers that could help diagnose ME/CFS.

NeuroinflammationBiomarkers

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

[Narcolepsy and Other 'Central Disorders of Hypersomnolence'].

Mathis, Johannes·Praxis·2018

This article discusses how doctors can tell the difference between several sleep-related conditions that cause excessive daytime sleepiness or fatigue. The authors explain that complaints like tiredness and fatigue are common, but they can have many different causes. Careful diagnosis using sleep studies and other tests is needed to distinguish narcolepsy, idiopathic hypersomnia, and chronic fatigue syndrome from one another, since each condition requires different treatments.

Sleep

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

[New Diagnostic Biomarkers for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome].

Yamano, Emi, Kataoka, Yosky·Brain and nerve = Shinkei kenkyu no shinpo·2018

This study looked at the chemicals and compounds in the blood of people with ME/CFS compared to healthy people to find objective markers that could help doctors diagnose the condition. Researchers used advanced testing methods to examine how the body's metabolism, immune system, and hormones differ in people with ME/CFS. The goal was to develop a simple blood test that could definitively identify ME/CFS, since there is currently no reliable diagnostic test.

Biomarkers

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Recent insights into 3 underrecognized conditions: Myalgic encephalomyelitis-chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, and environmental sensitivities-multiple chemical sensitivity.

Hu, Howard, Baines, Cornelia·Canadian family physician Medecin de famille canadien·2018

This review article examines three conditions that doctors often overlook or misunderstand: ME/CFS, fibromyalgia, and multiple chemical sensitivity. The authors discuss why these conditions are frequently underrecognized and how they affect patients' lives. They highlight that these conditions are real medical problems that deserve proper attention and care.

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Severe eosinophilic colitis caused by neuropathic agents in a patient with chronic fatigue syndrome and functional abdominal pain: case report and review of the literature.

Fragkos, Konstantinos C, Barragry, John, Fernando, Charisma Shahi et al.·Zeitschrift fur Gastroenterologie·2018

This case report describes one young woman with ME/CFS and chronic pain who developed severe inflammation in her colon (eosinophilic colitis) after taking two common pain medications—gabapentin and pregabalin. Her symptoms improved when she stopped the medications and received steroid treatment. This is an extremely rare side effect, but doctors should be aware of it if ME/CFS patients taking these drugs develop abdominal pain, diarrhea, and blood cell changes.

E3 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM requiredMethods-Paper

Cardiopulmonary Exercise Test Methodology for Assessing Exertion Intolerance in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Stevens, Staci, Snell, Chris, Stevens, Jared et al.·Frontiers in pediatrics·2018

This study explains how doctors can properly test ME/CFS patients using a special exercise test called CPET (cardiopulmonary exercise test) done on two consecutive days. The first test measures how much exercise a patient can do, while the second test 24 hours later shows how much the patient's performance has dropped due to post-exertional malaise (PEM)—the symptom flare that happens after exertion. This two-day approach objectively demonstrates one of the key features of ME/CFS: the inability to recover normal function after exercise.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM not requiredMethods-Paper

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) or What? An Operational Definition.

Twisk, Frank·Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland)·2018

This paper proposes a clear, practical definition of ME (myalgic encephalomyelitis) to help doctors reliably identify and study the condition. The authors argue that ME is a distinct multi-system illness characterized by severe muscle exhaustion after minimal activity, neurological symptoms (like brain fog and autonomic problems), and a pattern of symptom fluctuation and relapse over months or years. Having a precise definition is essential so researchers can study the right patients and develop effective treatments.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredMechanistic

Fatigue Is Associated With Altered Monitoring and Preparation of Physical Effort in Patients With Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

van der Schaaf, Marieke E, Roelofs, Karin, de Lange, Floris P et al.·Biological psychiatry. Cognitive neuroscience and neuroimaging·2018

This study used brain imaging to understand why people with ME/CFS feel so fatigued and struggle with physical effort. Researchers asked patients and healthy people to squeeze a hand device at different force levels and give them feedback on their performance. People with ME/CFS were more likely to use less effort after feedback, especially at higher effort levels, and this related to lower activity in a brain region involved in decision-making and planning.

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Unraveling the Molecular Determinants of Manual Therapy: An Approach to Integrative Therapeutics for the Treatment of Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis.

Espejo, José Andrés, García-Escudero, María, Oltra, Elisa·International journal of molecular sciences·2018

This review examines how manual therapy—such as massage and physical manipulation—might help people with fibromyalgia and ME/CFS by studying what happens at the cellular and molecular level. The authors argue that manual therapy could work by triggering the body's natural healing responses, and they suggest it might be particularly helpful for ME/CFS patients because it can gently condition muscles without requiring strenuous exercise that typically worsens symptoms.

Post-Exertional Malaise

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Anti-stress effects of human placenta extract: possible involvement of the oxidative stress system in rats.

Loss of Transient Receptor Potential Melastatin 3 ion channel function in natural killer cells from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis patients.

Supplementation with Robuvit® in post-traumatic stress disorders associated to high oxidative stress.

Old muscle in young body: an aphorism describing the Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

The biopolitics of CFS/ME.

The expression signature of very long non-coding RNA in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Circulating extracellular vesicles as potential biomarkers in chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis: an exploratory pilot study.

Using the internet to cope with chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis in adolescence: a qualitative study.

Integration of DNA methylation & health scores identifies subtypes in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Challenges in fibromyalgia diagnosis: from meaning of symptoms to fibromyalgia labeling.

Therapeutic Effect and Metabolic Mechanism of A Selenium-Polysaccharide from Ziyang Green Tea on Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Neuroinflammation and Cytokines in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS): A Critical Review of Research Methods.

[Narcolepsy and Other 'Central Disorders of Hypersomnolence'].

[New Diagnostic Biomarkers for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome].

Recent insights into 3 underrecognized conditions: Myalgic encephalomyelitis-chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, and environmental sensitivities-multiple chemical sensitivity.

Severe eosinophilic colitis caused by neuropathic agents in a patient with chronic fatigue syndrome and functional abdominal pain: case report and review of the literature.

Cardiopulmonary Exercise Test Methodology for Assessing Exertion Intolerance in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) or What? An Operational Definition.

Fatigue Is Associated With Altered Monitoring and Preparation of Physical Effort in Patients With Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Unraveling the Molecular Determinants of Manual Therapy: An Approach to Integrative Therapeutics for the Treatment of Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis.

Curated Collections

Neuroinflammation Evidence

Metabolism & Mitochondria

Biomarkers

PEM-Specific Research