ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

1221–1240 of 6,157 studies

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Assessing health state utilities for people with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome in Australia using the EQ-5D-5L, AQoL-8D and EQ-5D-5L-psychosocial instruments.

Orji, Nneka C, Cox, Ingrid A, Jason, Leonard A et al.·Quality of life research : an international journal of quality of life aspects of treatment, care and rehabilitation·2024

This study measured how much ME/CFS affects quality of life in 198 Australian people with the condition. Researchers used three different questionnaires to assess health-related quality of life and found that people with ME/CFS reported significantly lower quality of life scores compared to healthy people. As people's fatigue and disability became more severe, their quality of life scores dropped further.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM requiredObservational

An Adaptive Pacing Intervention for Adults Living With Long COVID: A Narrative Study of Patient Experiences of Using the PaceMe app.

Meach, Rachel, Carless, David, Sanal-Hayes, Nilihan E M et al.·Journal of patient experience·2024

This study looked at how a smartphone app called PaceMe helps people with long COVID manage their symptoms by balancing activity with rest. Twenty-five people used the app and were interviewed about their experience after 3-6 months. The app helped participants better understand and manage post-exertional malaise (the worsening of symptoms after activity), feel supported, and feel more in control of their condition.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCase-Control

Case-control study on post-COVID-19 conditions reveals severe acute infection and chronic pulmonary disease as potential risk factors.

Ghosh, Pritha, Niesen, Michiel J M, Pawlowski, Colin et al.·iScience·2024

This study looked at nearly 89,000 COVID-19 patients to understand why some develop long COVID (lasting symptoms months after infection) while others recover quickly. Researchers found that people with a history of lung disease, migraines, or fibromyalgia were more likely to develop long COVID, and those who had severe acute COVID infections were also at higher risk. The findings suggest that reducing the severity of the initial COVID infection, especially in vulnerable patients, might help prevent long COVID from developing.

Energy Metabolism

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Similar Patterns of Dysautonomia in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue and Post-COVID-19 Syndromes.

Ryabkova, Varvara A, Rubinskiy, Artemiy V, Marchenko, Valeriy N et al.·Pathophysiology : the official journal of the International Society for Pathophysiology·2024

This study found that people with ME/CFS and those with long COVID have similar problems with how their autonomic nervous system (the system that controls heart rate, blood pressure, and other automatic body functions) works. Researchers measured heart rate variability and blood pressure patterns in 34 ME/CFS patients, 29 long COVID patients, and 32 healthy controls. Both patient groups showed reduced autonomic function compared to healthy people, and these problems were linked to their fatigue—but not to depression or anxiety.

Autonomic Nervous System

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

The association between Long-COVID symptomology, perceived symptom burden and mental health in COVID-19 patients in Shijiazhuang, China: a population-based health survey.

Li, Yufei, Lam, Lawrence T, Xiao, Ying et al.·Frontiers in psychiatry·2024

This study looked at 25% of COVID-19 patients in China who had symptoms lasting longer than two months after infection. Researchers found that patients with more Long-COVID symptoms—especially fatigue and post-exertional malaise (feeling worse after activity)—were more likely to experience depression and anxiety. The more severe patients felt their symptoms were, the greater their mental health struggles.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateMechanismPEM not requiredMechanistic

Manual Therapy Improves Fibromyalgia Symptoms by Downregulating SIK1.

Bonastre-Férez, Javier, Giménez-Orenga, Karen, Falaguera-Vera, Francisco Javier et al.·International journal of molecular sciences·2024

This study tested whether a specialized hands-on therapy treatment could help fibromyalgia patients and discovered why it might work. Researchers found that the treatment lowered levels of a specific gene called SIK1 in patients' blood cells, and this change was linked to improvements in pain, fatigue, and quality of life. Importantly, this gene change only happened in fibromyalgia patients who received the treatment—not in healthy people who got the same therapy.

Biomarkers

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Increased risk of chronic fatigue syndrome following pneumonia: A population-based Cohort study.

Hsu, Han-Jen, Chang, Hsun, Lin, Cheng-Li et al.·Journal of infection and public health·2024

This study found that people who have pneumonia are about 1.4 times more likely to develop ME/CFS compared to people who don't have pneumonia. The risk was higher for certain types of bacterial and viral infections, including specific bacteria like Pseudomonas and Streptococcus pneumoniae, as well as influenza virus. The researchers used health records from 2 million adults in Taiwan to track whether pneumonia patients developed ME/CFS over time.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM requiredCross-Sectional

Heterogeneity in Measures of Illness among Patients with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Is Not Explained by Clinical Practice: A Study in Seven U.S. Specialty Clinics.

Unger, Elizabeth R, Lin, Jin-Mann S, Chen, Yang et al.·Journal of clinical medicine·2024

Researchers studied 465 ME/CFS patients across seven specialized clinics in the United States to see if doctors diagnosed and recognized the same disease. They found that while the clinics had similar patients, there was tremendous variation in how sick individual patients were—some had mild symptoms while others were severely affected. This suggests that ME/CFS may naturally come in many different forms, and understanding these differences could help improve research and treatment.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

In major dysmood disorder, physiosomatic, chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia symptoms are driven by immune activation and increased immune-associated neurotoxicity.

Maes, Michael, Almulla, Abbas F, Zhou, Bo et al.·Scientific reports·2024

This study found that people with severe depression often experience fatigue and pain symptoms similar to ME/CFS, and these symptoms are linked to overactive immune responses in the body. Researchers measured immune molecules in the blood of severely depressed patients and healthy controls, and discovered that specific immune markers—particularly IL-16 and IL-8—were associated with how severe the fatigue and physical symptoms were. The study suggests that difficult life experiences and traumatic childhood events may trigger these immune changes, leading to the physical symptoms that patients experience.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Comparison of the symptom networks of long-COVID and chronic fatigue syndrome: From modularity to connectionism.

Hyland, Michael E, Antonacci, Yuri, Bacon, Alison M·Scandinavian journal of psychology·2024

This study compared how symptoms are connected to each other in long-COVID and ME/CFS patients, along with people who have other conditions like fibromyalgia and IBS. Researchers found that while long-COVID and ME/CFS are related conditions, their symptoms connect differently—ME/CFS symptoms form more separate clusters, whereas long-COVID symptoms are more tightly linked together. The study suggests that these conditions may work through a network-like system in the body rather than a single broken mechanism.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM requiredLongitudinal

Cognitive assessment in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS): a cognitive substudy of the multi-site clinical assessment of ME/CFS (MCAM).

Lange, Gudrun, Lin, Jin-Mann S, Chen, Yang et al.·Frontiers in neuroscience·2024

This study tested cognitive function (thinking and memory skills) in 261 people with ME/CFS and 165 healthy people using a computer-based screening test. Researchers found that people with ME/CFS process information more slowly than healthy people, but their accuracy was similar. Importantly, a single intense exercise test did not make cognitive problems worse, though the full clinic visit itself did cause some cognitive decline in both groups.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearLongitudinal

Muscle abnormalities worsen after post-exertional malaise in long COVID.

Appelman, Brent, Charlton, Braeden T, Goulding, Richie P et al.·Nature communications·2024

This study looked at muscle tissue changes in long COVID patients, particularly focusing on post-exertional malaise (PEM)—the worsening of fatigue and pain after activity. Researchers found that muscles in long COVID patients showed structural damage, metabolic problems, and unusual deposits that got worse after activity triggered PEM. These findings help explain why exertion makes symptoms worse in some long COVID patients.

Energy MetabolismPost-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Association of physical symptoms with accelerometer-measured movement behaviors and functional capacity in individuals with Long COVID.

Rosa-Souza, Francisco José, Freire, Yuri Alberto, Galliano, Leony Morgana et al.·Scientific reports·2024

This study looked at 102 people with Long COVID to understand how specific symptoms affect their ability to move and be physically active. Researchers used activity trackers to measure daily movement and tested how far people could walk and how quickly they could stand up from a chair. They found that fatigue and post-exertional malaise (feeling worse after activity) were linked to lower daily step counts, while shortness of breath was linked to poorer performance on physical tests.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

How Long Is Long COVID? Evaluation of Long-Term Health Status in Individuals Discharged from a Specialist Community Long COVID Service.

Bodey, Rochelle, Grimaldi, Jennifer, Tait, Hannah et al.·Journal of clinical medicine·2024

This study followed people who had received specialist care for long COVID and were then discharged from the service. Nearly 3 years after their initial COVID infection, most patients (90%) still had long COVID symptoms and hadn't returned to their normal health. About 4 in 10 of these patients also met the criteria for ME/CFS, suggesting long COVID can develop into a lasting condition similar to ME/CFS.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Untargeted Metabolomics and Quantitative Analysis of Tryptophan Metabolites in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis Patients and Healthy Volunteers: A Comparative Study Using High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry.

Abujrais, Sandy, Vallianatou, Theodosia, Bergquist, Jonas·ACS chemical neuroscience·2024

Researchers compared blood chemistry between 38 people with ME/CFS and 24 healthy people to understand what might be different in their bodies. They found several chemical imbalances, particularly in how the body processes tryptophan (an amino acid) and in pathways related to energy production and inflammation. These differences suggest that ME/CFS patients may experience unusual immune activity and stress damage to their cells.

Energy MetabolismImmune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Development and Validation of the Short Form (JAEN-10) of the Joint Assessment of Equilibrium and Neuromotor Status Scale (JAEN-20).

Peinado-Rubia, Ana Belén, Osuna-Pérez, María Catalina, Núñez-Fuentes, David et al.·Journal of functional morphology and kinesiology·2024

Researchers created a shorter version of a balance and movement test (JAEN-10) to measure physical problems in people with fibromyalgia. The new 10-question test works just as well as the original 20-question version but takes less time to complete, which is helpful for people who get tired easily. The test successfully identified people with fibromyalgia and those at risk of falling.

Autonomic Nervous System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Cognitive reserve as a protective factor against cognitive impairment in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Surendran, Gopika, Jose, Tony P·Applied neuropsychology. Adult·2024

This study examined whether people's life experiences and education—called 'cognitive reserve'—help protect them from the thinking and memory problems common in ME/CFS. Researchers tested 91 people with ME/CFS and found that those with more cognitive reserve had fewer cognitive problems. The severity of someone's ME/CFS was the main factor affecting both cognitive reserve and cognitive problems, rather than age or gender.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCase-Control

A case-control study of reaction time deficits in a 3D virtual reality in patients with Post-COVID syndrome.

Güttes, Moritz, Lucio, Marianna, Skornia, Adam et al.·Scientific reports·2024

Researchers tested whether people with Post-COVID syndrome have slower reaction times when responding to visual stimuli shown in virtual reality glasses. They found that Post-COVID patients were indeed slower and less accurate at this task compared to healthy controls, suggesting this test might be a useful tool for identifying Post-COVID cognitive problems in the future.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCase-Control

Psychological flexibility in somatic symptom and related disorders: A case control study.

Selker, René J D M, Koppert, Tim Y, Houtveen, Jan H et al.·Journal of psychiatric research·2024

This study looked at how well people can handle difficult thoughts and feelings without being overwhelmed by them—a skill called psychological flexibility. Researchers compared 154 people with somatic symptom disorder (SSD, where people are very distressed by physical symptoms) to nearly 2,000 people with other conditions like ME/CFS or no illness. People with SSD had much lower psychological flexibility than both other groups, and this lower flexibility was linked to worse mental health.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM required

Identifying the mental health burden in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) patients in Switzerland: A pilot study.

König, Rahel Susanne, Paris, Daniel Henry, Sollberger, Marc et al.·Heliyon·2024

This Swiss study surveyed 169 ME/CFS patients to understand how the disease affects their mental health and well-being. The researchers found that most patients experience significant emotional challenges, including sadness, hopelessness, and concerning rates of suicidal thoughts, often because others don't believe or understand their illness. The study shows that ME/CFS creates serious mental health burdens beyond just physical symptoms, and patients urgently need better medical, psychological, and social support.

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Evidence browser

Assessing health state utilities for people with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome in Australia using the EQ-5D-5L, AQoL-8D and EQ-5D-5L-psychosocial instruments.

An Adaptive Pacing Intervention for Adults Living With Long COVID: A Narrative Study of Patient Experiences of Using the PaceMe app.

Case-control study on post-COVID-19 conditions reveals severe acute infection and chronic pulmonary disease as potential risk factors.

Similar Patterns of Dysautonomia in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue and Post-COVID-19 Syndromes.

The association between Long-COVID symptomology, perceived symptom burden and mental health in COVID-19 patients in Shijiazhuang, China: a population-based health survey.

Manual Therapy Improves Fibromyalgia Symptoms by Downregulating SIK1.

Increased risk of chronic fatigue syndrome following pneumonia: A population-based Cohort study.

Heterogeneity in Measures of Illness among Patients with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Is Not Explained by Clinical Practice: A Study in Seven U.S. Specialty Clinics.

In major dysmood disorder, physiosomatic, chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia symptoms are driven by immune activation and increased immune-associated neurotoxicity.

Comparison of the symptom networks of long-COVID and chronic fatigue syndrome: From modularity to connectionism.

Cognitive assessment in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS): a cognitive substudy of the multi-site clinical assessment of ME/CFS (MCAM).

Muscle abnormalities worsen after post-exertional malaise in long COVID.

Association of physical symptoms with accelerometer-measured movement behaviors and functional capacity in individuals with Long COVID.

How Long Is Long COVID? Evaluation of Long-Term Health Status in Individuals Discharged from a Specialist Community Long COVID Service.

Untargeted Metabolomics and Quantitative Analysis of Tryptophan Metabolites in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis Patients and Healthy Volunteers: A Comparative Study Using High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry.

Development and Validation of the Short Form (JAEN-10) of the Joint Assessment of Equilibrium and Neuromotor Status Scale (JAEN-20).

Cognitive reserve as a protective factor against cognitive impairment in chronic fatigue syndrome.

A case-control study of reaction time deficits in a 3D virtual reality in patients with Post-COVID syndrome.

Psychological flexibility in somatic symptom and related disorders: A case control study.

Identifying the mental health burden in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) patients in Switzerland: A pilot study.

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