ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

1241–1260 of 6,188 studies

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM unclearObservational

Outpatient group therapy for post-COVID patients - a naturalistic feasibility study of a face-to-face and online group concept.

Zimmermann-Schlegel, Verena, Gronewold, Nadine, Stengel, Sandra et al.·Frontiers in psychiatry·2024

Researchers created and tested a group therapy program for people with Post-COVID syndrome that meets weekly for 8 sessions to help manage fatigue, stress sensitivity, and other symptoms. The program was offered both in-person and online to 57 patients, and most participants found it helpful, especially valuing the chance to connect with others experiencing similar challenges. The results suggest this type of group therapy is safe and acceptable, with the online format being particularly useful for people who have difficulty leaving home.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Reactivation of herpesvirus type 6 and IgA/IgM-mediated responses to activin-A underpin long COVID, including affective symptoms and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Vojdani, Aristo, Almulla, Abbas F, Zhou, Bo et al.·Acta neuropsychiatrica·2024

This study found that long COVID patients have higher levels of antibodies (immune proteins) against reactivated dormant viruses, particularly herpesvirus type 6, along with signs of ongoing inflammation and immune activation. The researchers identified a pattern of immune markers that correctly identified long COVID patients about 81% of the time, and similar patterns were linked to depression, anxiety, and fatigue symptoms. These findings suggest that viral reactivation combined with abnormal immune responses may drive long COVID and its associated mood and fatigue symptoms.

Immune System

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 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 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 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 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 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

[The Significance of Chronic Fatigue in the Post-Covid Consultation and its Consequences for Outpatient Rehabilitation in the Context of Statutory Accident Insurance].

Dalichau, Stefan, Kordy, Henrike, Klüver, Janna et al.·Psychotherapie, Psychosomatik, medizinische Psychologie·2024

This study looked at 454 people (mostly women aged 40–60) who developed long-term fatigue after COVID-19. Nearly all of them reported severe tiredness, and over 73% also experienced brain fog. The fatigue lasted about 14–15 months on average and significantly affected their ability to work and enjoy daily life. The researchers recommend that treatment should focus on managing chronic fatigue similar to ME/CFS, using education and practical coping strategies rather than trying to 'cure' the condition.

Cognitive Impairment

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

Psychometric evaluation of the DePaul Symptom Questionnaire-Short Form (DSQ-SF) among adults with Long COVID, ME/CFS, and healthy controls: A machine learning approach.

McGarrigle, William J, Furst, Jacob, Jason, Leonard A·Journal of health psychology·2024

Researchers tested whether a symptom questionnaire called the DSQ-SF can accurately identify and distinguish between Long COVID, ME/CFS, and healthy people. Using computer algorithms to analyze the results, they found the questionnaire works well at telling these groups apart and identified which specific symptoms are most helpful for telling Long COVID and ME/CFS apart from each other and from normal health.

Diagnostics

E2 ModerateCohortPEM requiredCross-Sectional

Post‑recovery symptoms of infected cases after Omicron pandemic: a quick online cross-sectional study based on C19-YRSm in China.

Ye, Xiao-Lei, Zhang, Ying, Dai, Xin-Hua et al.·BMC public health·2024

This study surveyed 753 Chinese residents who had been infected with the Omicron variant of COVID-19 to understand what symptoms they experienced during recovery. Researchers found that nearly half reported persistent breathlessness and cognitive problems (trouble thinking clearly), while about one-third experienced fatigue that didn't improve with rest, anxiety, or pain. Most people recovered within four months, and less than 10% reported serious difficulties with daily activities.

Post-Exertional Malaise

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 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 ModerateCohortPEM unclearObservational

The economic burden of long COVID in Australia: more noise than signal?

Angeles, Mary Rose, Dinh, Thi Thu Ngan, Zhao, Ting et al.·The Medical journal of Australia·2024

This Australian study looked at how many people have long COVID and how much it costs the economy. Researchers estimated that between 40,000 and 145,000 Australians were severely affected by long COVID in late 2022, costing the economy between $1.7 and $6.3 billion. The study found that tens of thousands of working-age Australians reported being unable to work due to long-term sickness, though Australia doesn't yet have good tracking systems to measure long COVID's true impact.

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 not requiredObservational

Risk of chronic fatigue syndrome after COVID-19: A retrospective cohort study of 3227281 patients.

Chen, Chih-Wei, Lee, Hsun-Hua, Chang, Shu-Hao et al.·Journal of infection and public health·2024

This study looked at over 6 million patient records to compare people who had COVID-19 with people who didn't. Researchers found that people who had COVID-19 were about 1.6 times more likely to develop chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) afterward. The increased risk appeared in people of all ages, both sexes, and different racial backgrounds.

Long COVID Overlap

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 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 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.

← Previous Next 20 studies →

Or browse by topic

PEM Immune Neuro Metabolic Biomarkers Severe ME Long COVID Cognitive

Evidence Atlas

Evidence browser

Outpatient group therapy for post-COVID patients - a naturalistic feasibility study of a face-to-face and online group concept.

Reactivation of herpesvirus type 6 and IgA/IgM-mediated responses to activin-A underpin long COVID, including affective symptoms and chronic fatigue syndrome.

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

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

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

Manual Therapy Improves Fibromyalgia Symptoms by Downregulating SIK1.

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.

[The Significance of Chronic Fatigue in the Post-Covid Consultation and its Consequences for Outpatient Rehabilitation in the Context of Statutory Accident Insurance].

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

Psychometric evaluation of the DePaul Symptom Questionnaire-Short Form (DSQ-SF) among adults with Long COVID, ME/CFS, and healthy controls: A machine learning approach.

Post‑recovery symptoms of infected cases after Omicron pandemic: a quick online cross-sectional study based on C19-YRSm in China.

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

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

The economic burden of long COVID in Australia: more noise than signal?

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.

Risk of chronic fatigue syndrome after COVID-19: A retrospective cohort study of 3227281 patients.

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.

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

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

Curated Collections

Neuroinflammation Evidence

Metabolism & Mitochondria

Biomarkers

PEM-Specific Research