ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

1361–1380 of 6,157 studies

E2 ModerateCohortPEM requiredCross-Sectional

Focus on post-exertional malaise when approaching ME/CFS in specialist healthcare improves satisfaction and reduces deterioration.

Wormgoor, Marjon E A, Rodenburg, Sanne C·Frontiers in neurology·2023

This study looked at whether ME/CFS specialists in Norway were paying attention to post-exertional malaise (PEM)—the worsening of symptoms after physical or mental effort, which is a key feature of ME/CFS. They surveyed nearly 900 patients about their experiences in specialist clinics and hospitals. The results showed that when doctors focused on PEM and helped patients avoid overexertion, patients felt better, were more satisfied with their care, and were less likely to get worse after treatment.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Adults with ME/CFS report surprisingly high rates of youth symptoms: A qualitative analysis of patient blog commentary.

Johnson, Madeline, Torres, Chelsea, Watts-Rich, Halli et al.·Work (Reading, Mass.)·2023

This study asked adults with ME/CFS about whether they experienced symptoms during childhood. Researchers analyzed comments from patients on a popular blog forum and found that about 43% of adults reported having ME/CFS before age 18. The study identified common themes in patients' stories, including mental health struggles, family history of illness, feeling misunderstood by others, and difficulties at school.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Physical health of Post-9/11 U.S. Military veterans in the context of Healthy People 2020 targeted topic areas: Results from the Comparative Health Assessment Interview Research Study.

Cypel, Yasmin S, Vogt, Dawne, Maguen, Shira et al.·Preventive medicine reports·2023

This study compared the health of post-9/11 military veterans to non-veterans in the United States and found that veterans experience significantly higher rates of several health conditions, including chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), back and neck pain, hearing loss, and traumatic brain injury. Women and men veterans had different patterns of illness—for example, female veterans reported more cases of CFS and other conditions, while male veterans had more heart-related problems. The researchers suggest that national health guidelines should better account for veterans' specific health needs.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Health system support among patients with ME/CFS in Switzerland.

Tschopp, Rea, König, Rahel S, Rejmer, Protazy et al.·Journal of Taibah University Medical Sciences·2023

This Swiss study surveyed 169 ME/CFS patients to understand their experiences with the healthcare system. Patients faced long delays in getting diagnosed (averaging 6.7 years), saw many doctors before getting correct answers (11.1 appointments on average), and were frequently told their symptoms were psychological rather than physical. The study found that doctors in Switzerland lack knowledge about ME/CFS, leading to frustration, inappropriate treatments, and some patients traveling abroad for proper diagnosis.

Diagnostics

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

A Causal-Pathway Phenotype of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome due to Hemodialysis in Patients with End-Stage Renal Disease.

Asad, Halah Nori, Al-Hakeim, Hussein Kadhem, Moustafa, Shatha Rouf et al.·CNS & neurological disorders drug targets·2023

This study looked at patients with severe kidney disease who need dialysis (a machine that cleans their blood) and found they often experience extreme fatigue and other symptoms similar to ME/CFS, such as muscle pain, sleep problems, and brain fog. Researchers measured various substances in the blood and found that fatigue was linked to anemia (low blood iron), poor nutrition, and certain protein imbalances caused by the dialysis treatment itself. The more dialysis sessions patients needed, the worse their fatigue tended to be.

Biomarkers

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Circulating miRNAs Expression in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Soffritti, Irene, Gravelsina, Sabine, D'Accolti, Maria et al.·International journal of molecular sciences·2023

Researchers tested whether six small molecules called microRNAs (miRNAs) in the blood could help identify people with ME/CFS. They compared blood samples from 40 ME/CFS patients with 20 healthy people and found that five miRNAs were more abundant in patients' blood while one was less abundant. Interestingly, the levels of these molecules matched how severe each patient's symptoms were, suggesting they could potentially be used as a blood test to help diagnose ME/CFS.

Biomarkers

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Severe and Very Severe Myalgic Encephalopathy/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome ME/CFS in Norway: Symptom Burden and Access to Care.

Sommerfelt, Kristian, Schei, Trude, Angelsen, Arild·Journal of clinical medicine·2023

This Norwegian study surveyed 491 patients with severe ME/CFS and their family caregivers to understand how the disease affects their daily lives and what support they receive. The researchers found that the most severely ill patients are often completely bedridden, unable to speak, and experience severe symptom flare-ups from even minimal activity or sensory stimulation. Many patients and caregivers reported that healthcare services were inadequate or sometimes made symptoms worse, though some found help from occupational therapists and family doctors useful.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearObservational

Pre-pandemic activity on a myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome support forum is highly associated with later activity on a long COVID support forum for a variety of reasons: A mixed methods study.

Meyerson, William U, Hoyle, Rick H·PloS one·2023

This study found that people with ME/CFS who were active on online support forums before the COVID-19 pandemic were much more likely to later join long COVID support forums than people from other health communities. By examining nearly 7,500 Reddit users, researchers discovered that previous ME/CFS forum activity was the strongest predictor of who would participate in long COVID communities. People shared that they joined both communities to find support from others with similar experiences and because they hoped long COVID's increased public attention might help validate ME/CFS as a real illness.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Mood Symptoms and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Due to Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis Are Associated with Immune Activation and Aberrations in the Erythron.

Almulla, Abbas F, Abdul Jaleel, Al-Karrar Kais, Abo Algon, Ali Abbas et al.·Brain sciences·2023

This study looked at 63 people with multiple sclerosis (MS) and 30 healthy controls to understand why MS patients experience chronic fatigue, depression, and anxiety. Researchers found that about half of the MS patients had signs of immune system overactivation and problems with red blood cell levels. These immune and blood abnormalities were linked to their fatigue and mood symptoms.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Serum GDF-15 Levels Accurately Differentiate Patients with Primary Mitochondrial Myopathy, Manifesting with Exercise Intolerance and Fatigue, from Patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Bermejo-Guerrero, Laura, de Fuenmayor-Fernández de la Hoz, Carlos Pablo, Guerrero-Molina, María Paz et al.·Journal of clinical medicine·2023

This study tested whether a blood marker called GDF-15 could help doctors tell the difference between ME/CFS and a rare condition called primary mitochondrial myopathy (PMM), which affects how cells produce energy. Both conditions cause fatigue and exercise intolerance that can look very similar, but PMM requires different treatment. The researchers found that GDF-15 levels were very good at distinguishing between these two conditions, which could help patients get the right diagnosis faster without needing extensive genetic testing or muscle biopsies.

Diagnostics

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredLongitudinal

Effects of whole-body cryotherapy and static stretching are maintained 4 weeks after treatment in most patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Kujawski, Sławomir, Zalewski, Paweł, Godlewska, Beata R et al.·Cryobiology·2023

This small study looked at whether a treatment combining cold therapy (whole-body cryotherapy) and stretching could help ME/CFS patients feel better for at least a month. Researchers found that 17 out of 22 patients reported improvements in fatigue, and brain function tests also improved. However, the study was small and had some dropouts, so the results should be viewed with caution.

Autonomic Nervous System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Prevalence of Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome among Individuals with Irritable Bowel Syndrome: An Analysis of United States National Inpatient Sample Database.

Tarar, Zahid Ijaz, Farooq, Umer, Nawaz, Ahmad et al.·Biomedicines·2023

This study looked at hospital records from 2016-2019 to see how often people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) also have fibromyalgia or ME/CFS. Researchers found that people with IBS are about 5 times more likely to have fibromyalgia and about 5 times more likely to have ME/CFS compared to people without IBS. Women, older adults, and white patients were at higher risk for both conditions.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Investigating brain cortical activity in patients with post-COVID-19 brain fog.

Wojcik, Grzegorz M, Shriki, Oren, Kwasniewicz, Lukasz et al.·Frontiers in neuroscience·2023

This study looked at brain electrical activity in people who had COVID-19 and experienced 'brain fog'—persistent mental cloudiness that can last several months. Researchers compared three groups using advanced brain scans while people performed thinking tasks, and used computer algorithms to see if they could distinguish between those with brain fog, those without it, and healthy controls. They found measurable differences in brain activity patterns between the groups, suggesting brain fog has a detectable physical basis in the brain.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModeratePEM not requiredRegistry-Resource

Robuvit® reduces fatigue after chemotherapy for colon cancer. A pilot registry study.

Belcaro, Gianni, Cox, David, Cesarone, Maria R et al.·Minerva surgery·2023

This study tested whether Robuvit®, an oak wood extract supplement, could help reduce fatigue in people recovering from chemotherapy for colon cancer. Over six weeks, patients taking Robuvit® showed greater improvements in tiredness, strength, fitness, and mood compared to those receiving standard care alone, with no reported side effects.

Interventions

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

The association between the number of symptoms and the severity of Post-COVID-Fatigue after SARS-CoV-2 infection treated in an outpatient setting.

Schmidbauer, Lena, Kirchberger, Inge, Goßlau, Yvonne et al.·Journal of neurology·2023

This study looked at 425 people who had mild-to-moderate COVID-19 treated as outpatients and followed them for about 8 months afterward. Researchers found that 37% of these people developed long-lasting fatigue (Post-COVID-Fatigue), and those who had more symptoms during their initial infection and ongoing symptoms were more likely to experience severe fatigue. The more symptoms someone had, the worse their fatigue tended to be.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Fatigue after COVID-19 in non-hospitalized patients according to sex.

Mazurkiewicz, Iwona, Chatys-Bogacka, Zaneta, Slowik, Joanna et al.·Brain and behavior·2023

This study looked at whether men and women experience post-COVID fatigue differently after a mild COVID-19 infection. Researchers asked 303 people (mostly women) about fatigue symptoms before COVID-19 and at different time points afterward. Women reported more persistent tiredness that didn't improve with rest, sleep problems, and sore throats compared to men, especially in the weeks right after infection.

Sleep

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Urine Metabolite Analysis to Identify Pathomechanisms of Long COVID: A Pilot Study.

Taenzer, Maja, Löffler-Ragg, Judith, Schroll, Andrea et al.·International journal of tryptophan research : IJTR·2023

This study examined urine samples from people with Long COVID and ME/CFS to look for chemical imbalances that might explain their symptoms. Researchers found that both groups had lower levels of certain amino acids and neurotransmitters (brain chemicals) compared to healthy people, particularly affecting energy production, mood, and sleep. These chemical signatures could potentially be used as simple urine tests to help doctors understand what is happening in patients and create personalized treatments.

SleepAutonomic Nervous SystemCognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Major Depressive Disorder and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Show Characteristic Heart Rate Variability Profiles Reflecting Autonomic Dysregulations: Differentiation by Linear Discriminant Analysis.

Shinba, Toshikazu, Kuratsune, Daisuke, Shinba, Shuntaro et al.·Sensors (Basel, Switzerland)·2023

This study looked at heart rhythm patterns in people with ME/CFS and depression to see if these patterns could help doctors tell the two conditions apart. Researchers measured how heart rate changes during rest, mental tasks, and recovery in both groups. They found that while both conditions affect the heart's nervous system control, the patterns are different enough that a computer analysis could correctly identify which condition a person had about 92% of the time.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredLongitudinal

Increased risk of chronic fatigue syndrome following infection: a 17-year population-based cohort study.

Chang, Hsun, Kuo, Chien-Feng, Yu, Teng-Shun et al.·Journal of translational medicine·2023

This large study from Taiwan tracked nearly 400,000 people over 17 years to see if getting an infection increased their chances of developing ME/CFS. Researchers found that people who had certain infections—including chickenpox, tuberculosis, flu, and common bacterial infections—were about 1.5 times more likely to develop ME/CFS compared to people without these infections. Interestingly, people who took certain antibiotics had lower rates of ME/CFS, suggesting that some infections may trigger ME/CFS in some people.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearObservational

Autonomic Nervous System Regulation Effects of Epipharyngeal Abrasive Therapy for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Associated With Chronic Epipharyngitis.

Hirobumi, Ito·Cureus·2023

This study looked at how a throat treatment called epipharyngeal abrasive therapy (EAT) affects the nervous system in ME/CFS patients who also had chronic throat inflammation. Researchers measured heart rate and autonomic nervous system activity in 11 ME/CFS patients and 18 control patients during the procedure. They found that ME/CFS patients had higher resting heart rates and their nervous systems responded differently to the treatment compared to those without ME/CFS.

Autonomic Nervous System

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Evidence Atlas

Evidence browser

Focus on post-exertional malaise when approaching ME/CFS in specialist healthcare improves satisfaction and reduces deterioration.

Adults with ME/CFS report surprisingly high rates of youth symptoms: A qualitative analysis of patient blog commentary.

Physical health of Post-9/11 U.S. Military veterans in the context of Healthy People 2020 targeted topic areas: Results from the Comparative Health Assessment Interview Research Study.

Health system support among patients with ME/CFS in Switzerland.

A Causal-Pathway Phenotype of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome due to Hemodialysis in Patients with End-Stage Renal Disease.

Circulating miRNAs Expression in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Severe and Very Severe Myalgic Encephalopathy/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome ME/CFS in Norway: Symptom Burden and Access to Care.

Pre-pandemic activity on a myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome support forum is highly associated with later activity on a long COVID support forum for a variety of reasons: A mixed methods study.

Mood Symptoms and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Due to Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis Are Associated with Immune Activation and Aberrations in the Erythron.

Serum GDF-15 Levels Accurately Differentiate Patients with Primary Mitochondrial Myopathy, Manifesting with Exercise Intolerance and Fatigue, from Patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Effects of whole-body cryotherapy and static stretching are maintained 4 weeks after treatment in most patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Prevalence of Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome among Individuals with Irritable Bowel Syndrome: An Analysis of United States National Inpatient Sample Database.

Investigating brain cortical activity in patients with post-COVID-19 brain fog.

Robuvit® reduces fatigue after chemotherapy for colon cancer. A pilot registry study.

The association between the number of symptoms and the severity of Post-COVID-Fatigue after SARS-CoV-2 infection treated in an outpatient setting.

Fatigue after COVID-19 in non-hospitalized patients according to sex.

Urine Metabolite Analysis to Identify Pathomechanisms of Long COVID: A Pilot Study.

Major Depressive Disorder and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Show Characteristic Heart Rate Variability Profiles Reflecting Autonomic Dysregulations: Differentiation by Linear Discriminant Analysis.

Increased risk of chronic fatigue syndrome following infection: a 17-year population-based cohort study.

Autonomic Nervous System Regulation Effects of Epipharyngeal Abrasive Therapy for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Associated With Chronic Epipharyngitis.

Curated Collections

Neuroinflammation Evidence

Metabolism & Mitochondria

Biomarkers

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