ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

1501–1520 of 6,209 studies

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Lowered Quality of Life in Long COVID Is Predicted by Affective Symptoms, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Inflammation and Neuroimmunotoxic Pathways.

Maes, Michael, Al-Rubaye, Haneen Tahseen, Almulla, Abbas F et al.·International journal of environmental research and public health·2022

This study found that Long COVID patients have significantly lower quality of life compared to healthy people, and this decline is mostly explained by three factors: mood and pain-related symptoms (like depression, anxiety, and fatigue), signs of ongoing inflammation in the body, and problems with how the body processes calcium. The severity of the initial infection—measured by high fever and low oxygen levels—also plays a role by triggering these inflammatory and immune problems that persist afterward.

NeuroinflammationImmune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredObservational

Characteristics of Sleep Disturbance in Patients with Long COVID: A Retrospective Observational Study in Japan.

Sunada, Naruhiko, Nakano, Yasuhiro, Otsuka, Yuki et al.·Journal of clinical medicine·2022

This study looked at sleep problems in 363 long COVID patients in Japan and found that about 16.5% had significant sleep disturbance. People infected during the Omicron wave were twice as likely to have sleep problems compared to those infected during the Delta wave. Patients with sleep disturbance also reported more fatigue, brain fog, headaches, and anxiety, and had abnormal stress hormone levels suggesting their bodies were under persistent stress.

SleepCognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredObservational

A Comprehensive Report of German Nationwide Inpatient Data on the Post-COVID-19 Syndrome Including Annual Direct Healthcare Costs.

Walter, Nike, Rupp, Markus, Lang, Siegmund et al.·Viruses·2022

This study looked at hospital records across Germany to understand how many people were hospitalized with Post-COVID Syndrome (PCS), what treatments they received, and how much it cost the healthcare system. Researchers found nearly 30,000 hospitalized PCS patients in one year, with common problems including pneumonia, fatigue, and breathing difficulties. The total cost to the healthcare system was over €136 million, averaging about €4,583 per patient.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Cerebral gray matter volume correlates with fatigue and varies between desk workers and non-desk workers.

Putra, Handityo A, Park, Kaechang, Yamashita, Fumio et al.·Frontiers in behavioral neuroscience·2022

This study looked at how fatigue is connected to the size of different brain regions in 1,618 healthy people. Researchers found that people who reported more fatigue had smaller volume in one brain area (supplementary motor area) but larger volume in two other areas (superior parietal lobule and basal forebrain). Interestingly, desk workers and non-desk workers showed different patterns, suggesting that work environment may influence how fatigue affects the brain.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearObservational

The Impact of COVID Vaccination on Symptoms of Long COVID: An International Survey of People with Lived Experience of Long COVID.

Strain, William David, Sherwood, Ondine, Banerjee, Amitava et al.·Vaccines·2022

This survey asked 812 people with long COVID about how COVID-19 vaccination affected their symptoms. Overall, 58% reported feeling better after vaccination, 18% felt worse, and the rest noticed no change. People who received mRNA vaccines (like Pfizer and Moderna) tended to see more improvement than those who received other types of vaccines. However, responses varied greatly from person to person.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM requiredObservational

A prospective observational study of post-COVID-19 chronic fatigue syndrome following the first pandemic wave in Germany and biomarkers associated with symptom severity.

Kedor, Claudia, Freitag, Helma, Meyer-Arndt, Lil et al.·Nature communications·2022

This study followed 42 people with long-lasting fatigue after COVID-19 infection for six months and compared them to people with similar chronic fatigue from other causes. Most participants experienced moderate to severe fatigue that interfered with daily life. The researchers found that many of these post-COVID patients had reduced hand grip strength and blood markers suggesting possible inflammation and poor blood flow, which may help explain why their bodies struggle to recover.

Immune SystemPost-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCase-Control

Revisiting IgG Antibody Reactivity to Epstein-Barr Virus in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Its Potential Application to Disease Diagnosis.

Sepúlveda, Nuno, Malato, João, Sotzny, Franziska et al.·Frontiers in medicine·2022

This study looked at antibody responses to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), a common virus linked to ME/CFS onset in some patients. Researchers analyzed blood samples from 92 ME/CFS patients and 50 healthy people, testing reactions to over 3,000 EBV proteins. They found that in patients whose ME/CFS started after a suspected EBV infection, two specific viral proteins triggered stronger antibody responses than in healthy controls. These antibody patterns could correctly identify about 83% of infected patients and 72% of healthy people, suggesting they might become useful diagnostic markers.

BiomarkersImmune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredObservational

The incidence and characteristics of chronic pain and fatigue after 12 months later admitting with COVID-19; The Post- COVID 19 syndrome.

Janbazi, Lobaneh, Kazemian, Alireza, Mansouri, Kourosh et al.·American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitation·2022

Researchers followed 157 people who were hospitalized with COVID-19 and checked on them 12 months later. They found that about 27% still had chronic fatigue and muscle weakness, and about 15% experienced chronic pain, mostly in the lower back and legs. Women were more likely than men to report these symptoms, and many patients were only using pain medications rather than receiving rehabilitation or mental health support.

Pain and Sensitization

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCase-Control

Genetic risk factors for ME/CFS identified using combinatorial analysis.

Das, Sayoni, Taylor, Krystyna, Kozubek, James et al.·Journal of translational medicine·2022

Researchers identified 199 genetic variations in 14 genes that are associated with ME/CFS by analyzing genetic data from thousands of people in UK Biobank. These genetic variations work together in groups to influence ME/CFS risk and were found in 91% of people with ME/CFS in the study. The identified genes are involved in processes the body uses to handle stress, infection, energy production in cells, sleep, and immune function—all areas that scientists think may go wrong in ME/CFS.

Immune SystemPost-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCase-Control

Treatments of chronic fatigue syndrome and its debilitating comorbidities: a 12-year population-based study.

Leong, Kam-Hang, Yip, Hei-Tung, Kuo, Chien-Feng et al.·Journal of translational medicine·2022

This study looked at over 12,000 people in Taiwan with ME/CFS and compared them to an equal number of similar people without the condition. Researchers found that people with ME/CFS are much more likely to also have depression, anxiety, sleep problems, and certain other illnesses like diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis. The study also found that doctors commonly prescribed antidepressants, anti-anxiety medications, pain relievers, and recommended exercise and therapy—treatments that earlier research suggested might help with ME/CFS symptoms.

Interventions

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Long COVID: Association of Functional Autoantibodies against G-Protein-Coupled Receptors with an Impaired Retinal Microcirculation.

Szewczykowski, Charlotte, Mardin, Christian, Lucio, Marianna et al.·International journal of molecular sciences·2022

Some people with Long COVID have abnormal immune proteins called autoantibodies that attack blood vessel control systems in their bodies. This study found that patients with these specific autoantibodies had reduced blood flow in the tiny vessels at the back of the eye, which may reflect similar problems throughout their whole body and could explain some of their symptoms.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredLongitudinal

Chronic fatigue syndrome and cognitive deficit are associated with acute-phase neuropsychiatric manifestations of COVID-19: A 9-month follow-up study.

Mirfazeli, Fatemeh Sadat, Sarabi-Jamab, Atiye, Pereira-Sanchez, Victor et al.·Neurological sciences : official journal of the Italian Neurological Society and of the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology·2022

This study followed 95 COVID-19 patients for 9 months to see which ones developed long-COVID symptoms like fatigue and brain fog. The most common symptom was extreme tiredness (affecting about half the patients), followed by anxiety, shortness of breath, and headaches. Interestingly, how sick someone was during acute COVID didn't predict whether they'd have long-COVID problems—but certain early warning signs (like psychiatric symptoms during the acute phase) did predict who would develop chronic fatigue and memory problems later.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Brain fog of post-COVID-19 condition and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, same medical disorder?

Azcue, N, Gómez-Esteban, J C, Acera, M et al.·Journal of translational medicine·2022

This study compared brain fog and fatigue symptoms in people with ME/CFS and those recovering from COVID-19 to see if they might be the same condition triggered by different causes. Both groups showed similar problems with fatigue, sleep, and muscle pain, but people with ME/CFS had more severe cognitive difficulties like trouble concentrating and processing information. Interestingly, loss of smell that lasted a long time in COVID-19 patients appeared connected to their cognitive problems.

Cognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Saliva antibody-fingerprint of reactivated latent viruses after mild/asymptomatic COVID-19 is unique in patients with myalgic-encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Apostolou, Eirini, Rizwan, Muhammad, Moustardas, Petros et al.·Frontiers in immunology·2022

This study found that people with ME/CFS have a different immune response to COVID-19 compared to healthy people, even when the COVID infection is mild. Specifically, the researchers discovered that after COVID-19, dormant viruses (like EBV and others) reactivate more strongly in people with ME/CFS, as shown by antibody patterns in saliva. This suggests that COVID-19 may trigger hidden virus reactivation that could contribute to fatigue symptoms in ME/CFS patients.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearObservational

Predictors for Developing Severe Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Following Infectious Mononucleosis.

Jason, Leonard A, Cotler, Joseph, Islam, Mohammed F et al.·Journal of rehabilitation therapy·2022

This study followed 238 college students who developed infectious mononucleosis to see who would recover and who would develop ME/CFS. Researchers found that students who had stomach problems (pain, bloating, irritable bowel) before getting sick, combined with certain low immune markers and severe digestive symptoms when they got mononucleosis, had about an 80% chance of developing severe ME/CFS that lasted six months. This suggests that pre-existing gut problems and immune differences may help predict who is at highest risk.

Immune System

E2 ModerateMechanismPEM requiredObservational

Plasma metabolomics reveals disrupted response and recovery following maximal exercise in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Germain, Arnaud, Giloteaux, Ludovic, Moore, Geoffrey E et al.·JCI insight·2022

Researchers studied 60 ME/CFS patients and 45 healthy people by measuring thousands of chemical substances in their blood before and after intense exercise tests done 24 hours apart. They found that ME/CFS patients had very different chemical patterns in their blood, especially after exercise and during the 24-hour recovery period, suggesting their bodies struggle to respond to and recover from physical exertion in ways that may explain post-exertional malaise (the worsening of symptoms after activity).

Energy MetabolismPost-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Microbiome and metabolome profiles of high screen time in a cohort of healthy college students.

Jasbi, Paniz, Mohr, Alex E, Shi, Xiaojian et al.·Scientific reports·2022

This study looked at gut bacteria and their chemical byproducts in 60 college students who spent either a lot of time on screens (more than 75 minutes daily) or very little time. The researchers found that students with high screen time had different gut bacteria and metabolites than those with low screen time. The findings suggest high screen time might be linked to problems with how cells produce energy and process amino acids, which could connect to conditions like chronic fatigue syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease.

Energy Metabolism

E2 ModerateCohortPEM requiredProtocol

Multimodal MRI of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome: A cross-sectional neuroimaging study toward its neuropathophysiology and diagnosis.

Shan, Zack Y, Mohamed, Abdalla Z, Andersen, Thu et al.·Frontiers in neurology·2022

This study used advanced brain imaging to investigate whether ME/CFS is caused by a problem with how the brain's blood vessels respond to neural activity. Researchers scanned the brains of 288 people—including those with ME/CFS, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, and healthy controls—while they performed tasks and held their breath, measuring blood flow and brain chemicals. The goal was to find distinctive brain patterns that could objectively diagnose ME/CFS and understand what goes wrong in this disease.

Biomarkers

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Orthostatic Challenge Causes Distinctive Symptomatic, Hemodynamic and Cognitive Responses in Long COVID and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Vernon, Suzanne D, Funk, Sherlyn, Bateman, Lucinda et al.·Frontiers in medicine·2022

Researchers tested whether a simple 10-minute standing test (NASA Lean Test) could reveal problems in people with Long COVID and ME/CFS. The test made symptoms worse in both patient groups but not in healthy people, and caused measurable changes in blood pressure and thinking speed. This suggests the test could help doctors confirm what patients are experiencing and provide objective evidence of their condition.

Autonomic Nervous SystemDiagnosticsCognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Regional gray matter volume correlates to physical and mental fatigue in healthy middle-aged adults.

Putra, Handityo Aulia, Park, Kaechang, Yamashita, Fumio et al.·Neuroimage. Reports·2022

Researchers used brain scans to examine whether the size of certain brain regions relates to how tired people feel, both physically and mentally. In a large group of nearly 1,900 healthy middle-aged adults, they found that specific brain areas showed different sizes depending on fatigue levels—some areas were smaller in people reporting more fatigue, while others were larger. This suggests that brain structure may be connected to how tired we feel, even before someone develops a condition like ME/CFS.

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Lowered Quality of Life in Long COVID Is Predicted by Affective Symptoms, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Inflammation and Neuroimmunotoxic Pathways.

Characteristics of Sleep Disturbance in Patients with Long COVID: A Retrospective Observational Study in Japan.

A Comprehensive Report of German Nationwide Inpatient Data on the Post-COVID-19 Syndrome Including Annual Direct Healthcare Costs.

Cerebral gray matter volume correlates with fatigue and varies between desk workers and non-desk workers.

The Impact of COVID Vaccination on Symptoms of Long COVID: An International Survey of People with Lived Experience of Long COVID.

A prospective observational study of post-COVID-19 chronic fatigue syndrome following the first pandemic wave in Germany and biomarkers associated with symptom severity.

Revisiting IgG Antibody Reactivity to Epstein-Barr Virus in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Its Potential Application to Disease Diagnosis.

The incidence and characteristics of chronic pain and fatigue after 12 months later admitting with COVID-19; The Post- COVID 19 syndrome.

Genetic risk factors for ME/CFS identified using combinatorial analysis.

Treatments of chronic fatigue syndrome and its debilitating comorbidities: a 12-year population-based study.

Long COVID: Association of Functional Autoantibodies against G-Protein-Coupled Receptors with an Impaired Retinal Microcirculation.

Chronic fatigue syndrome and cognitive deficit are associated with acute-phase neuropsychiatric manifestations of COVID-19: A 9-month follow-up study.

Brain fog of post-COVID-19 condition and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, same medical disorder?

Saliva antibody-fingerprint of reactivated latent viruses after mild/asymptomatic COVID-19 is unique in patients with myalgic-encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Predictors for Developing Severe Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Following Infectious Mononucleosis.

Plasma metabolomics reveals disrupted response and recovery following maximal exercise in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Microbiome and metabolome profiles of high screen time in a cohort of healthy college students.

Multimodal MRI of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome: A cross-sectional neuroimaging study toward its neuropathophysiology and diagnosis.

Orthostatic Challenge Causes Distinctive Symptomatic, Hemodynamic and Cognitive Responses in Long COVID and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Regional gray matter volume correlates to physical and mental fatigue in healthy middle-aged adults.

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