ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

181–200 of 6,121 studies

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM requiredMeta-Analysis

Pain-Related Post-Exertional Malaise in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis / Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) and Fibromyalgia: A Systematic Review and Three-Level Meta-Analysis.

Barhorst, Ellen E, Boruch, Alexander E, Cook, Dane B et al.·Pain medicine (Malden, Mass.)·2022

This review examined whether people with ME/CFS and fibromyalgia experience increased pain after exercise. Researchers combined data from 15 studies and found that yes, patients do have more pain after physical activity than healthy people do—especially when pain was measured 8-72 hours later. This confirms that pain is a real and significant part of post-exertional malaise (the worsening of symptoms after activity).

Post-Exertional Malaise

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM unclearMeta-Analysis

Clinical overlap between fibromyalgia and myalgic encephalomyelitis. A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Ramírez-Morales, Ricardo, Bermúdez-Benítez, Elyzabeth, Martínez-Martínez, Laura-Aline et al.·Autoimmunity reviews·2022

This study looked at how often fibromyalgia and ME/CFS occur together in the same patients by reviewing 21 published research papers. The researchers found that nearly half of people diagnosed with one condition also had the other condition. This overlap suggests these two illnesses share common features, particularly fatigue, unrefreshing sleep, and brain fog.

ME/CFS (general)

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredSystematic-Review

Acupuncture and moxibustion for chronic fatigue syndrome: A systematic review and network meta-analysis.

Fang, Yang, Yue, Bo-Wen, Ma, Han-Bo et al.·Medicine·2022

This review looked at 51 studies testing whether acupuncture and moxibustion (traditional Chinese medicine treatments) help people with chronic fatigue syndrome. The researchers combined results from these studies and found that traditional Chinese medicine treatments, especially moxibustion alone or combined with acupuncture, showed better improvements in fatigue symptoms compared to other treatments like standard Western medicines.

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredSystematic-Review

Stigma perceived by patients with functional somatic syndromes and its effect on health outcomes - A systematic review.

Ko, Charlotte, Lucassen, Peter, van der Linden, Britt et al.·Journal of psychosomatic research·2022

This review examined whether patients with functional somatic syndromes like ME/CFS, fibromyalgia, and IBS experience more stigma and negative health effects than patients with other medical conditions. The researchers found that ME/CFS and fibromyalgia patients did experience higher levels of stigma compared to patients with clearly explained medical conditions, and stigma was linked to worse health outcomes in all groups studied.

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM requiredSystematic-Review

Is It Useful to Question the Recovery Behaviour of Patients with ME/CFS or Long COVID?

Vink, Mark, Vink-Niese, Friso·Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland)·2022

This review looked at research studies testing two treatments commonly recommended for ME/CFS: graded exercise therapy (GET) and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). The researchers found that patients were actually more likely to be unable to work after receiving these treatments than before, and that both treatments can be harmful. The authors conclude that doctors should stop encouraging ME/CFS patients to push themselves harder to recover, since these approaches don't work and may make things worse.

ME/CFS (general)

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredSystematic-Review

Systemic conditions associated with increased risk to develop oral squamous cell carcinoma: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Dos Santos, Erison Santana, Pérez-de-Oliveira, Maria Eduarda, Normando, Ana Gabriela Costa et al.·Head & neck·2022

A systematic review of medical literature found that certain rare genetic conditions and bone marrow transplant recipients were associated with higher rates of oral cancer. Notably, the review also reported an association between chronic fatigue syndrome and increased oral cancer risk, though the strength of this association remains unclear and based on limited data. Patients with these systemic conditions may benefit from closer monitoring for oral health changes, according to the authors.

E0 ConsensusGuidelinePEM requiredGuideline

What Primary Care Practitioners Need to Know about the New NICE Guideline for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome in Adults.

Kingdon, Caroline, Lowe, Adam, Shepherd, Charles et al.·Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland)·2022

The new NICE guideline (published October 2021) represents an important shift in how ME/CFS is recognized and treated. It acknowledges that ME/CFS is a serious medical condition, recognizes post-exertional malaise as a core symptom, and recommends against treatments like graded exercise therapy that can worsen symptoms. Instead, it calls for personalized care plans developed by a team of healthcare professionals who understand the condition.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredSystematic-Review

What treatments work for anxiety and depression in children and adolescents with chronic fatigue syndrome? An updated systematic review.

Clery, Philippa, Royston, Alexander, Driver, Katie et al.·BMJ open·2022

This review looked at studies on treating anxiety and depression in children with ME/CFS. Researchers found only 16 studies since 1991 that measured these mental health symptoms. While some treatments like cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) showed promise, the quality of evidence was poor and there were too few studies to say which treatments actually work best for children with ME/CFS who have anxiety or depression.

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredMeta-Analysis

Chinese herbal medicine for the treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Zhang, Yang, Jin, Fangfang, Wei, Xing et al.·Frontiers in pharmacology·2022

This review looked at 84 studies testing whether Chinese herbal medicines help people with chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). The analysis found that patients taking these herbal treatments reported improvements in fatigue, mood, anxiety, and depression symptoms, and showed some changes in immune markers. However, the researchers caution that the studies included were not high quality, so we should be careful about trusting these results until better research is done.

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

The underlying sex differences in neuroendocrine adaptations relevant to Myalgic Encephalomyelitis Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Thomas, Natalie, Gurvich, Caroline, Huang, Katherine et al.·Frontiers in neuroendocrinology·2022

This review examines why ME/CFS affects women much more often than men and how sex hormones may play a role. The authors found that female hormonal changes—such as those during menstrual cycles, pregnancy, and menopause—are linked to ME/CFS onset and symptoms. They suggest that differences in how men's and women's bodies handle stress hormones like cortisol and estrogen may help explain why women develop ME/CFS more frequently and sometimes experience different symptoms.

ME/CFS (general)

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

Stabilometric Biofeedback Training in Cognitive and Affective Function Improvement. Contribution of the Russian Scientific School. Part II.

Bazanova, O M, Kovaleva, A V·Human physiology·2022

This review examines how balance training using computer feedback can help improve thinking, mood, and symptom management in people with chronic fatigue syndrome and other neurological conditions. The researchers looked at studies from Russia and other countries that used a technique called stabilometric biofeedback, which shows patients real-time information about their body's balance and posture to help them improve control and function.

Cognitive Impairment

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM unclearSystematic-Review

Post-viral fatigue in COVID-19: A review of symptom assessment methods, mental, cognitive, and physical impairment.

Campos, Maria Cristine, Nery, Tatyana, Starke, Ana Carolina et al.·Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews·2022

This review looked at how doctors and researchers measure fatigue in people who have long-term tiredness after COVID-19. The study found that fatigue after COVID-19 is common and can affect thinking, mood, and physical abilities. The researchers identified different tools—questionnaires and performance tests—that can help measure how tired someone feels and how much their tiredness limits their daily activities.

Cognitive Impairment

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Analysis of post COVID-19 condition and its overlap with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Sukocheva, Olga A, Maksoud, Rebekah, Beeraka, Narasimha M et al.·Journal of advanced research·2022

This study compared long-term effects of COVID-19 infection (long-COVID) with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) to see how similar they are. Researchers found that many people who develop long-COVID experience the same symptoms as ME/CFS patients, including severe fatigue, brain fog, headaches, and worsening of symptoms after physical activity. The study suggests that COVID-19 may trigger a ME/CFS-like condition in some people through inflammatory processes in the body.

Immune System

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredSystematic-Review

A systematic literature review of randomized controlled trials evaluating prognosis following treatment for adults with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Ingman, Tom, Smakowski, Abigail, Goldsmith, Kimberley et al.·Psychological medicine·2022

This review examined 15 studies testing whether cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and graded exercise therapy (GET) help adults with ME/CFS. About 44% of people felt better after CBT and 43% felt better after GET in the short to medium term, compared to smaller improvements in control groups. However, most studies were only moderate to weak quality, and results may not apply to people with severe ME/CFS.

Interventions

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Mindfulness Meditation Interventions for Long COVID: Biobehavioral Gene Expression and Neuroimmune Functioning.

Porter, Nicole, Jason, Leonard A·Neuropsychiatric disease and treatment·2022

This review examines whether mindfulness meditation—a practice involving focused attention and relaxation—might help people with Long COVID and ME/CFS. The authors looked at existing research showing that meditation can reduce fatigue and sleep problems, and may help calm inflammation in the body after viral infections. They suggest that meditation could be a helpful tool to manage symptoms and potentially address some of the underlying biological problems in these conditions.

Immune System

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredMeta-Analysis

Human Herpesvirus 6 Infection and Risk of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Mozhgani, Sayed-Hamidreza, Rajabi, Farid, Qurbani, Mohsen et al.·Intervirology·2022

This study reviewed and combined the results of 17 different research studies to see if there's a connection between a common virus called HHV-6 and ME/CFS. The researchers found evidence suggesting that HHV-6 infection may be associated with developing ME/CFS, but they emphasize that more research is needed to fully understand this relationship.

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Animal Models for Neuroinflammation and Potential Treatment Methods.

Tamura, Yasuhisa, Yamato, Masanori, Kataoka, Yosky·Frontiers in neurology·2022

This review looked at how ME/CFS may be caused by inflammation in the brain and examined animal studies testing anti-inflammatory treatments. Researchers found that brain inflammation is connected to how severe ME/CFS symptoms are, and that certain compounds with anti-inflammatory properties showed promise in reducing these inflammatory responses in animal models. This suggests that anti-inflammatory medicines might help improve symptoms in ME/CFS patients.

Immune SystemNeuroinflammation

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Fatigue in ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) and systemic sclerosis (SSc): similarities with Myalgic encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS). A critical review of the literature.

van Eeden, Charmaine, Osman, Mohammed S, Cohen Tervaert, Jan Willem·Expert review of clinical immunology·2022

This review examined severe, long-lasting fatigue in patients with certain autoimmune diseases and compared it to ME/CFS. The researchers found that fatigue in these autoimmune diseases shares similarities with ME/CFS, including common immune and metabolic problems. Importantly, this fatigue often persists even after the main disease is brought under control, suggesting it may need different treatment approaches than the underlying condition.

Immune SystemSevere ME

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Could the kynurenine pathway be the key missing piece of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) complex puzzle?

Kavyani, Bahar, Lidbury, Brett A, Schloeffel, Richard et al.·Cellular and molecular life sciences : CMLS·2022

This review explores whether problems with how your body processes an amino acid called tryptophan might explain ME/CFS symptoms. The kynurenine pathway is a biochemical process that helps your cells make energy and affects immune function and brain inflammation. The authors suggest that abnormalities in this pathway could be a missing piece in understanding why ME/CFS develops.

BiomarkersNeuroinflammation

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM requiredEditorial

Long-Term COVID 19 Sequelae in Adolescents: the Overlap with Orthostatic Intolerance and ME/CFS.

Morrow, Amanda K, Malone, Laura A, Kokorelis, Christina et al.·Current pediatrics reports·2022

Some teenagers who had COVID-19 develop long-lasting symptoms months after their initial infection, even if they weren't severely ill at first. These long COVID symptoms—like extreme fatigue, brain fog, and difficulty standing—look very similar to ME/CFS. This review examines how common long COVID is in teens and explains why current treatments don't work well for everyone because long COVID may actually be several different conditions.

ME/CFS (general)

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Evidence browser

Pain-Related Post-Exertional Malaise in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis / Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) and Fibromyalgia: A Systematic Review and Three-Level Meta-Analysis.

Clinical overlap between fibromyalgia and myalgic encephalomyelitis. A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Acupuncture and moxibustion for chronic fatigue syndrome: A systematic review and network meta-analysis.

Stigma perceived by patients with functional somatic syndromes and its effect on health outcomes - A systematic review.

Is It Useful to Question the Recovery Behaviour of Patients with ME/CFS or Long COVID?

Systemic conditions associated with increased risk to develop oral squamous cell carcinoma: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

What Primary Care Practitioners Need to Know about the New NICE Guideline for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome in Adults.

What treatments work for anxiety and depression in children and adolescents with chronic fatigue syndrome? An updated systematic review.

Chinese herbal medicine for the treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

The underlying sex differences in neuroendocrine adaptations relevant to Myalgic Encephalomyelitis Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Stabilometric Biofeedback Training in Cognitive and Affective Function Improvement. Contribution of the Russian Scientific School. Part II.

Post-viral fatigue in COVID-19: A review of symptom assessment methods, mental, cognitive, and physical impairment.

Analysis of post COVID-19 condition and its overlap with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

A systematic literature review of randomized controlled trials evaluating prognosis following treatment for adults with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Mindfulness Meditation Interventions for Long COVID: Biobehavioral Gene Expression and Neuroimmune Functioning.

Human Herpesvirus 6 Infection and Risk of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Animal Models for Neuroinflammation and Potential Treatment Methods.

Fatigue in ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) and systemic sclerosis (SSc): similarities with Myalgic encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS). A critical review of the literature.

Could the kynurenine pathway be the key missing piece of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) complex puzzle?

Long-Term COVID 19 Sequelae in Adolescents: the Overlap with Orthostatic Intolerance and ME/CFS.

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