ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

21–29 of 29 studies

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Syed, Abu Mohammad, Karius, Alexander K, Ma, Jin et al.·Physiology (Bethesda, Md.)·2025

This review examines how mitochondria—the parts of cells that produce energy—may not be working properly in ME/CFS patients. The authors suggest that problems with energy production in cells could explain why people with ME/CFS feel severely exhausted after physical activity. They also note that similar energy problems appear in long COVID, which suggests both conditions may share a common underlying cause.

Long COVID OverlapSevere ME

E3 PreliminaryPEM unclear

A suffering body, hidden away from others: The experience of being long-term bedridden with severe myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome in childhood and adolescence.

Krabbe, Silje Helen, Bjorbækmo, Wenche Schrøder, Mengshoel, Anne Marit et al.·Nursing inquiry·2024

This study explored how young women experienced being severely ill with ME/CFS during their teenage years, looking back from a point where they had recovered or improved. Researchers interviewed 13 women aged 16-29 about their memories of being bedridden and isolated. The study found that patients often felt caught between wanting company and needing to be alone, experienced their bodies as fragile and unstable, endured long periods of darkness and isolation, and eventually had to make sense of these painful memories as they recovered.

Severe ME

E3 PreliminaryCommentaryPEM requiredEditorial

[Facts and myths about chronic fatigue syndrome].

Fink, Per, Skjernov, Mathias, Petersen, Line Kirkeby et al.·Ugeskrift for laeger·2022

This article discusses updates to ME/CFS treatment guidelines and challenges some common beliefs about the condition. The authors argue that new guidelines recommend against intense exercise programs for severely ill patients and suggest energy management instead, but they question whether the evidence supporting these changes was properly evaluated. They raise concerns about how the new guidelines were developed and what type of evidence was considered.

Severe ME

E3 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM unclearMethods-Paper

Ensuring the Voice of the Very Severely Affected Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Patient Is Heard in Research-A Research Model.

Baxter, Helen·Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland)·2022

Most ME/CFS research has only included patients well enough to visit clinics, which means the most severely affected patients—those who are housebound or bedbound—have been left out. This study showed that very severely affected patients can participate in research if researchers make practical adjustments, like allowing phone or text responses instead of requiring in-person visits. By reaching out directly to these patients, researchers were able to gather their important experiences and insights.

Severe ME

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM requiredReview-Narrative

COVID-19 and post-infectious myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome: a narrative review.

Poenaru, Sonia, Abdallah, Sara J, Corrales-Medina, Vicente et al.·Therapeutic advances in infectious disease·2021

Some people who recover from COVID-19 continue experiencing prolonged symptoms like fatigue, difficulty breathing, and brain fog for months afterward. These lingering symptoms are remarkably similar to ME/CFS, a chronic illness characterized by severe fatigue that worsens with activity. While COVID-19 could potentially trigger ME/CFS in some people, researchers currently don't have enough evidence to confirm this connection.

Severe ME

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

The Impact of Severe ME/CFS on Student Learning and K-12 Educational Limitations.

Newton, Faith R·Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland)·2021

This article examines how severe ME/CFS affects children's ability to attend school and learn. Many severely ill children are confined to bed or home and cannot attend regular classes. The study suggests that schools are not providing adequate support for these students and proposes new educational approaches and resources that could help them continue learning despite their illness.

Severe ME

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM unclearObservational

Experiences of Living with Severe Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis.

Strassheim, Victoria, Newton, Julia L, Collins, Tracy·Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland)·2021

This study listened to five people living with the most severe form of ME/CFS—those who are bedbound, housebound, or wheelchair-dependent—to understand what their daily lives are really like. By interviewing them and analyzing their stories, researchers found three main themes: how they experience living with the illness, the major challenges it creates, and how they try to manage their condition. This research helps doctors and scientists better understand the needs of the most severely affected patients.

Severe ME

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM unclearCase-Control

Life-Threatening Malnutrition in Very Severe ME/CFS.

Baxter, Helen, Speight, Nigel, Weir, William·Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland)·2021

This case study reports on five patients with very severe ME/CFS who experienced life-threatening malnutrition because tube feeding (a way to deliver nutrition directly into the stomach or bloodstream) was delayed. The delays occurred partly because healthcare professionals sometimes attributed nutritional problems to psychological causes rather than recognizing them as direct consequences of severe ME/CFS. The authors emphasize that delayed recognition of malnutrition risk in very severe ME/CFS can have serious health consequences.

Severe ME

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM unclearCase-Control

Severe ME in Children.

Speight, Nigel·Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland)·2020

This study looks at severe ME/CFS in children who are so sick they can barely leave their homes or beds. The doctor who wrote it shares real patient stories to show how the illness presents and how to manage it properly. The study highlights an important problem: many doctors don't recognize or diagnose ME/CFS, and there's very little information available about the most severely affected patients.

Severe ME

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Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

A suffering body, hidden away from others: The experience of being long-term bedridden with severe myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome in childhood and adolescence.

[Facts and myths about chronic fatigue syndrome].

Ensuring the Voice of the Very Severely Affected Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Patient Is Heard in Research-A Research Model.

COVID-19 and post-infectious myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome: a narrative review.

The Impact of Severe ME/CFS on Student Learning and K-12 Educational Limitations.

Experiences of Living with Severe Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis.

Life-Threatening Malnutrition in Very Severe ME/CFS.

Severe ME in Children.

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