ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

3821–3840 of 6,162 studies

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Metabolomics-Based Machine Learning Diagnostics of Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 Infection.

Cai, Ethan, Kouznetsova, Valentina L, Tsigelny, Igor F·Metabolites·2025

Researchers developed a computer program that can identify Long COVID (PASC) by analyzing chemical markers in the blood called metabolites. The program successfully distinguished Long COVID from several similar conditions like Lyme disease and POTS, but had difficulty telling Long COVID apart from fibromyalgia, suggesting these two conditions may share similar chemical patterns in the body.

Biomarkers

E3 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM unclearMethods-Paper

Mitochondrial Measures in Primary Cells Isolated from Patients with ME/CFS.

Allan, Claire Y, Katsaros, Tina, Missailidis, Daniel et al.·Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.)·2025

This study describes laboratory methods to test how well the mitochondria (the energy factories in our cells) are working in people with ME/CFS. Researchers took two types of cells from ME/CFS patients—fibroblasts (skin cells) and immune cells from the blood—and used special dyes and measurements to check if these cells have problems with energy production, cellular damage, or stress responses. These techniques could help scientists understand whether mitochondrial problems contribute to ME/CFS symptoms.

Energy Metabolism

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

Myopraktikk (NO): A Narrative Review and Conceptual Hypothesis on Intrafasciomembranal Fluid Pressure, Biotensegrity, and Immediate Remote Myofascial Responses.

Hopen, Stig Runar, Mjøen, Tor Arne·Cureus·2025

This article proposes a new theory about muscle pain and stiffness called Myopraktikk, which focuses on fluid pressure building up in the spaces around muscles. The authors suggest that when fluid pressure increases in these areas, it can cause muscles to feel tight, knotted, and painful—similar to what happens in conditions like ME/CFS and fibromyalgia. According to their hypothesis, releasing this pressure through manual treatment may help reduce symptoms in both the treated area and elsewhere in the body.

Pain and Sensitization

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM unclearObservational

Integrated immune, hormonal, and transcriptomic profiling reveals sex-specific dysregulation in long COVID patients with ME/CFS.

Shahbaz, Shima, Osman, Mohammed, Syed, Hussain et al.·Cell reports. Medicine·2025

This study examined blood and immune system samples from Long COVID patients with ME/CFS, comparing men and women. The researchers found that women had stronger inflammatory responses, with changes in immune cells and hormones that may contribute to fatigue and cognitive symptoms. Men showed different patterns, including lower testosterone levels. These sex-based differences suggest that treatments may need to be tailored differently for men and women.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Mixed methods study of views and experience of non-hospitalised individuals with long COVID of using pacing interventions.

McMullan, Christel, Haroon, Shamil, Turner, Grace et al.·Scientific reports·2025

This study asked people with Long COVID about their experiences using 'pacing'—a strategy to manage energy by balancing activity and rest. Researchers gave questionnaires to 28 people and interviewed 19 of them. Most participants found pacing helpful for planning activities and staying motivated, though some found it complicated and difficult to follow without clearer guidance.

E3 PreliminaryPEM required

Managing Energy, and Shaping Care: Insights from Adults with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Through Co-Production Workshops.

Thornton, Eleanor J, Hayes, Lawrence D, Goodwin, Dawn S et al.·The American journal of medicine·2025

This study asked people with ME/CFS and healthcare providers what they think about managing energy and daily activities. The researchers held online workshops where patients shared their experiences and suggestions for better care. Participants stressed that doctors need better training about ME/CFS, patients should be involved in their own care planning, and new tools like apps and sleep management could help improve how people manage their energy.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM unclearMethods-Paper

Deep Immunophenotyping in ME/CFS Using Spectral Flow Cytometry.

Gibson, Anton, Chometon, Thaize Q, Damani, Tanvi et al.·Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.)·2025

Researchers developed a new laboratory technique to examine immune cells in the blood of ME/CFS patients in much greater detail than previously possible. Using advanced flow cytometry, they simultaneously measured over 40 different markers on individual immune cells, allowing them to create a detailed map of immune system abnormalities in ME/CFS. This technique is like upgrading from a simple photograph to a high-resolution image, revealing much more about how immune cells are behaving.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM unclearMechanistic

A network medicine approach to investigating ME/CFS pathogenesis in severely ill patients: a pilot study.

Hung, Li-Yuan, Wu, Chan-Shuo, Chang, Chia-Jung et al.·Frontiers in human neuroscience·2025

Researchers used advanced computer analysis to examine genetic information from people with severe ME/CFS, looking for patterns in how genes work together. They found that ME/CFS involves multiple body systems working incorrectly, particularly the immune and nervous systems, and discovered connections to viral infections like EBV and COVID-19. The study also found clues about why more women than men develop ME/CFS, relating to how estrogen affects the body.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM unclearMethods-Paper

Using the Ratio of Phosphorylated to Non-phosphorylated Forms of Stress Kinase PKR as a Potential Diagnostic Test for ME/CFS.

Sweetman, Eiren, Tate, Warren P·Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.)·2025

Researchers developed a new blood test that measures a specific immune protein called PKR in white blood cells to help diagnose ME/CFS. The test looks at whether PKR is in an active or inactive form—people with ME/CFS appear to have different patterns of active PKR compared to healthy people. If this method works well in larger studies, it could provide doctors with a simple, quick way to diagnose ME/CFS instead of waiting months while ruling out other illnesses.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM unclearMethods-Paper

Quantitative Proteomics on Immune Cells of ME/CFS Patients Using SWATH-MS.

Kumar, Abhishek, Peppercorn, Katie, Kleffmann, Torsten·Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.)·2025

This study describes a detailed scientific method for examining proteins in immune cells taken from the blood of ME/CFS patients. Researchers used advanced technology called SWATH-MS (a type of mass spectrometry) to identify and measure thousands of proteins at once. The paper explains the step-by-step process they used so that other researchers can use the same method to find protein abnormalities in ME/CFS.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Proposed Mechanistic Axis of Infections and mTOR Hyperactivation: A Multidisciplinary Review of Immune, Rheumatologic, and Psychiatric Links.

Fronticelli Baldelli, Giovanni, Buonsenso, Danilo·Children (Basel, Switzerland)·2025

This review proposes that a protein called mTOR may be the key link between infections and the long-lasting symptoms seen in ME/CFS and similar post-infection illnesses. The authors suggest that when mTOR stays overactive after an infection, it can damage the barrier that protects the brain, allow immune cells to enter brain tissue, and cause ongoing inflammation that affects how the brain works. They outline a step-by-step pathway explaining how this might happen and suggest that targeting mTOR could be a new treatment approach.

NeuroinflammationImmune System

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

Management of Fibromyalgia: Novel Nutraceutical Therapies Beyond Traditional Pharmaceuticals.

Antonelli, Antonella, Bianchi, Marzia, Fear, Elizabeth Jane et al.·Nutrients·2025

This review examines how natural plant-based compounds, particularly polyphenols, might help manage fibromyalgia pain without the side effects of traditional medications. Fibromyalgia and ME/CFS are related conditions that involve abnormal pain signaling in the nervous system, persistent fatigue, and sleep problems. The authors suggest that natural products could be safer alternatives to current drugs like antidepressants and anticonvulsants, which can cause dependence and tolerance over time.

Neuroinflammation

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM unclearCase-Control

Corticosteroids with low glucocorticoid activity as a potential therapeutic strategy for post-COVID-19 myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome in patients with bipolar affective disorder: A case report.

Nakajima, Kan, Ayani, Nobutaka, Matsuoka, Teruyuki et al.·PCN reports : psychiatry and clinical neurosciences·2025

This case report describes one patient with bipolar disorder who developed ME/CFS after COVID-19 and was treated with different types of steroid medications. Strong steroids (betamethasone and prednisolone) triggered a severe manic episode requiring hospitalization, but a weaker steroid (hydrocortisone) improved her fatigue without worsening her mood. The findings suggest that choosing the right type of steroid may be important for ME/CFS patients who also have mood disorders.

Endocrine Disruption

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM requiredCross-Sectional

Neurodevelopment Genes Encoding Olduvai Domains Link Myalgic Encephalomyelitis to Neuropsychiatric Disorders.

Arcos-Burgos, Mauricio, Arcos-Holzinger, Mauricio, Mastronardi, Claudio et al.·Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland)·2025

Researchers compared DNA samples from 77 Australian ME/CFS patients with genetic databases to identify differences that might explain the disease. They found that certain genes involved in brain development—particularly those encoding special protein structures called Olduvai domains—were associated with ME/CFS. When they checked these findings in a separate U.S. patient group, they confirmed several of the same genetic associations, suggesting these genes may play a role in ME/CFS.

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM requiredCase-Control

The Effect on Quality of Life of Therapeutic Plasmapheresis and Intravenous Immunoglobulins on a Population of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Patients with Elevated β-Adrenergic and M3-Muscarinic Receptor Antibodies-A Pilot Study.

Oesch-Régeni, Boglárka, Germann, Nicolas, Hafer, Georg et al.·Journal of clinical medicine·2025

This small pilot study looked at seven ME/CFS patients who had high levels of specific antibodies (proteins the immune system makes) that may harm certain nerve and heart functions. The researchers gave these patients two types of blood-cleaning treatments—plasmapheresis (which filters antibodies out of blood) and immunoglobulins (healthy antibodies)—and tracked their symptoms and quality of life. They found that patients with higher levels of these harmful antibodies tended to report worse quality of life, and the treatments appeared to help reduce both the antibodies and improve how patients felt.

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM requiredCase-Control

Large-scale investigation confirms TRPM3 ion channel dysfunction in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Sasso, Etianne Martini, Er, Teagan S, Eaton-Fitch, Natalie et al.·Frontiers in medicine·2025

This study examined a specific ion channel called TRPM3 in immune cells from people with ME/CFS compared to healthy individuals. Researchers at two different laboratories found that TRPM3 channels work differently in ME/CFS patients—they're less active than in healthy people. Because both labs got the same results independently, this suggests TRPM3 dysfunction could be a reliable biological marker for ME/CFS.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM unclearMethods-Paper

How a Clinician Makes a Diagnosis for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS).

Vallings, Rosamund·Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.)·2025

This guide explains how experienced doctors diagnose ME/CFS when standard blood tests or scans cannot detect the illness. Since there is no single definitive test for ME/CFS, doctors must carefully evaluate a patient's symptoms, medical history, and how the illness affects their daily functioning. This chapter walks through the practical steps clinicians use to identify ME/CFS and distinguish it from other conditions.

Diagnostics

E3 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM not requiredMethods-Paper

The Need for Controllability and Predictability questionnaire (NCP-q): psychometric properties and preliminary findings in a clinical sample.

Ramakers, Indra, Fonteyne, Riet, Walentynowicz, Marta et al.·Health psychology report·2025

Researchers created and tested a short questionnaire (NCP-q) that measures how much people need to feel in control and be able to predict what will happen. When they compared patients with various illnesses—including ME/CFS, fibromyalgia, panic disorder, and burnout—to healthy people, all patient groups scored higher on this questionnaire, suggesting that needing control and predictability might be a common feature across different conditions that cause physical symptoms.

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Monitoring of cardiorespiratory vagal desynchrony using novel biomarkers derived from smartwatch electrocardiograms in a patient recovering from long COVID: case report.

Kranck, Gustaf, Ståhlberg, Marcus, Andersson, Ulf et al.·European heart journal. Case reports·2025

Researchers tracked one long COVID patient over time using a smartwatch to record heart activity while he was sitting and standing. They noticed that when his fatigue improved, his heart's electrical patterns also normalized, suggesting smartwatch recordings could help monitor autonomic dysfunction (when the nervous system struggles to control heart rate and blood pressure). This simple at-home method may offer a practical way for patients to track their own recovery.

Autonomic Nervous System

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM unclearCase-Control

Improvement in Upper Limb and Systemic Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) Symptoms After Surgical Treatment of Neurogenic Thoracic Outlet Syndrome.

Christoforou, Maritsa E, Lum, Ying Wei, Sroge, Sally C et al.·Cureus·2025

This case study describes a 19-year-old woman with ME/CFS who also had a condition called thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS), where nerves in the upper chest become compressed. After surgery to relieve this compression on both sides of her body, she experienced not only relief from arm numbness and tingling, but also surprising improvements in migraines, brain fog, dizziness, and vision problems. This suggests that some ME/CFS patients might benefit from being evaluated for TOS, as treating it could potentially help with multiple symptoms.

Autonomic Nervous SystemCognitive Impairment

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Evidence Atlas

Evidence browser

Metabolomics-Based Machine Learning Diagnostics of Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 Infection.

Mitochondrial Measures in Primary Cells Isolated from Patients with ME/CFS.

Myopraktikk (NO): A Narrative Review and Conceptual Hypothesis on Intrafasciomembranal Fluid Pressure, Biotensegrity, and Immediate Remote Myofascial Responses.

Integrated immune, hormonal, and transcriptomic profiling reveals sex-specific dysregulation in long COVID patients with ME/CFS.

Mixed methods study of views and experience of non-hospitalised individuals with long COVID of using pacing interventions.

Managing Energy, and Shaping Care: Insights from Adults with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Through Co-Production Workshops.

Deep Immunophenotyping in ME/CFS Using Spectral Flow Cytometry.

A network medicine approach to investigating ME/CFS pathogenesis in severely ill patients: a pilot study.

Using the Ratio of Phosphorylated to Non-phosphorylated Forms of Stress Kinase PKR as a Potential Diagnostic Test for ME/CFS.

Quantitative Proteomics on Immune Cells of ME/CFS Patients Using SWATH-MS.

Proposed Mechanistic Axis of Infections and mTOR Hyperactivation: A Multidisciplinary Review of Immune, Rheumatologic, and Psychiatric Links.

Management of Fibromyalgia: Novel Nutraceutical Therapies Beyond Traditional Pharmaceuticals.

Corticosteroids with low glucocorticoid activity as a potential therapeutic strategy for post-COVID-19 myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome in patients with bipolar affective disorder: A case report.

Neurodevelopment Genes Encoding Olduvai Domains Link Myalgic Encephalomyelitis to Neuropsychiatric Disorders.

The Effect on Quality of Life of Therapeutic Plasmapheresis and Intravenous Immunoglobulins on a Population of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Patients with Elevated β-Adrenergic and M3-Muscarinic Receptor Antibodies-A Pilot Study.

Large-scale investigation confirms TRPM3 ion channel dysfunction in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

How a Clinician Makes a Diagnosis for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS).

The Need for Controllability and Predictability questionnaire (NCP-q): psychometric properties and preliminary findings in a clinical sample.

Monitoring of cardiorespiratory vagal desynchrony using novel biomarkers derived from smartwatch electrocardiograms in a patient recovering from long COVID: case report.

Improvement in Upper Limb and Systemic Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) Symptoms After Surgical Treatment of Neurogenic Thoracic Outlet Syndrome.

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