ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

3881–3900 of 6,188 studies

E3 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM not requiredMethods-Paper

Rasch analysis of the hospital anxiety and depression scale in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Bartholomew, Emerson J, Medvedev, Oleg N, Petrie, Keith J et al.·Journal of psychosomatic research·2025

This study tested whether a common questionnaire called the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) accurately measures anxiety and depression in people with ME/CFS. Researchers analyzed responses from 286 ME/CFS patients and found that the questionnaire works reasonably well, but they discovered that converting the scores into a different format makes the results more precise and reliable for clinical use.

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredMechanistic

Long COVID and chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalitis share similar pathophysiologic mechanisms of exercise limitation.

Jothi, Swathi, Insel, Michael, Claessen, Guido et al.·Physiological reports·2025

This study compared how bodies use oxygen during exercise in people with long COVID, ME/CFS, and healthy controls. Researchers found that both long COVID and ME/CFS patients had trouble getting oxygen into their muscles during exercise, which was the main reason they couldn't exercise as much as healthy people. If this muscle oxygen problem could be fixed, it might significantly improve exercise ability in both conditions.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Comparing DNA Methylation Landscapes in Peripheral Blood from Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Long COVID Patients.

Peppercorn, Katie, Sharma, Sayan, Edgar, Christina D et al.·International journal of molecular sciences·2025

This study examined chemical markers called DNA methylation in blood cells from people with ME/CFS, Long COVID, and healthy individuals. Researchers found that while the overall patterns were similar between ME/CFS and Long COVID patients, there were specific differences in which genes were chemically marked, suggesting these two conditions may have related but distinct biological changes. The findings lay groundwork for understanding what makes these post-viral conditions work at a molecular level.

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM requiredMechanistic

Cerebrospinal fluid metabolomics, lipidomics and serine pathway dysfunction in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndroome (ME/CFS).

Baraniuk, James N·Scientific reports·2025

Researchers studied brain fluid from ME/CFS patients to understand what goes wrong with how their brains use energy. They found that ME/CFS patients have abnormal levels of certain molecules involved in energy production and brain cell function, and these problems got worse after exercise. The study suggests that ME/CFS may involve problems with how the brain processes nutrients and maintains its protective coating around nerve fibers.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM unclearCase-Control

Clinically Meaningful Improvements in Long COVID Symptoms Following Ketogenic Metabolic Therapy Combined with Lifestyle Interventions-A Clinical Case Report and Review of the Literature.

Colgan, Dana Dharmakaya, Stadler, Diane D, Hope, Aluko A et al.·Case reports in clinical medicine·2025

This study describes one patient with Long COVID who experienced significant improvements in their symptoms after following a special diet (ketogenic diet) combined with lifestyle changes including exercise, better sleep schedules, and stress-reduction practices delivered remotely. The authors reviewed existing research suggesting this combined approach might help address underlying problems in Long COVID and support the body's ability to handle stress.

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM requiredReview-Narrative

Mechanistic Insights Into Long Covid: Viral Persistence, Immune Dysregulation, and Multi-Organ Dysfunction.

Gupta, Gautam, Buonsenso, Danilo, Wood, John et al.·Comprehensive Physiology·2025

This review examines how Long Covid causes persistent symptoms affecting multiple body systems. The research suggests that SARS-CoV-2 virus may hide in body tissues, trigger ongoing immune problems, and damage how cells produce energy, which could explain fatigue and post-exertion crashes. These mechanisms appear similar to ME/CFS, suggesting the two conditions may share common biological pathways.

NeuroinflammationImmune SystemPost-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

[Exploration on the treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome with acupuncture and moxibustion based on the "body-qi-mind trinity life view"].

Xie, Shuolin, Deng, Fei, Fang, Fang et al.·Zhongguo zhen jiu = Chinese acupuncture & moxibustion·2025

This paper presents a traditional Chinese medicine approach to treating ME/CFS that combines acupuncture and moxibustion (heat therapy). The authors propose that ME/CFS involves imbalances in the body's physical health, energy circulation, and mental state, and suggest specific acupuncture points and techniques designed to address each of these areas. The recommended treatment focuses on relieving muscle pain, improving energy flow, and calming the mind.

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM unclear

Unwilling or unable? Interpreting effort task performance in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Kirvin-Quamme, Andrew, Kirke, Karen D, Junge, Oscar et al.·Frontiers in psychology·2025

This study examined how people with ME/CFS perform on effort-based tasks and what their performance reveals about the condition. Researchers investigated whether people with ME/CFS struggle with these tasks because they are unable to exert effort (due to physical limitations) or unwilling to do so (due to motivation or other psychological factors). Understanding this distinction is important for interpreting test results and designing appropriate treatments.

E3 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM not required

Pediatric Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS): A Diagnostic and Communication Case Study for Health Care Providers in Training.

Brimmer, Dana J, Lin, Jin-Mann S, Selinger, Howard A et al.·MedEdPORTAL : the journal of teaching and learning resources·2025

This study tested whether a short educational program could help future doctors, nurses, and physician assistants better understand pediatric ME/CFS. After a 40-minute lesson with videos and materials, students showed major improvements in recognizing ME/CFS as a real medical condition and felt more confident talking to patients about it. The results suggest that better training about ME/CFS in medical schools could help young patients get diagnosed and treated more effectively.

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 PreliminaryCommentaryPEM requiredEditorial

mTORC1 syndrome (TorS): unifying paradigm for PASC, ME/CFS and PAIS.

Bar-Tana, Jacob·Journal of translational medicine·2025

This study proposes that ME/CFS, Long COVID, and similar post-infection illnesses may all be caused by the same underlying problem: excessive activity of a cellular control system called mTORC1. The authors suggest that if this overactive system is the shared driver of these conditions, it could explain why patients experience fatigue, worsening after exercise, pain, heart rate changes, and brain fog—and it might point toward new treatments.

Energy MetabolismPost-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

[Modern approaches to diagnosis and treatment of postinfectious asthenic syndrome in children].

Nemkova, S A·Zhurnal nevrologii i psikhiatrii imeni S.S. Korsakova·2025

This review article discusses postinfectious asthenic syndrome—a condition causing severe tiredness and weakness that develops after infections like colds, flu, and COVID-19 in children and teenagers. The authors examine how this condition develops, its symptoms, and how a medication called Mexidol may help reduce fatigue and improve thinking, mood, and nervous system problems that often accompany it.

Autonomic Nervous SystemCognitive Impairment

E3 PreliminaryPEM unclear

Inspiratory muscle training improves autonomic function in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome and post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2: A pilot study.

Edgell, Heather, Pereira, Tania J, Kerr, Kathleen et al.·Respiratory physiology & neurobiology·2025

This study tested whether a simple breathing exercise program could help people with ME/CFS and Long COVID feel better. For 8 weeks, participants practiced strengthening their breathing muscles. People in all groups—including those with ME/CFS and Long COVID—showed improvements in how far they could walk, their heart rate, sleep quality, and how their nervous system functioned. Those with ME/CFS also noticed less pain and better blood vessel function.

SleepAutonomic Nervous System

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Patient-Generated Data as Interventions in Doctor-Patient Relationships? Negotiating (Un)Invited Participation in Medical Consultations.

Augst, Ann Kristin, Lämmerhirt, Danny, Schubert, Cornelius·Sociology of health & illness·2025

This study looked at how doctors and patients with chronic illnesses (including ME/CFS) use health data from popular apps and devices like smartwatches. Researchers interviewed doctors and patients in Germany to understand when doctors accept, ignore, or use this patient-collected data in medical visits. The study found that doctors have very different attitudes—some welcome the data, some reject it, and some are unsure whether to trust it.

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

The emerging role of exosomal LncRNAs in chronic fatigue syndrome: from intercellular communication to disease biomarkers.

Wang, Lei, Xu, Yujia, Zhong, Xiang et al.·Frontiers in molecular biosciences·2025

This review examines tiny packages called exosomes that cells release into the body, which contain special molecules called long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs). These molecules may help cells communicate with each other and could be involved in ME/CFS. The researchers explored whether these lncRNAs could potentially be used as biological markers to help doctors identify and diagnose ME/CFS earlier.

E3 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM unclearMethods-Paper

Using Single-Cell Raman Microspectroscopy to Profile Human Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells.

Gan, Elizabeth, Stoker, Megan, Guo, Edie et al.·Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.)·2025

This study describes a new laboratory technique called Raman microspectroscopy that can examine individual immune cells from blood samples in detail. The technique uses light and computer analysis to identify chemical differences inside cells that might help doctors distinguish between people with chronic illnesses and healthy people, potentially leading to better diagnosis and treatment.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

["Ultimately, you are on your own." A qualitative analysis of barriers to health care from the perspective of patients with long COVID].

Hammer, Sabine, Monaca, Clara, Hoelz, Annika et al.·Zeitschrift fur Evidenz, Fortbildung und Qualitat im Gesundheitswesen·2025

This study asked 264 long COVID patients about their experiences with doctors and healthcare services. Most patients reported that healthcare providers don't understand their condition, often dismiss it as psychological, and sometimes recommend treatments that make them sicker. Patients felt stigmatized and unsupported, with some waiting up to two years just to see a specialist.

Diagnostics

E3 PreliminaryBehavioralPEM not requiredCase-Control

Crohn's disease, irritable bowel syndrome, and chronic fatigue: the importance of communication and symptom management-a case report.

Haedrich, Johannes, Huber, Roman·Journal of medical case reports·2025

This case study describes a 64-year-old man with Crohn's disease (an inflammatory bowel condition) who developed persistent diarrhea, abdominal pain, fatigue, and other symptoms that resembled both irritable bowel syndrome and chronic fatigue syndrome. When doctors provided him with a clear explanation of how his symptoms were connected to his gut condition, stress, and nervous system function, along with appropriate treatment, his symptoms improved significantly over 2.5 years. The case highlights how physical diseases and functional conditions (like ME/CFS) are often interconnected and may improve when both are recognized and treated together.

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Considerations for Long COVID Rehabilitation in Women.

Verduzco-Gutierrez, Monica, Fleming, Talya K, Azola, Alba M·Physical medicine and rehabilitation clinics of North America·2025

Long COVID is a condition where people experience ongoing symptoms weeks or months after a COVID-19 infection. This review examines how rehabilitation can help long COVID patients, with special attention to how women are affected differently. The authors emphasize that personalized treatment plans involving multiple types of therapy and healthcare teamwork are important for recovery.

Long COVID Overlap

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredMechanistic

Causal Relationship Between Diet, Lipids, Immune Cells, and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Two-Mediation Mendelian Randomization Study.

Li, Jixu, Qin, Qi, Zhu, Yiran et al.·Food science & nutrition·2025

This study explored whether diet, cholesterol levels, and immune cell changes might contribute to ME/CFS development. Researchers found that eating cheese and pork, and avoiding alcohol and spicy food, may protect against ME/CFS, possibly by improving cholesterol profiles. The study suggests that certain types of cholesterol and immune cell changes may influence ME/CFS risk, creating a potential chain linking food choices to immune health to fatigue development.

Immune System

← Previous Next 20 studies →

Or browse by topic

PEM Immune Neuro Metabolic Biomarkers Severe ME Long COVID Cognitive

Evidence Atlas

Evidence browser

Rasch analysis of the hospital anxiety and depression scale in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Long COVID and chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalitis share similar pathophysiologic mechanisms of exercise limitation.

Comparing DNA Methylation Landscapes in Peripheral Blood from Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Long COVID Patients.

Cerebrospinal fluid metabolomics, lipidomics and serine pathway dysfunction in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndroome (ME/CFS).

Clinically Meaningful Improvements in Long COVID Symptoms Following Ketogenic Metabolic Therapy Combined with Lifestyle Interventions-A Clinical Case Report and Review of the Literature.

Mechanistic Insights Into Long Covid: Viral Persistence, Immune Dysregulation, and Multi-Organ Dysfunction.

[Exploration on the treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome with acupuncture and moxibustion based on the "body-qi-mind trinity life view"].

Unwilling or unable? Interpreting effort task performance in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Pediatric Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS): A Diagnostic and Communication Case Study for Health Care Providers in Training.

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

mTORC1 syndrome (TorS): unifying paradigm for PASC, ME/CFS and PAIS.

[Modern approaches to diagnosis and treatment of postinfectious asthenic syndrome in children].

Inspiratory muscle training improves autonomic function in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome and post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2: A pilot study.

Patient-Generated Data as Interventions in Doctor-Patient Relationships? Negotiating (Un)Invited Participation in Medical Consultations.

The emerging role of exosomal LncRNAs in chronic fatigue syndrome: from intercellular communication to disease biomarkers.

Using Single-Cell Raman Microspectroscopy to Profile Human Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells.

["Ultimately, you are on your own." A qualitative analysis of barriers to health care from the perspective of patients with long COVID].

Crohn's disease, irritable bowel syndrome, and chronic fatigue: the importance of communication and symptom management-a case report.

Considerations for Long COVID Rehabilitation in Women.

Causal Relationship Between Diet, Lipids, Immune Cells, and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Two-Mediation Mendelian Randomization Study.

Curated Collections

Neuroinflammation Evidence

Metabolism & Mitochondria

Biomarkers

PEM-Specific Research