ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

3961–3980 of 6,209 studies

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 PreliminaryMechanismPEM unclearObservational

Pyridostigmine improves hand grip strength in patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Schlömer, Ella, Stein, Elisa, Kedor, Claudia et al.·Frontiers in neuroscience·2025

This small study tested whether a medication called pyridostigmine could help ME/CFS patients recover hand grip strength after exertion. Twenty patients with ME/CFS showed significant muscle weakness and fatigue. When given pyridostigmine, their hand strength improved by about 2.6 kg after one hour, compared to a loss of 4.65 kg without the medication. The medication also appeared to help with blood pressure responses when standing up.

Autonomic Nervous System

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM unclearCase-Control

HERV Dysregulation in a Case of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis and Multiple Sclerosis Responsive to Rituximab.

Martín-Martínez, Eva, Gil-Perotin, Sara, Giménez-Orenga, Karen et al.·International journal of molecular sciences·2025

This study describes one patient who had ME/CFS and was later diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS). Doctors discovered that his blood had unusual patterns of human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs)—ancient viral-like sequences in our DNA that can sometimes affect immune function. Importantly, this patient improved significantly after receiving rituximab, a treatment that modifies the immune system, even though standard treatments had not worked for him.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM requiredMethods-Paper

Stress-Induced Changes in Immune Signatures in ME/CFS Patients Determined by Transcriptome Analysis.

Gamer, Jackson, Van Booven, Derek, Zarnowski, Oskar et al.·Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.)·2025

Researchers studied how the immune system of ME/CFS patients responds to exercise by examining blood cells before, during, and after a physical challenge. They compared these responses in ME/CFS patients to healthy people using advanced genetic testing. This study is part of ongoing efforts to understand what makes ME/CFS different at a biological level and why exercise can make symptoms worse.

Immune SystemPost-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM unclearObservational

Plasma cell targeting with the anti-CD38 antibody daratumumab in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome-a clinical pilot study.

Fluge, Øystein, Rekeland, Ingrid Gurvin, Sørland, Kari et al.·Frontiers in medicine·2025

Researchers tested a drug called daratumumab that targets specific immune cells (plasma cells) in 10 ME/CFS patients to see if removing these cells could improve symptoms. Six patients experienced significant improvement in fatigue, physical function, and daily activity levels after treatment, while four showed no major changes. The drug was well-tolerated with no serious side effects, and improvements were sustained over 8-24 months of follow-up.

Immune System

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

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Hemostatic Disorders Following Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Infection, COVID-19 Vaccination, and Long-COVID Syndrome: Current Evidence and Controversies in Clinical Practice.

Vishnu, Prakash, Aboulafia, David M·Clinics in laboratory medicine·2025

This review examines blood clotting problems that have been reported in people with COVID-19, those who received COVID-19 vaccines, and people with Long-COVID (including ME/CFS-like symptoms). The authors summarize what we know about these clotting issues, ranging from minor platelet problems to serious blood clots, and discuss areas where doctors and researchers disagree about what's happening and why.

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredMechanistic

PKM2 accelerated the progression of chronic fatigue syndrome via promoting the H4K12la/ NF-κB induced neuroinflammation and mitochondrial damage.

Sun, Meng, Zhang, Xinwen, Feng, Xinli et al.·Scientific reports·2025

This study in mice explored how a protein called PKM2 may contribute to ME/CFS by increasing inflammation in the brain and damaging energy-producing structures inside cells (mitochondria). Researchers found that when PKM2 levels increased, cognitive problems worsened and brain cells showed more damage, while reducing PKM2 improved these outcomes. The mechanism involves lactate buildup and activation of inflammatory pathways in the brain.

Neuroinflammation

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

Retracted: Chronic Epipharyngitis Treated with Epipharyngeal Abrasion Therapy: Symptoms, Diagnosis, Pathogenesis, and Treatment Outcomes.

Harabuchi, Yasuaki, Kumai, Takumi, Nishi, Kensuke et al.·JMA journal·2025

This article discusses chronic epipharyngitis—long-term inflammation in the upper throat—and describes a treatment called epipharyngeal abrasion therapy (EAT) that aims to reduce this inflammation. The authors note that this throat inflammation may cause various symptoms including fatigue, brain fog, dizziness, and cough, and they review evidence that EAT might help some patients, including those with long COVID. However, this paper has been retracted and should not be relied upon for clinical decisions.

Cognitive Impairment

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Long COVID's Impact on Patients, Workers, & Society: A review.

Kavanagh, Kevin T, Cormier, Lindsay E, Pontus, Christine et al.·Medicine·2024

About 1 in 10 people who recover from COVID-19 develop long COVID, and roughly 1 in 4 of those people struggle with daily activities like work and self-care. Brain damage has been found in some patients, leading to problems with memory, thinking clearly, and mood changes. The study reviews how long COVID affects patients' jobs, finances, and communities, and emphasizes that gentle recovery approaches work better than pushing too hard, which can cause setbacks lasting days or weeks.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

Sjögren's syndrome.

Balint, Geza, Watson Buchanan, W, Kean, Colin A et al.·Inflammopharmacology·2024

Sjögren's syndrome is an autoimmune disease that causes dry eyes and dry mouth, often with swollen salivary glands. This review article explains that Sjögren's syndrome can occur on its own or alongside other autoimmune diseases like lupus or rheumatoid arthritis. Importantly, the authors note that Sjögren's syndrome has been linked to chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia, suggesting there may be shared features between these conditions.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM not requiredMethods-Paper

BRIEF REPORT: Assessing Adherence and Competence in Delivering Telehealth Group Cognitive Behavioral Stress Management.

May, Marcella, Ream, Molly, Milrad, Sara F et al.·International journal of stress management·2024

This study developed a way to check whether therapists are properly delivering a stress management program called CBSM (Cognitive Behavioral Stress Management) when it's delivered online through video. The researchers watched 146 recorded therapy sessions with ME/CFS patients and their partners to see if therapists were following the program correctly and doing it well. They found that their checklist system worked fairly well, meaning different raters could agree on whether therapists were doing their job properly.

E3 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM unclearMethods-Paper

Health Controversies: Long-Term Disagreement Management Challenges.

Jackson, Sally·Journal of health communication·2024

This paper examines how major disagreements about health topics—including ME/CFS—develop and persist over long periods of time across different countries and communities. The author explains that these health controversies involve many people with different viewpoints who argue in multiple places (medical journals, courts, social media, etc.), and that how we manage these disagreements matters. The study shows that ME/CFS is a particularly important example because disagreements about it have shaped how institutions are designed to handle health disputes.

Diagnostics

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM unclearMechanistic

Heat treatment in health and disease: How water-filtered infrared-A (wIRA) irradiation affects key cellular mechanisms in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) patients compared to healthy donors.

Hochecker, Barbara, Molinski, Noah, Matt, Katja et al.·Journal of thermal biology·2024

This study tested whether a gentle heat treatment called water-filtered infrared-A (wIRA) could affect how cells work in ME/CFS patients compared to healthy people. Researchers warmed cells from both groups to 39°C for one hour and looked at three important cellular processes: autophagy (cells cleaning themselves), mitochondrial function (energy production), and gene activity. The heat treatment activated cleaning and stress-response processes in all cells tested, and in ME/CFS cells specifically, it slightly reduced the high mitochondrial activity toward levels seen in healthy cells.

Energy Metabolism

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM unclearCase-Control

Longitudinal cytokine and multi-modal health data of an extremely severe ME/CFS patient with HSD reveals insights into immunopathology, and disease severity.

Jahanbani, Fereshteh, Sing, Justin Cyril, Maynard, Rajan Douglas et al.·Frontiers in immunology·2024

This study tracked one very severely ill ME/CFS patient over time, measuring immune system markers and detailed health information. Researchers found that the patient's immune system was shifted toward a Th2-type response (typically seen in allergies), with unusually high levels of certain immune chemicals. The study also introduced new smartphone apps to help patients and doctors track symptoms and treatment responses in real time.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM unclearMethods-Paper

KombOver: Efficient k-core and K-truss based characterization of perturbations within the human gut microbiome.

Sapoval, Nicolae, Tanevski, Marko, Treangen, Todd J·Pacific Symposium on Biocomputing. Pacific Symposium on Biocomputing·2024

This study describes a new computer tool called KombOver that analyzes bacteria in the gut more efficiently than previous methods. Researchers tested it on nearly 1,000 gut samples from people with ME/CFS and other conditions to see how microbial communities change in response to illness. The tool works much faster and requires less computing power than earlier versions, making it more practical for large research studies.

Gut Microbiome

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM requiredCase-Control

Mitochondrial DNA Missense Mutations ChrMT: 8981A > G and ChrMT: 6268C > T Identified in a Caucasian Female with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) Triggered by the Epstein-Barr Virus.

Tang-Siegel, Gaoyan G, Maughan, David W, Frownfelter, Milah B et al.·Case reports in genetics·2024

This study describes one patient with ME/CFS whose symptoms began after a severe viral infection (Epstein-Barr virus, which causes mononucleosis) 24 years ago. Researchers found that her cells had genetic mutations affecting the mitochondria—the 'power plants' that produce energy for our bodies—which may explain her extreme fatigue and difficulty recovering from physical activity. The study also found abnormal mitochondria circulating in her blood, suggesting that energy production problems may be contributing to her ME/CFS symptoms.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM requiredCross-Sectional

Dysregulation of extracellular vesicle protein cargo in female myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome cases and sedentary controls in response to maximal exercise.

Giloteaux, Ludovic, Glass, Katherine A, Germain, Arnaud et al.·Journal of extracellular vesicles·2024

When people without ME/CFS exercise, their bodies release tiny particles called extracellular vesicles that help cells communicate and recover. This study found that in people with ME/CFS, these particles carry different proteins after exercise compared to healthy people, and these differences match how severe a person's symptoms are. This suggests that ME/CFS patients' bodies may have a distinct biological response to exercise that could explain why exertion makes their symptoms worse.

BiomarkersPost-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredMechanistic

[Therapeutic effect and mechanism of Jingfang Granules on chronic fatigue syndrome based on intestinal flora and metabolomics].

Wang, Kun, Wei, Fang-Jiao, Cui, De-Yu et al.·Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica·2024

Researchers tested a traditional Chinese herbal treatment called Jingfang Granules on mice with fatigue symptoms similar to ME/CFS. The treatment improved the mice's physical endurance, reduced markers of exhaustion and inflammation in the blood and tissues, and appeared to work by restoring healthy gut bacteria and adjusting how the body processes certain amino acids.

Immune System

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Evidence browser

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

Pyridostigmine improves hand grip strength in patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

HERV Dysregulation in a Case of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis and Multiple Sclerosis Responsive to Rituximab.

Stress-Induced Changes in Immune Signatures in ME/CFS Patients Determined by Transcriptome Analysis.

Plasma cell targeting with the anti-CD38 antibody daratumumab in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome-a clinical pilot study.

Considerations for Long COVID Rehabilitation in Women.

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

Hemostatic Disorders Following Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Infection, COVID-19 Vaccination, and Long-COVID Syndrome: Current Evidence and Controversies in Clinical Practice.

PKM2 accelerated the progression of chronic fatigue syndrome via promoting the H4K12la/ NF-κB induced neuroinflammation and mitochondrial damage.

Retracted: Chronic Epipharyngitis Treated with Epipharyngeal Abrasion Therapy: Symptoms, Diagnosis, Pathogenesis, and Treatment Outcomes.

Long COVID's Impact on Patients, Workers, & Society: A review.

Sjögren's syndrome.

BRIEF REPORT: Assessing Adherence and Competence in Delivering Telehealth Group Cognitive Behavioral Stress Management.

Health Controversies: Long-Term Disagreement Management Challenges.

Heat treatment in health and disease: How water-filtered infrared-A (wIRA) irradiation affects key cellular mechanisms in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) patients compared to healthy donors.

Longitudinal cytokine and multi-modal health data of an extremely severe ME/CFS patient with HSD reveals insights into immunopathology, and disease severity.

KombOver: Efficient k-core and K-truss based characterization of perturbations within the human gut microbiome.

Mitochondrial DNA Missense Mutations ChrMT: 8981A > G and ChrMT: 6268C > T Identified in a Caucasian Female with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) Triggered by the Epstein-Barr Virus.

Dysregulation of extracellular vesicle protein cargo in female myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome cases and sedentary controls in response to maximal exercise.

[Therapeutic effect and mechanism of Jingfang Granules on chronic fatigue syndrome based on intestinal flora and metabolomics].

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