ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

4141–4160 of 6,188 studies

E3 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM requiredPreprintPreprint

A Mixed Methods System for the Assessment of Post Exertional Malaise in Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Stussman, Barbara, Calco, Brice, Norato, Gina et al.·medRxiv : the preprint server for health sciences·2023

This study looked at how to better measure post-exertional malaise (PEM)—the symptom flare-up that happens after activity in ME/CFS patients. Researchers asked 10 ME/CFS patients and 9 healthy people to do an exercise test, then tracked their symptoms over 72 hours using both rating scales and detailed interviews. They found that combining interviews with rating scales captured PEM patterns much better than rating scales alone, especially because rating scales sometimes hit their limits and couldn't show the full picture of symptom changes.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM requiredObservational

Exercise-induced changes in gene expression do not mediate post exertional malaise in Gulf War illness.

Boruch, Alexander E, Lindheimer, Jacob B, Ninneman, Jacob V et al.·Brain, behavior, & immunity - health·2023

This study looked at whether post-exertional malaise (PEM)—the worsening of symptoms after physical activity—is caused by changes in gene activity in Gulf War illness patients. Veterans with Gulf War illness and healthy controls exercised on stationary bikes, and researchers measured gene expression in blood samples before and after exercise. While the study found that certain genes did change after exercise in Gulf War illness patients, these gene changes did not explain why their symptoms got worse.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Long COVID: major findings, mechanisms and recommendations.

Davis, Hannah E, McCorkell, Lisa, Vogel, Julia Moore et al.·Nature reviews. Microbiology·2023

Long COVID is a serious illness affecting at least 10% of people who had COVID-19, with an estimated 65 million people worldwide experiencing it. The condition causes over 200 different symptoms affecting many body systems, similar to ME/CFS and other post-viral illnesses. This review examines what scientists have learned about Long COVID's causes and effects, though better diagnostic tests and treatments are still urgently needed.

Long COVID OverlapPost-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryPEM unclear

The fragile process of Homecoming - Young women in recovery from severe ME/CFS.

Krabbe, Silje Helen, Groven, Karen Synne, Schrøder Bjorbækmo, Wenche et al.·International journal of qualitative studies on health and well-being·2023

This study followed 13 young women who recovered from severe ME/CFS that started during childhood or adolescence. Through in-depth interviews, researchers explored what helped them get better. The women described recovery as a slow, bumpy process that involved learning how their bodies worked and gradually gaining confidence, rather than a straight path to wellness.

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Investigating Antibody Reactivity to the Intestinal Microbiome in Severe Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS): A Feasibility Study.

Seton, Katharine A, Defernez, Marianne, Telatin, Andrea et al.·International journal of molecular sciences·2023

This study explored whether ME/CFS might be caused by a leaky gut that allows bacteria to escape into the bloodstream, triggering an abnormal immune response. Researchers compared antibody levels and immune reactions to gut bacteria in severely ill ME/CFS patients and healthy household members. They found that ME/CFS patients showed reduced immune responses to their gut bacteria, which was unexpected and suggests the immune system may not be working properly in ME/CFS.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM requiredReview-Narrative

A review of cytokine-based pathophysiology of Long COVID symptoms.

Low, Russell N, Low, Ryan J, Akrami, Athena·Frontiers in medicine·2023

This review examines how Long COVID may develop through a chain reaction of immune system problems. When the virus infects the body, it can trigger ongoing inflammation that affects both the immune system and the brain, potentially causing blood clots in small vessels. This combination may explain symptoms like fatigue, brain fog, and pain that Long COVID and ME/CFS patients experience.

NeuroinflammationPost-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

Exploring the arcuate fasciculus from a clinical perspective.

Shao, Zhi Ding, Gong, Yu Juan, Ren, Jing et al.·Frontiers in neuroscience·2023

This review examines a bundle of nerve fibers in the brain called the arcuate fasciculus, which helps connect language centers. Researchers found that several conditions—including ME/CFS, stroke, brain tumors, and others—can damage these nerve fibers in measurable ways. New brain imaging techniques can now visualize and measure this damage, which may help doctors understand what goes wrong and develop better treatments.

Cognitive Impairment

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM requiredReview-Narrative

[Myalgic Encephalitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Diagnostic and Therapeutic Approach and Biological Research].

Sato, Wakiro·Brain and nerve = Shinkei kenkyu no shinpo·2023

This article reviews what we currently know about ME/CFS, a serious illness marked by extreme tiredness, sleep problems, difficulty thinking clearly, and difficulty standing up without symptoms getting worse. A key feature is post-exertional malaise—when patients feel much worse after physical or mental activity—which means people with ME/CFS need to carefully manage their activity levels. The article summarizes current approaches to diagnosis and treatment, as well as recent scientific discoveries about what happens in the body during this disease.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Association of multiple sclerosis with chronic fatigue syndrome, restless legs syndrome, and various sleep disorders, along with the recent updates.

Prajjwal, Priyadarshi, Kalluru, Pavan K R, Marsool, Mohammed Dheyaa et al.·Annals of medicine and surgery (2012)·2023

This review examines how multiple sclerosis (MS) and ME/CFS are similar, particularly in how they cause fatigue and affect sleep. Both conditions involve damage to similar brain regions and may share genetic risk factors. The authors discuss how treatments like supervised exercise can help manage fatigue in both illnesses, though the underlying causes differ.

E3 PreliminaryGuidelinePEM unclearGuideline

Forming a consensus opinion to inform long COVID support mechanisms and interventions: a modified Delphi approach.

Owen, Rebecca, Ashton, Ruth E M, Ferraro, Francesco V et al.·EClinicalMedicine·2023

Researchers gathered opinions from doctors, physiotherapists, patients with Long COVID, and scientists across multiple countries to agree on the best ways to support and treat Long COVID. Using three rounds of surveys, they found strong agreement that Long COVID needs specialized, personalized care plans that address individual symptoms like fatigue, brain fog, and breathing problems, with emphasis on pacing and gradually returning to daily activities.

Cognitive Impairment

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Towards a Better Understanding of the Complexities of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Long COVID.

Tate, Warren P, Walker, Max O M, Peppercorn, Katie et al.·International journal of molecular sciences·2023

ME/CFS is a complex illness that typically starts after a viral infection, though other stressful events can also trigger it. This review explains that different patients experience different combinations of symptoms and respond differently to treatments—what helps one person may not help another. The authors discuss how the immune system may shift from a temporary response to a lasting problem, and how the brain's immune system may cause the neurological symptoms people experience.

NeuroinflammationImmune SystemPost-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Mitochondria: It is all about energy.

Casanova, Amaloha, Wevers, Anne, Navarro-Ledesma, Santiago et al.·Frontiers in physiology·2023

This review explains that mitochondria—the energy-producing structures in our cells—do much more than just make energy. They also help control sleep-wake cycles, interact with gut bacteria, and regulate the immune system. When mitochondria don't work properly, it may contribute to several diseases including ME/CFS, and the authors suggest that specific lifestyle and physiological strategies might help restore mitochondrial health.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM unclearMethods-Paper

Accelerating discovery: A novel flow cytometric method for detecting fibrin(ogen) amyloid microclots using long COVID as a model.

Turner, Simone, Laubscher, Gert Jacobus, Khan, M Asad et al.·Heliyon·2023

Long COVID patients often have abnormal blood clotting that creates tiny, sticky clots resistant to the body's natural clot-dissolving processes. This study developed a faster, more reliable laboratory test using imaging flow cytometry to detect these microclots in blood samples. The new method successfully identified larger and more numerous microclots in Long COVID patients compared to healthy controls, and it could potentially be used in regular hospital labs to help diagnose and treat affected patients.

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM unclearObservational

First insights into multidisciplinary and multispecialty long COVID networks-a SWOT analysis from the perspective of ambulatory health care professionals.

Stengel, Sandra, Gölz, Lea, Kolb, Joachim et al.·Frontiers in medicine·2023

This study looked at how two regional networks in Germany organized care for long COVID patients by having different doctors and therapists work together. Researchers interviewed healthcare professionals from these networks to understand what worked well, what was difficult, and what could be improved. Both networks focused on primary care doctors coordinating care with specialists, though they took slightly different approaches—one emphasized treating individual patients in clinics, while the other connected hospitals and community services across a wider region.

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Whole-body cryotherapy as a treatment for chronic medical conditions?

Tabisz, Hanna, Modlinska, Aleksandra, Kujawski, Sławomir et al.·British medical bulletin·2023

This review article examines whole-body cryotherapy (WBC)—exposing your entire body to very cold temperatures—as a possible treatment for various chronic conditions, including ME/CFS. The authors suggest that because WBC appears to reduce inflammation in the body, it might help conditions involving persistent inflammation. However, they emphasize that current research quality is low and that proper clinical trials are needed before we can know if WBC actually works.

NeuroinflammationImmune System

E3 PreliminaryCommentaryPEM requiredEditorial

Post-exertional malaise in daily life and experimental exercise models in patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Vøllestad, Nina K, Mengshoel, Anne Marit·Frontiers in physiology·2023

This paper reviews how post-exertional malaise (PEM)—the worsening of symptoms after physical or mental activity—is experienced and studied in ME/CFS patients. Patients describe PEM in many different ways and report that it can start immediately or be delayed by days, lasting anywhere from a few days to months. When researchers use standardized exercise tests in laboratories, they see more immediate symptom worsening, but the duration still varies widely between patients.

Autonomic Nervous SystemPost-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredMechanistic

Ginsenoside Rg1 can reverse fatigue behavior in CFS rats by regulating EGFR and affecting Taurine and Mannose 6-phosphate metabolism.

Lei, Chaofang, Chen, Jiaxu, Huang, Zhen et al.·Frontiers in pharmacology·2023

This study tested whether ginsenoside Rg1, a compound from ginseng, could reduce fatigue in rats with chronic fatigue syndrome. Researchers found that the treatment reversed fatigue behavior and corrected abnormal metabolism patterns in the rats' blood, particularly affecting molecules called taurine and mannose 6-phosphate. The results suggest ginseng-derived compounds might help ME/CFS patients, though human studies would be needed to confirm this.

Energy Metabolism

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia are indistinguishable by their cerebrospinal fluid proteomes.

Schutzer, Steven E, Liu, Tao, Tsai, Chia-Feng et al.·Annals of medicine·2023

Researchers examined the fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord in people with ME/CFS—some of whom also had fibromyalgia and some who did not. Using advanced technology to measure thousands of proteins in this fluid, they found no significant differences between the two groups. This suggests that ME/CFS and fibromyalgia may not be completely separate diseases, but rather may overlap or be related conditions.

Diagnostics

E3 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM unclearMethods-Paper

Impact of Misdiagnosis in Case-Control Studies of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Malato, João, Graça, Luís, Sepúlveda, Nuno·Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland)·2023

This study examined how misdiagnosis affects ME/CFS research results. The researchers found that when patients are incorrectly diagnosed with ME/CFS (or vice versa), it becomes much harder for studies to find real connections between potential causes and the disease. To get reliable results, studies need to include at least 500-1000 people per group, which is larger than many current ME/CFS studies.

Diagnostics

E3 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM unclearMethods-Paper

Bayesian Statistics Improves Biological Interpretability of Metabolomics Data from Human Cohorts.

Brydges, Christopher, Che, Xiaoyu, Lipkin, Walter Ian et al.·Metabolites·2023

This study compared blood chemistry samples from three different groups of ME/CFS patients and healthy people to find differences in metabolites—small molecules in the blood. Instead of using the traditional statistical method, researchers used a newer approach called Bayesian statistics that allows them to combine results from multiple studies to find patterns that traditional methods missed. They discovered several important differences in blood metabolites between ME/CFS patients and healthy controls, including abnormal fat molecules and reduced levels of prostaglandin F2alpha.

Biomarkers

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Evidence Atlas

Evidence browser

A Mixed Methods System for the Assessment of Post Exertional Malaise in Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Exercise-induced changes in gene expression do not mediate post exertional malaise in Gulf War illness.

Long COVID: major findings, mechanisms and recommendations.

The fragile process of Homecoming - Young women in recovery from severe ME/CFS.

Investigating Antibody Reactivity to the Intestinal Microbiome in Severe Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS): A Feasibility Study.

A review of cytokine-based pathophysiology of Long COVID symptoms.

Exploring the arcuate fasciculus from a clinical perspective.

[Myalgic Encephalitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Diagnostic and Therapeutic Approach and Biological Research].

Association of multiple sclerosis with chronic fatigue syndrome, restless legs syndrome, and various sleep disorders, along with the recent updates.

Forming a consensus opinion to inform long COVID support mechanisms and interventions: a modified Delphi approach.

Towards a Better Understanding of the Complexities of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Long COVID.

Mitochondria: It is all about energy.

Accelerating discovery: A novel flow cytometric method for detecting fibrin(ogen) amyloid microclots using long COVID as a model.

First insights into multidisciplinary and multispecialty long COVID networks-a SWOT analysis from the perspective of ambulatory health care professionals.

Whole-body cryotherapy as a treatment for chronic medical conditions?

Post-exertional malaise in daily life and experimental exercise models in patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Ginsenoside Rg1 can reverse fatigue behavior in CFS rats by regulating EGFR and affecting Taurine and Mannose 6-phosphate metabolism.

Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia are indistinguishable by their cerebrospinal fluid proteomes.

Impact of Misdiagnosis in Case-Control Studies of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Bayesian Statistics Improves Biological Interpretability of Metabolomics Data from Human Cohorts.

Curated Collections

Neuroinflammation Evidence

Metabolism & Mitochondria

Biomarkers

PEM-Specific Research