ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

4161–4180 of 6,162 studies

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM unclearCase-Control

An Exercise Prescription as a Novel Management Strategy for Treatment of Long COVID.

Rudofker, Eric W, Parker, Hugh, Cornwell, William K·JACC. Case reports·2022

This study describes a small group of long COVID patients whose symptoms improved or went away when they exercised regularly. The researchers suggest that exercise might be a helpful treatment strategy for long COVID, since the condition may partly involve the heart and muscles becoming deconditioned (weak from lack of use).

Interventions

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

The autonomic aspects of the post-COVID19 syndrome.

Dotan, Arad, David, Paula, Arnheim, Dana et al.·Autoimmunity reviews·2022

After COVID-19 infection, many people experience long-lasting symptoms similar to ME/CFS, including fatigue, brain fog, and mood problems. Recent research suggests the immune system may attack nerve cells that control heart rate, blood pressure, and other automatic body functions, rather than just the virus itself. The authors propose that exercise therapy might be safer and more helpful than immunosuppressive drugs for treating these lingering post-COVID symptoms.

Immune SystemPost-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

New Clinical Phenotype of the Post-Covid Syndrome: Fibromyalgia and Joint Hypermobility Condition.

Gavrilova, Natalia, Soprun, Lidiia, Lukashenko, Maria et al.·Pathophysiology : the official journal of the International Society for Pathophysiology·2022

This study describes a pattern found in some people who developed fibromyalgia (widespread pain) after COVID-19 infection. The researchers noticed that young women with loose, flexible joints who had COVID-19 and a specific tendon injury were more likely to develop fibromyalgia along with signs of inflammation. The study presents three patient cases that fit this pattern, suggesting COVID-19 may trigger fibromyalgia in people whose connective tissues are already prone to damage.

Immune SystemLong COVID Overlap

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Renal abscess with Capnocytophaga canimorsus infection from a dog bite.

Trainor-Moss, Santiago, Acquah, Rebecca Ruth, Peirse, Mary et al.·BMJ case reports·2022

This report describes one patient who developed a serious kidney infection caused by bacteria from a dog bite. After treatment with antibiotics, the patient recovered from the acute infection but then developed lasting fatigue symptoms similar to ME/CFS that persisted after the infection cleared.

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

Skeletal muscle alterations in patients with acute Covid-19 and post-acute sequelae of Covid-19.

Soares, Madu N, Eggelbusch, Moritz, Naddaf, Elie et al.·Journal of cachexia, sarcopenia and muscle·2022

Many people with COVID-19 and long COVID experience muscle weakness and tiredness, especially after physical activity. This review examines what happens inside muscle cells in these patients, including muscle fiber shrinkage, changes in how muscles use energy, and immune cell buildup. The authors suggest that severe illness, lack of activity, low oxygen levels, and poor nutrition all contribute to these problems, similar to what happens in other serious conditions.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Dyspnea in Post-COVID Syndrome following Mild Acute COVID-19 Infections: Potential Causes and Consequences for a Therapeutic Approach.

Wirth, Klaus J, Scheibenbogen, Carmen·Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania)·2022

Many people with post-COVID syndrome experience shortness of breath and chest pain, even though their lungs and heart are typically healthy. This study proposes that the problem may stem from overbreathing (hyperventilation) during exercise, combined with problems in how the body regulates breathing and uses energy in muscles. The authors suggest that overbreathing creates a harmful cascade inside cells—disrupting sodium and calcium balance—which worsens fatigue and breathing difficulties. Preventing overbreathing might be a way to help these patients recover.

Energy MetabolismPost-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredMechanistic

Study on the active components and mechanism of Suanzaoren decoction in improving cognitive impairment caused by sleep deprivation.

Cheng, Li, Wang, Fei, Li, Zi-Heng et al.·Journal of ethnopharmacology·2022

This study examined how an ancient Chinese herbal remedy called Suanzaoren Decoction (SZRD) might help improve thinking and memory problems caused by poor sleep. Researchers used computer analysis and laboratory experiments to identify the active ingredients in the herbs and understand how they work in the body, finding that the remedy may work through pathways related to estrogen in the brain.

SleepCognitive Impairment

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Dissecting the Molecular Mechanisms Surrounding Post-COVID-19 Syndrome and Neurological Features.

Mohamed, Mohamed S, Johansson, Anton, Jonsson, Jörgen et al.·International journal of molecular sciences·2022

This study reviews how the virus that causes COVID-19 may damage the nervous system and brain, leading to long-term symptoms similar to those seen in other coronavirus outbreaks. The authors identify specific brain mechanisms—involving inflammation, nerve cell communication problems, and hormone regulation—that could explain why some people develop persistent neurological symptoms after COVID-19. These findings suggest potential targets for future treatments.

Neuroinflammation

E3 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM not requiredMethods-Paper

Estimating total morbidity burden of COVID-19: relative importance of death and disability.

Smith, Maia P·Journal of clinical epidemiology·2022

This study looked at the total health impact of COVID-19 by measuring not just deaths, but also the years of healthy life lost due to long-COVID symptoms. The researchers found that most of the burden from COVID-19 actually comes from people who survive but live with ongoing disability—not from deaths alone. The study suggests that resources should focus on preventing and treating long-COVID, especially in younger people and women who appear to bear a larger share of this burden.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

[Human placenta hydrolysates: from V.P. Filatov to the present day: Review].

Gromova, O A, Torshin, I Y, Chuchalin, A G et al.·Terapevticheskii arkhiv·2022

This review examines human placenta hydrolysates (HPH)—processed extracts from human placental tissue—and their potential therapeutic effects on various conditions including chronic fatigue syndrome. The authors summarize over 5,000 published studies showing that HPH may work by stimulating the body's natural healing and regenerative abilities. The review discusses HPH's reported benefits for liver disease, skin conditions, viral infections, and fatigue-related disorders.

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

The importance of school in the management of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS): issues identified by adolescents and their families.

Clery, Philippa, Linney, Catherine, Parslow, Roxanne et al.·Health & social care in the community·2022

This study asked teenagers with ME/CFS, their families, and doctors about their experiences with school. The researchers found that school is very important for young people with ME/CFS—both for their education and friendships—but schools vary widely in how well they support students with this condition. When teachers knew about ME/CFS or had experience with it, they were much more helpful. The study suggests that better communication between schools, doctors, and families, plus more teacher training about ME/CFS, could make school life much better for these young people.

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredMechanistic

Mental fatigue does not substantially alter neuromuscular function in young, healthy males and females.

Kowalski, Katie L, Tierney, Bernadette C, Christie, Anita D·Physiology & behavior·2022

This study tested whether mental fatigue—the tiredness you feel after focusing hard on a task—changes how your muscles work. Thirty healthy young adults completed a difficult attention task or watched a documentary, and researchers measured their muscle function before and after. The study found that both men and women showed some small changes in muscle performance, but these same changes also happened in the control group, suggesting mental fatigue alone probably doesn't significantly affect how muscles function in healthy people.

E3 PreliminaryCommentaryPEM requiredEditorial

[Post-COVID syndrome with fatigue and exercise intolerance: myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome].

Renz-Polster, Herbert, Scheibenbogen, Carmen·Innere Medizin (Heidelberg, Germany)·2022

This article explains that ME/CFS is a serious neurological and immune system disease, often triggered by infections like COVID-19, characterized by extreme fatigue lasting at least 6 months and a unique symptom called post-exertional malaise (PEM)—where even mild activity causes symptoms to worsen hours or days later. The authors stress that ME/CFS is a distinct medical condition that should not be confused with ordinary tiredness, and while there is no cure yet, treatment focuses on managing symptoms, addressing related circulation problems, and helping patients conserve energy through pacing.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM requiredReview-Narrative

Review of the Midbrain Ascending Arousal Network Nuclei and Implications for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS), Gulf War Illness (GWI) and Postexertional Malaise (PEM).

Baraniuk, James N·Brain sciences·2022

This review examines a brain region called the midbrain and how it might contribute to post-exertional malaise (PEM)—the worsening of symptoms after activity that happens in ME/CFS. When ME/CFS patients did exercise in a study, their midbrain showed increased activity during mental tasks, while Gulf War Illness patients showed the opposite pattern. The authors suggest that problems in this brain region could explain why ME/CFS patients have trouble with energy, sleep, mood, pain, and temperature control, especially after exertion.

Cognitive ImpairmentPost-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM requiredCross-Sectional

Diagnosis of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome With Partial Least Squares Discriminant Analysis: Relevance of Blood Extracellular Vesicles.

González-Cebrián, Alba, Almenar-Pérez, Eloy, Xu, Jiabao et al.·Frontiers in medicine·2022

Researchers tested whether tiny particles called extracellular vesicles in blood could help diagnose ME/CFS. They analyzed various substances in blood from patients and healthy controls using a computer analysis method. The study found that certain features of these blood particles, combined with other markers, could potentially identify ME/CFS, though more testing is needed to confirm this works reliably in larger groups.

Biomarkers

E3 PreliminaryBehavioralPEM not requiredObservational

Mechanism of the Huangguoshu waterfall forest environment's promotive effect on human health in Guizhou, China.

Zhu, Zixin, Zhao, Xueke, Ouyang, Qiuyue et al.·Annals of translational medicine·2022

This study looked at whether spending time in a waterfall forest environment in China could help people with ME/CFS feel better. Researchers tracked what participants looked at, measured their fatigue and mood, and checked blood markers for inflammation and antioxidants. They found that people who spent time near the waterfall had less fatigue and depression, lower inflammation, and higher antioxidant levels.

E3 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM unclearMethods-Paper

A common language for Gulf War Illness (GWI) research studies: GWI common data elements.

Cohen, Devra E, Sullivan, Kimberly A, McNeil, Rebecca B et al.·Life sciences·2022

This study created a standardized checklist of symptoms and tests that researchers should use when studying Gulf War Illness (GWI). Experts, veterans, and doctors worked together to decide which questions and measurements are most important to collect consistently across different research studies. This approach was based on a similar checklist already created for ME/CFS, allowing both conditions to use comparable research methods. Having this common language helps different research teams share and compare their findings more easily.

Diagnostics

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

The Role of Neuro-Immune Interaction in Chronic Pain Conditions; Functional Somatic Syndrome, Neurogenic Inflammation, and Peripheral Neuropathy.

Meade, Elaine, Garvey, Mary·International journal of molecular sciences·2022

This review article examines how the nervous and immune systems interact to cause chronic pain and fatigue in conditions like ME/CFS, fibromyalgia, and IBS. The authors explain that childhood trauma and ongoing stress can permanently change how the body's stress response system works, leading to long-term symptoms. They discuss how these systems become dysregulated and contribute to the wide range of symptoms people with these conditions experience.

NeuroinflammationImmune System

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM unclearMechanistic

Transient receptor potential melastatin 3 dysfunction in post COVID-19 condition and myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome patients.

Sasso, Etianne Martini, Muraki, Katsuhiko, Eaton-Fitch, Natalie et al.·Molecular medicine (Cambridge, Mass.)·2022

This study examined a specific ion channel called TRPM3 in immune cells from patients with ME/CFS and long COVID, comparing them to healthy people. Researchers found that both ME/CFS and long COVID patients had similar problems with how this ion channel functions. The findings suggest that broken ion channels might be part of why these conditions cause long-lasting fatigue and other symptoms.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryCommentaryPEM unclear

Erratum: The Gut Microbiome in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME)/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS).

Frontiers Production Office·Frontiers in immunology·2022

This is a correction notice to a previously published research article about gut bacteria and ME/CFS. The original article examined how the composition of bacteria in the digestive system might be different in people with ME/CFS and what role this might play in the condition. This erratum document updates or corrects information from that earlier publication.

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An Exercise Prescription as a Novel Management Strategy for Treatment of Long COVID.

The autonomic aspects of the post-COVID19 syndrome.

New Clinical Phenotype of the Post-Covid Syndrome: Fibromyalgia and Joint Hypermobility Condition.

Renal abscess with Capnocytophaga canimorsus infection from a dog bite.

Skeletal muscle alterations in patients with acute Covid-19 and post-acute sequelae of Covid-19.

Dyspnea in Post-COVID Syndrome following Mild Acute COVID-19 Infections: Potential Causes and Consequences for a Therapeutic Approach.

Study on the active components and mechanism of Suanzaoren decoction in improving cognitive impairment caused by sleep deprivation.

Dissecting the Molecular Mechanisms Surrounding Post-COVID-19 Syndrome and Neurological Features.

Estimating total morbidity burden of COVID-19: relative importance of death and disability.

[Human placenta hydrolysates: from V.P. Filatov to the present day: Review].

The importance of school in the management of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS): issues identified by adolescents and their families.

Mental fatigue does not substantially alter neuromuscular function in young, healthy males and females.

[Post-COVID syndrome with fatigue and exercise intolerance: myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome].

Review of the Midbrain Ascending Arousal Network Nuclei and Implications for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS), Gulf War Illness (GWI) and Postexertional Malaise (PEM).

Diagnosis of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome With Partial Least Squares Discriminant Analysis: Relevance of Blood Extracellular Vesicles.

Mechanism of the Huangguoshu waterfall forest environment's promotive effect on human health in Guizhou, China.

A common language for Gulf War Illness (GWI) research studies: GWI common data elements.

The Role of Neuro-Immune Interaction in Chronic Pain Conditions; Functional Somatic Syndrome, Neurogenic Inflammation, and Peripheral Neuropathy.

Transient receptor potential melastatin 3 dysfunction in post COVID-19 condition and myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome patients.

Erratum: The Gut Microbiome in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME)/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS).

Curated Collections

Neuroinflammation Evidence

Metabolism & Mitochondria

Biomarkers

PEM-Specific Research