ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

4421–4440 of 6,188 studies

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM unclearCase-Control

Severe ME in Children.

Speight, Nigel·Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland)·2020

This study looks at severe ME/CFS in children who are so sick they can barely leave their homes or beds. The doctor who wrote it shares real patient stories to show how the illness presents and how to manage it properly. The study highlights an important problem: many doctors don't recognize or diagnose ME/CFS, and there's very little information available about the most severely affected patients.

Severe ME

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM unclearCase-Control

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Efficacy of Repeat Immunoadsorption.

Tölle, Markus, Freitag, Helma, Antelmann, Michaela et al.·Journal of clinical medicine·2020

This study tested a blood-cleaning treatment called immunoadsorption (IA) on five ME/CFS patients who had previously improved with this therapy. About two years later, they received the treatment again using a slightly modified approach. Four of the five patients showed improvement in their symptoms that lasted 6-12 months, and the treatment was well tolerated with no serious side effects.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM requiredMechanistic

Exercise alters cerebellar and cortical activity related to working memory in phenotypes of Gulf War Illness.

Washington, Stuart D, Rayhan, Rakib U, Garner, Richard et al.·Brain communications·2020

This study looked at how exercise affects brain activity in Gulf War veterans with illness that causes fatigue, pain, and cognitive problems after physical or mental effort. Researchers used brain imaging to measure how the brain worked during a memory task before and after exercise in three different subgroups of affected veterans. They found that exercise changed how specific brain regions functioned, but only in those with Gulf War Illness—not in healthy controls.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM requiredMethods-Paper

The Development of a Consistent Europe-Wide Approach to Investigating the Economic Impact of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME/CFS): A Report from the European Network on ME/CFS (EUROMENE).

Pheby, Derek F H, Araja, Diana, Berkis, Uldis et al.·Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland)·2020

This study created a unified European system for measuring how much ME/CFS costs society in terms of healthcare, lost work, and other expenses. The researchers found that ME/CFS places a heavy financial burden on Europe, mostly because patients lose work productivity. However, they discovered that calculating these true costs is very difficult because different countries use different diagnostic criteria and many doctors don't diagnose ME/CFS, leaving many patients uncounted.

Diagnostics

E3 PreliminaryPEM unclear

How Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) Progresses: The Natural History of ME/CFS.

Nacul, Luis, O'Boyle, Shennae, Palla, Luigi et al.·Frontiers in neurology·2020

This study proposes a framework for understanding how ME/CFS develops and changes over time, similar to other long-term illnesses. The authors suggest that ME/CFS progresses through stages—starting with genetic and environmental risk factors, moving through an early phase with high energy use and immune system problems, and potentially progressing to a later phase with low energy production and multiple system involvement. They emphasize that ME/CFS is not the same in every person or at every stage of illness, and that some people may improve if their body can restore better balance.

Energy MetabolismImmune System

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not required

The effect of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) severity on cellular bioenergetic function.

Tomas, Cara, Elson, Joanna L, Strassheim, Victoria et al.·PloS one·2020

This study looked at how well the energy-producing parts of cells (mitochondria) work in people with ME/CFS compared to healthy people. Researchers found that both people with moderate and severe ME/CFS had problems with how their cells produce energy, but severely affected patients had additional problems with how their cells break down glucose for energy. This suggests that severe ME/CFS involves more widespread energy problems than moderate ME/CFS.

Energy Metabolism

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM not requiredCase-Control

Hypophosphatasia in Adults: Clinical Spectrum and Its Association With Genetics and Metabolic Substrates.

Lefever, Eveline, Witters, Peter, Gielen, Evelien et al.·Journal of clinical densitometry : the official journal of the International Society for Clinical Densitometry·2020

Hypophosphatasia (HPP) is a rare genetic condition affecting bone and muscle health caused by low levels of an enzyme called alkaline phosphatase. This study looked at 19 adults with HPP and found that over one-third reported fatigue, and some had been wrongly diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome or fibromyalgia. The study warns doctors to consider HPP when patients have unexplained fatigue and low alkaline phosphatase levels, to avoid inappropriate treatments.

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM unclearCase-Control

Cardiopulmonary responses to exercise in an individual with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome during long-term treatment with intravenous saline: A case study.

Davenport, Todd E, Ward, Michael K, Stevens, Staci R et al.·Work (Reading, Mass.)·2020

This study followed one woman with ME/CFS who received regular intravenous saline (salt water) infusions over about 2 years. Researchers measured how her heart and lungs responded to exercise tests throughout the treatment. By the end, she recovered faster after exercise, could do more daily activities, and her heart responded better during physical exertion.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM requiredMechanistic

Exercise alters brain activation in Gulf War Illness and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Washington, Stuart D, Rayhan, Rakib U, Garner, Richard et al.·Brain communications·2020

This study used brain imaging to compare how the brains of people with ME/CFS and Gulf War Illness respond to exercise during a memory task. Researchers found that exercise affected brain activity differently in the two conditions—specifically in areas related to pain awareness, attention, and threat detection. These differences suggest that ME/CFS and Gulf War Illness may involve distinct biological mechanisms, which could help doctors distinguish between them.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM unclearCase-Control

Impact of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis on treatment of comorbidities: A lived experience.

Lopez-Majano, Denise·Work (Reading, Mass.)·2020

This study shares the real-life story of two siblings who both have ME and other health conditions. It explains how ME makes it very difficult to treat other illnesses they have, because ME symptoms can get worse with standard medical treatments. The study highlights why doctors need to understand how ME affects daily life so they can help treat other conditions without making ME worse.

E3 PreliminaryPEM unclear

Is the efficacy of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation influenced by baseline severity of fatigue symptom in patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis.

Yang, De Gang, Gu, Rui, Kubo, Jin et al.·The International journal of neuroscience·2020

Researchers tested whether a brain stimulation treatment called repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) could help ME/CFS patients with fatigue. They treated 22 patients with 6-8 sessions of rTMS and measured fatigue levels before and after treatment. The study found that rTMS improved fatigue symptoms in all patients, whether they started with severe or mild fatigue.

Interventions

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM unclearMechanistic

Human Herpesvirus-6 Reactivation, Mitochondrial Fragmentation, and the Coordination of Antiviral and Metabolic Phenotypes in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Schreiner, Philipp, Harrer, Thomas, Scheibenbogen, Carmen et al.·ImmunoHorizons·2020

This study explores how a virus called HHV-6 might trigger ME/CFS by examining what happens inside cells when the virus reactivates. The researchers found that when HHV-6 wakes up, it causes cells to switch into a protective mode that fights other viruses but seriously damages the cell's power plants (mitochondria) and energy-making abilities. Importantly, blood serum from ME/CFS patients showed similar patterns, suggesting HHV-6 reactivation may play a role in the disease.

Energy Metabolism

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM requiredCross-Sectional

A SWATH-MS analysis of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome peripheral blood mononuclear cell proteomes reveals mitochondrial dysfunction.

Sweetman, Eiren, Kleffmann, Torsten, Edgar, Christina et al.·Journal of translational medicine·2020

Researchers examined immune cells from ME/CFS patients and compared them to healthy controls, looking at which proteins were present and in what amounts. They found that ME/CFS patients had different patterns of proteins, particularly ones involved in how cells produce energy (through structures called mitochondria). These findings suggest that people with ME/CFS may have problems with energy production in their cells, which could explain why fatigue and post-exertional malaise are core symptoms of the disease.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Altered muscle membrane potential and redox status differentiates two subgroups of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Jammes, Yves, Adjriou, Nabil, Kipson, Nathalie et al.·Journal of translational medicine·2020

This study examined muscle function and stress markers in 72 ME/CFS patients during rest, exercise, and recovery. Researchers found that about half the patients showed significant changes in how their muscles respond to electrical signals, combined with higher levels of oxidative stress (cellular damage from chemical imbalance). The other half showed normal muscle responses and lower stress markers. This suggests ME/CFS may include at least two different biological subtypes.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome patients exhibit altered T cell metabolism and cytokine associations.

Mandarano, Alexandra H, Maya, Jessica, Giloteaux, Ludovic et al.·The Journal of clinical investigation·2020

This study looked at how immune cells (T cells) work differently in people with ME/CFS compared to healthy people. Researchers found that T cells from ME/CFS patients use energy less efficiently—they have trouble both producing energy at rest and responding when activated. These metabolic problems in immune cells may help explain why ME/CFS patients experience severe fatigue and other symptoms.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredMechanistic

Fungal Dysbiosis Correlates with the Development of Tumor-Induced Cachexia in Mice.

Jabes, Daniela L, de Maria, Yara N L F, Aciole Barbosa, David et al.·Journal of fungi (Basel, Switzerland)·2020

This study looked at how fungi (different from bacteria) in the gut change when cancer causes severe weight loss and muscle wasting called cachexia. Researchers compared mice with cancer-induced cachexia to healthy mice and found significant differences in their fungal populations. Interestingly, some of these fungal changes are similar to those seen in other conditions, including ME/CFS, suggesting a common gut-related mechanism across different diseases.

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus L.) as a medicinal plant and its natural products.

Sawicka, Barbara, Skiba, Dominika, Pszczółkowski, Piotr et al.·Cellular and molecular biology (Noisy-le-Grand, France)·2020

This review examined Jerusalem artichoke, a root vegetable, to understand its nutritional and health benefits. The researchers found that Jerusalem artichoke contains compounds that may help with blood sugar control, weight management, immune function, and several chronic conditions including chronic fatigue syndrome. However, this is a review of existing research rather than a new experiment testing these benefits in patients.

Energy MetabolismImmune System

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Mitochondria and immunity in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Anderson, G, Maes, M·Progress in neuro-psychopharmacology & biological psychiatry·2020

This review examines how problems with energy-producing structures in cells (mitochondria) and immune system dysfunction may contribute to ME/CFS. The authors propose that two key areas—the gut and immune cells—work together with the body's natural sleep-wake cycle to drive the condition. They also explore how factors like viral infections, gut bacteria, and hormones may play interconnected roles in ME/CFS symptoms.

Autonomic Nervous SystemImmune System

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Could Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Be an Effective Treatment for Long COVID and Post COVID-19 Fatigue Syndrome? Lessons from the Qure Study for Q-Fever Fatigue Syndrome.

Vink, Mark, Vink-Niese, Alexandra·Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland)·2020

This study looked at whether cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)—a talk therapy that focuses on changing thought patterns—is effective for long COVID and post-COVID fatigue. The researchers re-examined a previous study on a similar condition called Q-fever fatigue syndrome and found serious problems with how that study was done. They concluded that CBT likely doesn't actually help people with these post-infection fatigue conditions feel better or become more able to do daily activities.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

[Spinach and quinoa - prospective food sources of biologically active substances].

Sidorova, Yu S, Petrov, N A, Shipelin, V A et al.·Voprosy pitaniia·2020

This review examined whether common foods like spinach and quinoa contain natural compounds that might help with chronic fatigue and other health problems. Researchers found that both foods contain substances called phytoecdysteroids and other active compounds that have been shown in animal studies to reduce fatigue, improve memory, and support overall health. The authors suggest these foods could be useful additions to supplements and specialized diets.

Energy Metabolism

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Severe ME in Children.

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Efficacy of Repeat Immunoadsorption.

Exercise alters cerebellar and cortical activity related to working memory in phenotypes of Gulf War Illness.

The Development of a Consistent Europe-Wide Approach to Investigating the Economic Impact of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME/CFS): A Report from the European Network on ME/CFS (EUROMENE).

How Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) Progresses: The Natural History of ME/CFS.

The effect of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) severity on cellular bioenergetic function.

Hypophosphatasia in Adults: Clinical Spectrum and Its Association With Genetics and Metabolic Substrates.

Cardiopulmonary responses to exercise in an individual with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome during long-term treatment with intravenous saline: A case study.

Exercise alters brain activation in Gulf War Illness and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Impact of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis on treatment of comorbidities: A lived experience.

Is the efficacy of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation influenced by baseline severity of fatigue symptom in patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis.

Human Herpesvirus-6 Reactivation, Mitochondrial Fragmentation, and the Coordination of Antiviral and Metabolic Phenotypes in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

A SWATH-MS analysis of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome peripheral blood mononuclear cell proteomes reveals mitochondrial dysfunction.

Altered muscle membrane potential and redox status differentiates two subgroups of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome patients exhibit altered T cell metabolism and cytokine associations.

Fungal Dysbiosis Correlates with the Development of Tumor-Induced Cachexia in Mice.

Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus L.) as a medicinal plant and its natural products.

Mitochondria and immunity in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Could Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Be an Effective Treatment for Long COVID and Post COVID-19 Fatigue Syndrome? Lessons from the Qure Study for Q-Fever Fatigue Syndrome.

[Spinach and quinoa - prospective food sources of biologically active substances].

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