ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

4441–4460 of 6,188 studies

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 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 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 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 requiredMechanistic

An Isolated Complex V Inefficiency and Dysregulated Mitochondrial Function in Immortalized Lymphocytes from ME/CFS Patients.

Missailidis, Daniel, Annesley, Sarah J, Allan, Claire Y et al.·International journal of molecular sciences·2020

Researchers studied the energy-producing structures (mitochondria) in blood cells from ME/CFS patients and found a specific problem: the cells have difficulty using a protein complex called Complex V that normally makes ATP, the body's energy currency. To compensate, the cells turn up their other energy-making machinery, which keeps ATP levels normal while resting but may leave the cells exhausted when they need to produce extra energy quickly—similar to running a car engine at maximum capacity just to maintain normal speed.

Post-Exertional Malaise

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

Informatics Inference of Exercise-Induced Modulation of Brain Pathways Based on Cerebrospinal Fluid Micro-RNAs in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Narayan, Vaishnavi, Shivapurkar, Narayan, Baraniuk, James N·Network and systems medicine·2020

This study looked at tiny molecules called microRNAs in spinal fluid to understand why ME/CFS patients feel worse after exercise (post-exertional malaise). Researchers compared spinal fluid from patients who rested overnight with fluid from patients who had exercised, finding that certain microRNAs were lower after exercise. The study suggests this change might affect how cells stick together and communicate in the brain and nervous system.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM requiredReview-Narrative

Environmental accommodations for university students affected by Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS).

Chu, Lily, Fuentes, Lynn R, Marshall, Olena M et al.·Work (Reading, Mass.)·2020

Many college students with ME/CFS struggle because universities don't understand how unpredictably the illness changes day-to-day. This article explains how occupational therapists (OTs) can help by learning about ME/CFS and working with universities to create reasonable accommodations—like flexible attendance policies or rest spaces—that let students participate in college life despite their illness.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredMechanistic

Antioxidant and immunomodulatory properties of Spilanthes oleracea with potential effect in chronic fatigue syndrome infirmity.

Nipate, Sonali S, Tiwari, Anand H·Journal of Ayurveda and integrative medicine·2020

This study tested whether an extract from Spilanthes oleracea (a plant used in traditional medicine) could help relieve fatigue symptoms in mice subjected to chronic stress. The researchers found that the plant extract reduced markers of cellular damage and improved physical performance in stressed mice, suggesting it may work by reducing harmful molecules called oxidative stress in the body.

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 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 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 PreliminaryCohortPEM unclear

Auricular acupuncture for insomnia of chronic fatigue syndrome: a case report.

Zhang, Feng, Shen, Yifeng, Li, Jie et al.·Acupuncture in medicine : journal of the British Medical Acupuncture Society·2020

This study looked at whether auricular acupuncture (tiny needles placed in specific points on the ear) could help improve sleep in one patient with ME/CFS. The patient received acupuncture treatment and reported improvements in their insomnia symptoms. However, this is just one person's experience, so we cannot yet say whether this treatment would work for other ME/CFS patients.

Sleep

E3 PreliminaryGuidelinePEM not requiredGuideline

International expert consensus on the management of allergic rhinitis (AR) aggravated by air pollutants: Impact of air pollution on patients with AR: Current knowledge and future strategies.

Naclerio, Robert, Ansotegui, Ignacio J, Bousquet, Jean et al.·The World Allergy Organization journal·2020

Allergic rhinitis (hay fever and similar nasal allergies) affects millions of people and becomes worse when air pollution is present. This expert consensus report reviews how air pollution—both indoors and outdoors—makes allergic rhinitis symptoms worse, and discusses the best ways to manage it. The main treatment involves following standard allergy guidelines and reducing exposure to pollutants, though more research is needed on which medicines work best for people dealing with both allergies and air pollution.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Neurasthenia: tracing the journey of a protean malady.

Bhola, Poornima, Chaturvedi, Santosh K·International review of psychiatry (Abingdon, England)·2020

This article traces the history of 'neurasthenia,' an old medical diagnosis meaning nervous exhaustion that was popular in the past but has largely disappeared from modern medicine. The authors explain how this diagnosis reflected the culture, biases, and social beliefs of its time, and how similar conditions today—like ME/CFS and fibromyalgia—are trying to describe the same patient experience of fatigue, pain, and weakness without clear medical causes.

Diagnostics

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

Mercury-induced autoimmunity: Drifting from micro to macro concerns on autoimmune disorders.

Bjørklund, Geir, Peana, Massimiliano, Dadar, Maryam et al.·Clinical immunology (Orlando, Fla.)·2020

Mercury is a toxic metal that can enter the body through dental fillings, certain vaccines and medicines, seafood, and environmental sources. This review examines how mercury exposure might trigger or worsen autoimmune conditions—where the immune system attacks the body's own tissues. In people who are genetically susceptible, even low levels of mercury exposure over time could cause inflammation and increase harmful antibodies in the blood.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM not requiredMechanistic

Eradication of persistent coxsackievirus B infection from a pancreatic cell line with clinically used antiviral drugs.

Honkimaa, Anni, Sioofy-Khojine, Amir-Babak, Oikarinen, Sami et al.·Journal of clinical virology : the official publication of the Pan American Society for Clinical Virology·2020

This study tested whether common antiviral medications could eliminate persistent coxsackievirus B infections in laboratory pancreatic cells. Researchers found that four drugs—Enviroxime, Fluoxetine, Hizentra (an immune protein), and Pleconaril—successfully cleared the virus from infected cells. The results suggest these medications might be worth testing in patients with chronic enterovirus infections.

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM unclearObservational

Inclusion of family members without ME/CFS in research studies promotes discovery of biomarkers specific for ME/CFS.

Tokunaga, Keli, Sung, Alexander P, Tang, Jennifer J-J et al.·Work (Reading, Mass.)·2020

Researchers studied immune cells called monocytes in ME/CFS patients and compared them to both healthy unrelated people and to family members without ME/CFS. They found that monocytes were slightly elevated in ME/CFS patients compared to unrelated healthy people, but when they compared patients to their own family members without the illness, the difference disappeared. This suggests that including unaffected family members as comparison groups helps researchers avoid mistakenly identifying false biomarkers.

Immune System

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

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.

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

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

An Isolated Complex V Inefficiency and Dysregulated Mitochondrial Function in Immortalized Lymphocytes from ME/CFS Patients.

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

Informatics Inference of Exercise-Induced Modulation of Brain Pathways Based on Cerebrospinal Fluid Micro-RNAs in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Environmental accommodations for university students affected by Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS).

Antioxidant and immunomodulatory properties of Spilanthes oleracea with potential effect in chronic fatigue syndrome infirmity.

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.

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

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).

Auricular acupuncture for insomnia of chronic fatigue syndrome: a case report.

International expert consensus on the management of allergic rhinitis (AR) aggravated by air pollutants: Impact of air pollution on patients with AR: Current knowledge and future strategies.

Neurasthenia: tracing the journey of a protean malady.

Mercury-induced autoimmunity: Drifting from micro to macro concerns on autoimmune disorders.

Eradication of persistent coxsackievirus B infection from a pancreatic cell line with clinically used antiviral drugs.

Inclusion of family members without ME/CFS in research studies promotes discovery of biomarkers specific for ME/CFS.

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