ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

4461–4480 of 6,209 studies

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

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 unclearReview-Narrative

Sugars and Sweeteners: Structure, Properties and In Silico Modeling.

Janežič, Dušanka, Jäntschi, Lorentz, Bolboacă, Sorana D·Current medicinal chemistry·2020

This study reviews how different types of sugars and sweeteners affect health, including their possible links to chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). The researchers explain that each sugar and sweetener is processed differently by the body based on its chemical structure, and they used computer models to help understand and predict how these substances might affect health.

Energy Metabolism

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM unclearObservational

Isolation of ultrasmall (filterable) bacteria from patients suffering from ME, and patients and staff of a paediatric hospital.

Ali Alharbi, Sulaiman·Saudi journal of biological sciences·2020

Researchers tested blood samples from 108 ME/CFS patients and found that about 20% contained unusually small bacteria that can pass through very fine filters. These tiny bacteria were also found in samples from children and hospital staff. The study suggests these ultrasmall bacteria may be present in ME/CFS patients, though it's unclear if they cause the illness.

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 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 PreliminaryMechanismPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Altered Structural Brain Networks Related to Adrenergic/Muscarinic Receptor Autoantibodies in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Fujii, Hiroyuki, Sato, Wakiro, Kimura, Yukio et al.·Journal of neuroimaging : official journal of the American Society of Neuroimaging·2020

This study looked at whether certain antibodies in the blood (proteins that attack the body's own receptors) are connected to changes in brain structure in ME/CFS patients. Researchers scanned the brains of 89 ME/CFS patients and measured levels of four specific autoantibodies, then looked for patterns. They found that two of these autoantibodies showed a relationship with how brain networks are organized in specific areas, suggesting these antibodies might be useful markers for identifying ME/CFS.

Immune System

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 PreliminaryReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

Mitochondria disease due to humidifier disinfectants: diagnostic criteria and its evidences.

Leem, Jong Han, Kim, Hwan-Cheol·Environmental analysis, health and toxicology·2020

In 2011, millions of people in South Korea were exposed to toxic chemicals in humidifier disinfectants, which caused widespread illness beyond just lung damage. Researchers found that these chemicals harm the mitochondria—the energy-producing parts of cells—leading to symptoms like chronic fatigue, muscle pain, exercise intolerance, and neurological problems similar to those seen in ME/CFS. This study reviews evidence that mitochondrial damage from chemical exposure may explain why victims developed multi-system health problems.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM unclearObservational

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Organic Disease or Psychosomatic Illness? A Re-Examination of the Royal Free Epidemic of 1955.

Underhill, Rosemary, Baillod, Rosemarie·Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania)·2020

This study examined a major ME/CFS outbreak that occurred at Royal Free Hospital in London in 1955, which forced the hospital to close for three months. Researchers interviewed 27 former staff members who experienced the outbreak and found their descriptions matched an infectious illness affecting the lymph nodes, muscles, and nervous system—not mass hysteria as some had claimed 15 years after the event. The study provides firsthand evidence that the 1955 epidemic was a real physical illness, not a psychological one.

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM requiredMechanistic

Profile of circulating microRNAs in myalgic encephalomyelitis and their relation to symptom severity, and disease pathophysiology.

Nepotchatykh, Evguenia, Elremaly, Wesam, Caraus, Iurie et al.·Scientific reports·2020

This study looked at tiny molecules called microRNAs in the blood of severely ill ME/CFS patients before and after a stress challenge designed to trigger post-exertional malaise (the worsening of symptoms after activity). The researchers found that eleven different microRNAs changed in response to this challenge, with patterns that varied depending on symptom severity. These microRNA signatures could potentially be used one day as blood tests to help diagnose ME/CFS.

BiomarkersPost-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 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Review of the Quality Control Checks Performed by Current Genome-Wide and Targeted-Genome Association Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Grabowska, Anna D, Lacerda, Eliana M, Nacul, Luís et al.·Frontiers in pediatrics·2020

This study reviews how genetic research teams check the quality of their data when looking for genes connected to ME/CFS. The researchers examined the methods different studies use to make sure their genetic findings are reliable and trustworthy. Understanding these quality control checks helps ensure that genetic discoveries about ME/CFS are real and not due to errors in the data.

E3 PreliminaryDiagnosticPEM unclearMethods-Paper

Impact of Long-Term Cryopreservation on Blood Immune Cell Markers in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Implications for Biomarker Discovery.

Gómez-Mora, Elisabet, Carrillo, Jorge, Urrea, Víctor et al.·Frontiers in immunology·2020

This study looked at how freezing blood samples affects the ability to detect immune cell changes in ME/CFS patients. Researchers compared fresh blood samples with frozen ones from ME/CFS patients and healthy people, testing various immune markers. They found that some immune markers stay reliable after freezing, but others—particularly certain natural killer cell markers—change significantly, which could make them unreliable for future research.

Immune System

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

["Tired, weak and exhausted" - which diagnostic steps make sense in the GP's practice?].

Schlüssel, Sabine, Gensichen, Jochen·MMW Fortschritte der Medizin·2020

This article reviews how general practitioners (GPs) can best diagnose ME/CFS by examining which tests and questions make the most sense in a regular doctor's office. The authors looked at practical diagnostic steps that doctors can use when patients report feeling tired, weak, and exhausted to help identify ME/CFS versus other conditions that cause similar symptoms.

Diagnostics

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 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

Documenting disability in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS).

Podell, Richard, Dimmock, Mary E, Comerford, Barbara B·Work (Reading, Mass.)·2020

This article helps doctors and lawyers understand how to properly document ME/CFS for disability benefits. The authors reviewed successful disability cases and identified the best ways to prove that ME/CFS prevents someone from working, including showing how post-exertional malaise (getting much worse after activity) impacts daily life. The goal is to help more ME/CFS patients access the disability benefits they need and deserve.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryCommentaryPEM unclearObservational

Research, recommendations and lived/personal experience with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS).

Mooney, Amy·Work (Reading, Mass.)·2020

This editorial piece brings together research findings, expert recommendations, and personal stories from people living with ME/CFS to provide a comprehensive look at the condition. The article emphasizes the importance of listening to patients' experiences alongside scientific evidence when developing treatment approaches and policies. By combining these three perspectives—research, recommendations, and lived experience—the piece highlights what we currently know and what still needs to be understood about ME/CFS.

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

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Evidence browser

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

Neurasthenia: tracing the journey of a protean malady.

Sugars and Sweeteners: Structure, Properties and In Silico Modeling.

Isolation of ultrasmall (filterable) bacteria from patients suffering from ME, and patients and staff of a paediatric hospital.

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).

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

Altered Structural Brain Networks Related to Adrenergic/Muscarinic Receptor Autoantibodies in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

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

Mitochondria disease due to humidifier disinfectants: diagnostic criteria and its evidences.

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Organic Disease or Psychosomatic Illness? A Re-Examination of the Royal Free Epidemic of 1955.

Profile of circulating microRNAs in myalgic encephalomyelitis and their relation to symptom severity, and disease pathophysiology.

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

Review of the Quality Control Checks Performed by Current Genome-Wide and Targeted-Genome Association Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Impact of Long-Term Cryopreservation on Blood Immune Cell Markers in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Implications for Biomarker Discovery.

["Tired, weak and exhausted" - which diagnostic steps make sense in the GP's practice?].

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

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

Documenting disability in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS).

Research, recommendations and lived/personal experience with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS).

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

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