ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

561–580 of 742 studies

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Circadian rhythm disruption in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Implications for the post-acute sequelae of COVID-19.

McCarthy, Michael J·Brain, behavior, & immunity - health·2022

This review examines whether disrupted body clocks (circadian rhythms) contribute to ME/CFS symptoms like fatigue, sleep problems, and cognitive difficulties. The authors focus on a specific immune molecule called TGFB that may interfere with the body's natural daily rhythms. They suggest that COVID-19 infections may cause similar circadian disruptions, potentially explaining why some people develop long COVID symptoms that resemble ME/CFS.

Immune SystemPost-Exertional Malaise

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 PreliminaryGuidelinePEM requiredGuideline

[Recommendation for standardized medical care for children and adolescents with long COVID].

Töpfner, Nicole, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Pädiatrische Infektiologie e. V. (DGPI), Alberer, Martin et al.·Monatsschrift Kinderheilkunde : Organ der Deutschen Gesellschaft fur Kinderheilkunde·2022

This guideline provides doctors with expert recommendations for recognizing and treating long COVID in children and teenagers. It includes screening questions and step-by-step evaluation tools to help identify long COVID cases, as well as guidance on how different medical specialists should work together to care for affected young people. The recommendations are based on the best available evidence, though more research is still needed.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM requiredMechanistic

Differential Effects of Exercise on fMRI of the Midbrain Ascending Arousal Network Nuclei in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) and Gulf War Illness (GWI) in a Model of Postexertional Malaise (PEM).

Baraniuk, James N, Amar, Alison, Pepermitwala, Haris et al.·Brain sciences·2022

This study used brain imaging to examine how exercise affects people with ME/CFS and Gulf War Illness. Researchers found that after exercise, the brains of ME/CFS patients showed increased activity in areas that control alertness, mood, pain, and sleep, while Gulf War Illness patients showed the opposite pattern (decreased activity). These findings suggest that ME/CFS and Gulf War Illness affect the brain differently, which may explain why exercise can make symptoms worse in ME/CFS patients.

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 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 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 unclearCase-Control

Stellate Ganglion Block for Long COVID Symptom Management: A Case Report.

Khan, Mashfee H, Kirkpatrick, Kennedy P, Deng, Yi et al.·Cureus·2022

This study describes one patient with long COVID who received a stellate ganglion block (SGB)—an injection that calms an overactive nervous system. The treatment helped reduce their fatigue, post-exertional malaise (worsening after activity), shortness of breath, and stomach problems. Because the nervous system controls many body functions, blocking specific nerve signals may help relieve symptoms driven by this dysregulation.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM requiredReview-Narrative

The Pathobiology of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: The Case for Neuroglial Failure.

Renz-Polster, Herbert, Tremblay, Marie-Eve, Bienzle, Dorothee et al.·Frontiers in cellular neuroscience·2022

This study suggests that ME/CFS might be caused by problems with certain support cells in the brain called glia, which help protect and maintain nerve cells. The researchers reviewed existing research on two key ME/CFS symptoms—feeling worse after activity and reduced blood flow to the brain—and found evidence that brain cell dysfunction could explain many of the different problems seen in ME/CFS.

NeuroinflammationPost-Exertional Malaise

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 PreliminaryCommentaryPEM requiredEditorial

[Facts and myths about chronic fatigue syndrome].

Fink, Per, Skjernov, Mathias, Petersen, Line Kirkeby et al.·Ugeskrift for laeger·2022

This article discusses updates to ME/CFS treatment guidelines and challenges some common beliefs about the condition. The authors argue that new guidelines recommend against intense exercise programs for severely ill patients and suggest energy management instead, but they question whether the evidence supporting these changes was properly evaluated. They raise concerns about how the new guidelines were developed and what type of evidence was considered.

Severe MEPost-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

Molecular Mechanisms of Neuroinflammation in ME/CFS and Long COVID to Sustain Disease and Promote Relapses.

Tate, Warren, Walker, Max, Sweetman, Eiren et al.·Frontiers in neurology·2022

This study explores why ME/CFS and Long COVID symptoms persist and come and go in cycles. The researchers propose that after an initial trigger—like a viral infection, chemical exposure, or major stress—inflammation spreads to the brain through damaged blood vessels, causing ongoing brain inflammation that keeps the illness cycling. They suggest that similar mechanisms may explain why both ME/CFS (from various causes) and Long COVID (from COVID-19) produce remarkably similar symptoms despite different starting triggers.

NeuroinflammationImmune SystemPost-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM requiredReview-Narrative

A Natural History of Disease Framework for Improving the Prevention, Management, and Research on Post-viral Fatigue Syndrome and Other Forms of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

O'Boyle, Shennae, Nacul, Luis, Nacul, Flavio E et al.·Frontiers in medicine·2021

This study proposes a new way to understand ME/CFS by looking at how the disease develops over time in stages, rather than trying to categorize patients by their different symptoms. The authors suggest that each stage of the disease may need different types of care—early stages might focus on rest and preventing worsening, while later stages need more comprehensive treatment tailored to individual patients. They emphasize that clearer definitions and standards are needed in ME/CFS research to make treatments and policies more reliable.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM requiredObservational

Reduced Endothelial Function in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome-Results From Open-Label Cyclophosphamide Intervention Study.

Sørland, Kari, Sandvik, Miriam Kristine, Rekeland, Ingrid Gurvin et al.·Frontiers in medicine·2021

This study found that blood vessels in people with ME/CFS don't work as well as they do in healthy people. The researchers measured how blood vessels widen and respond to changes in blood flow, and found these responses were reduced in ME/CFS patients. Interestingly, when patients received a strong immune-suppressing drug called cyclophosphamide, improvements in symptoms didn't match up with improvements in blood vessel function.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM requiredCase-Control

Three Cases of Severe ME/CFS in Adults.

Williams, Leah R, Isaacson-Barash, Carol·Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland)·2021

This study describes the experiences of three adults living with ME/CFS at different severity levels—moderate, severe, and very severe. The researchers wanted to show how differently this illness affects people and how overwhelming it can be, especially for those who are housebound or bedbound. The study highlights what doctors and healthcare providers can do to better support patients with this complex condition.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM requiredMechanistic

Modulatory effects of cognitive exertion on regional functional connectivity of the salience network in women with ME/CFS: A pilot study.

Manca, Riccardo, Khan, Katija, Mitolo, Micaela et al.·Journal of the neurological sciences·2021

This study looked at how the brain responds to mental effort in women with ME/CFS compared to healthy women. Researchers used brain imaging to examine specific networks involved in attention and awareness before and after a cognitive task. Women with ME/CFS experienced increased fatigue and pain after the mental exertion, while a particular brain region (the insula) showed stronger connections to areas controlling reward and decision-making—changes that matched worsening symptoms.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryCohortPEM unclearCase-Control

Adolescent and Young Adult ME/CFS After Confirmed or Probable COVID-19.

Petracek, Lindsay S, Suskauer, Stacy J, Vickers, Rebecca F et al.·Frontiers in medicine·2021

This study describes three teenagers and young adults who developed ME/CFS after having COVID-19. All three patients experienced symptoms like dizziness when standing up early in their illness, and by 6 months, all met the clinical criteria for ME/CFS. The researchers noticed several patterns across these patients, including allergies, elevated histamine levels, reduced flexibility, and unusual nerve reflexes—findings that may help identify and treat ME/CFS after COVID-19.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryGuidelinePEM requiredGuideline

Caring for the Patient with Severe or Very Severe Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Montoya, Jose G, Dowell, Theresa G, Mooney, Amy E et al.·Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland)·2021

This guide focuses on caring for people with severe ME/CFS who struggle to leave their homes or beds. The authors explain that these patients often can't visit doctors' offices and doctors frequently don't have good information about how to help them. The guide provides practical recommendations for diagnosis, assessment, and treatment options, including using telemedicine and working closely with patients and caregivers to provide better care.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryMechanismPEM requiredMechanistic

Moderate, intermittent voluntary exercise in a model of Gulf War Illness improves cognitive and mood function with alleviation of activated microglia and astrocytes, and enhanced neurogenesis in the hippocampus.

Kodali, Maheedhar, Mishra, Vikas, Hattiangady, Bharathi et al.·Brain, behavior, and immunity·2021

Researchers tested whether moderate exercise three times a week could help rats with a Gulf War Illness-like condition improve their memory, mood, and thinking skills. After 13 weeks, the exercising rats showed better memory and less anxiety, and their brains showed less inflammation and more growth of new brain cells. This suggests that gentle, part-time exercise might help people with similar conditions improve brain function.

NeuroinflammationPost-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryReviewPEM requiredReview-Narrative

COVID-19 and post-infectious myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome: a narrative review.

Poenaru, Sonia, Abdallah, Sara J, Corrales-Medina, Vicente et al.·Therapeutic advances in infectious disease·2021

Some people who recover from COVID-19 continue experiencing prolonged symptoms like fatigue, difficulty breathing, and brain fog for months afterward. These lingering symptoms are remarkably similar to ME/CFS, a chronic illness characterized by severe fatigue that worsens with activity. While COVID-19 could potentially trigger ME/CFS in some people, researchers currently don't have enough evidence to confirm this connection.

Severe MEPost-Exertional Malaise

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Circadian rhythm disruption in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Implications for the post-acute sequelae of COVID-19.

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

[Recommendation for standardized medical care for children and adolescents with long COVID].

Differential Effects of Exercise on fMRI of the Midbrain Ascending Arousal Network Nuclei in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) and Gulf War Illness (GWI) in a Model of Postexertional Malaise (PEM).

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).

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

The autonomic aspects of the post-COVID19 syndrome.

Stellate Ganglion Block for Long COVID Symptom Management: A Case Report.

The Pathobiology of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: The Case for Neuroglial Failure.

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

[Facts and myths about chronic fatigue syndrome].

Molecular Mechanisms of Neuroinflammation in ME/CFS and Long COVID to Sustain Disease and Promote Relapses.

A Natural History of Disease Framework for Improving the Prevention, Management, and Research on Post-viral Fatigue Syndrome and Other Forms of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Reduced Endothelial Function in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome-Results From Open-Label Cyclophosphamide Intervention Study.

Three Cases of Severe ME/CFS in Adults.

Modulatory effects of cognitive exertion on regional functional connectivity of the salience network in women with ME/CFS: A pilot study.

Adolescent and Young Adult ME/CFS After Confirmed or Probable COVID-19.

Caring for the Patient with Severe or Very Severe Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Moderate, intermittent voluntary exercise in a model of Gulf War Illness improves cognitive and mood function with alleviation of activated microglia and astrocytes, and enhanced neurogenesis in the hippocampus.

COVID-19 and post-infectious myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome: a narrative review.

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