ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

61–80 of 6,156 studies

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredSystematic-Review

Effectiveness of Exercise-Based Rehabilitation in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

De Vera Martín, Antonio, Salazar, Alberto Díaz, Pérez, Isidro Miguel Martín et al.·International journal of exercise science·2025

This review examined whether exercise-based treatments help people with ME/CFS feel less tired and function better. Researchers looked at 7 high-quality studies involving 2,276 patients and found that exercise did reduce fatigue in the short to medium term (up to several months). However, improvements in daily functioning were modest and did not last long-term, and some measures actually favored control groups over exercise interventions.

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

The microbiota-gut-brain axis in mental and neurodegenerative disorders: opportunities for prevention and intervention.

Yassin, Lidya K, Skrabulyte-Barbulescu, Jurga, Alshamsi, Shamsa H et al.·Frontiers in aging neuroscience·2025

Your gut bacteria communicate with your brain through multiple pathways, and when this communication breaks down (called dysbiosis), it may contribute to several conditions including ME/CFS, depression, and neurological diseases. This review found that people with these conditions often have fewer types of bacteria, lower levels of beneficial short-chain fatty acids, and more inflammatory bacteria. Treatment approaches like dietary changes, probiotics, and fecal microbiota transplantation show promise in helping restore this gut-brain communication and reduce symptoms.

Neuroinflammation

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM unclearMeta-Analysis

Adrenergic dysfunction in patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Hendrix, Jolien, Fanning, Lara, Wyns, Arne et al.·European journal of clinical investigation·2025

Researchers analyzed 37 studies comparing how the bodies of ME/CFS and fibromyalgia patients handle stress hormones compared to healthy people. They found that ME/CFS patients have higher levels of adrenaline at rest and unusual responses to exercise and position changes—suggesting their nervous system doesn't regulate stress hormones normally. These findings point to a specific biological problem in ME/CFS that might be treatable.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM requiredEditorial

The pivotal role of central sensitization in long COVID, fibromyalgia and myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Goldenberg, Don L·Expert review of neurotherapeutics·2025

This study shows that long COVID, fibromyalgia, and ME/CFS may all share a common underlying problem called central sensitization—where the nervous system becomes overly sensitive to pain and other sensations. Rather than being caused by organ damage or infection, these conditions seem to involve how the brain and nervous system process signals. The research suggests that treating these conditions with a coordinated team approach tailored to each person may be more effective than treating them as completely separate diseases.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM unclearEvidence-Map

Recent research in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome: an evidence map.

Todhunter-Brown, Alex, Campbell, Pauline, Broderick, Cathryn et al.·Health technology assessment (Winchester, England)·2025

This study looked at all ME/CFS research published between 2018 and 2023 to see what scientists have been studying and how much research exists on different topics. Researchers found 639 studies involving over 600,000 people with ME/CFS. More than half of the research focused on trying to understand what causes ME/CFS, while fewer studies looked at treatments or how to diagnose the condition. The researchers created an interactive map so patients and doctors can explore what research has been done.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM unclearSystematic-Review

Evaluating pacing therapy (PT) versus graded exercise therapy (GET) for improving fatigue, pain, and quality of life in adults with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS): A systematic review.

Cooper, Charlotte, Papadopoulos, Konstantinos·Journal of bodywork and movement therapies·2025

This review compared two common treatment approaches for ME/CFS: pacing therapy (learning to manage activity carefully) and graded exercise therapy (gradually increasing exercise). Researchers looked at six studies involving 2,280 patients to see which approach helped most with fatigue, pain, and quality of life. The results suggest both therapies helped more than standard care alone, though they worked differently—pacing therapy showed more symptom improvement in most patients, while graded exercise therapy was better for reducing pain and improving physical function.

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM unclear

Mapping cerebral blood flow in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) and orthostatic intolerance: insights from a systematic review.

Christopoulos, Elena M, Tantanis, Darcy, Huang, Katherine et al.·Journal of translational medicine·2025

This review examined 118 research studies to understand how blood flow to the brain changes in ME/CFS patients, particularly those who also experience orthostatic intolerance (difficulty maintaining blood pressure when standing). Researchers found that blood flow to the brain is often reduced in both conditions, and when patients have both ME/CFS and orthostatic intolerance together, the reduction in brain blood flow appears to be even more pronounced. This finding suggests that measuring brain blood flow might help doctors track how severe the disease is.

Autonomic Nervous System

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM unclearSystematic-Review

Predictors of Treatment Success of Psychotherapy in Functional Disorders: A Systematic Review of the Literature.

Rometsch, Caroline, Martin, Alexandra, Cosci, Fiammetta·Clinical psychology & psychotherapy·2025

This review looked at 24 studies involving over 3,300 people to understand which factors help predict whether talk therapy will work well for conditions like ME/CFS, fibromyalgia, and IBS. Researchers found that how severe your symptoms are, whether you have depression or anxiety alongside your main condition, and the intensity of pain you experience can all affect how much therapy helps. This information could help doctors choose the right type of therapy for each person.

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM unclearSystematic-Review

Dietary Supplementation for Fatigue Symptoms in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS)-A Systematic Review.

Dorczok, Marie Celine, Mittmann, Gloria, Mossaheb, Nilufar et al.·Nutrients·2025

This review looked at 14 studies examining whether dietary supplements can help reduce fatigue in ME/CFS patients. Some supplements like L-carnitine, CoQ10 combined with selenium, and NADH showed promise in reducing fatigue symptoms. However, the studies had significant quality issues, making it difficult to draw firm conclusions about which supplements truly work.

Interventions

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM requiredSystematic-Review

The search for a blood-based biomarker for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/ Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS): from biochemistry to electrophysiology.

Clarke, Krista S P, Kingdon, Caroline C, Hughes, Michael Pycraft et al.·Journal of translational medicine·2025

This review looked at recent research on finding a simple blood test that could definitively diagnose ME/CFS, which currently takes years and relies on ruling out other diseases. Scientists have found several promising approaches—including measuring immune cell properties, checking how blood cells respond to stress, and detecting metabolic changes—that show they can tell ME/CFS patients apart from healthy people and others with different illnesses. However, these tests need more testing in larger groups and practical refinement before doctors can use them in everyday care.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM unclearMeta-Analysis

Endometriosis and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Compton, Sabrina, Alkabalan, Rodolf, Cadet, Judd et al.·Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland)·2025

This research found that women with endometriosis (a painful condition affecting the uterus) are nearly three times more likely to develop ME/CFS than women without endometriosis. Both conditions involve similar patterns of immune system problems and ongoing inflammation. The study combined results from multiple research papers to show this connection is real and consistent across different groups of patients.

Immune System

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM unclearSystematic-Review

Ignored, dismissed, and minimized: Understanding the harmful consequences of invalidation in health care-A systematic meta-synthesis of qualitative research.

Bontempo, Allyson C, Bontempo, John M, Duberstein, Paul R·Psychological bulletin·2025

This study looked at how doctors dismissing or minimizing patients' symptoms affects people with hard-to-diagnose illnesses like ME/CFS. Researchers reviewed over 150 studies involving more than 11,000 patients and found that when doctors don't believe or validate patients' experiences, it causes serious harm—including shame, anxiety about healthcare, avoidance of doctors, and delays in getting diagnosed. The study shows that invalidation by healthcare providers can actually make patients' health outcomes worse.

Diagnostics

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

COVID-19-associated neurological and psychological manifestations.

Wilson, Jo Ellen, Gurdasani, Deepti, Helbok, Raimund et al.·Nature reviews. Disease primers·2025

Long COVID is a condition that develops after COVID-19 infection and causes ongoing symptoms for at least 3 months. People with Long COVID commonly experience brain fog, memory problems, anxiety, depression, headaches, sleep issues, and severe exhaustion after physical activity. This review explains what we know about what causes these symptoms and why treatment needs to be personalized based on each person's unique symptoms.

Immune SystemPost-Exertional Malaise

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredSystematic-Review

Effects of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination programmes on community rates of HPV-related disease and harms from vaccination.

Henschke, Nicholas, Bergman, Hanna, Buckley, Brian S et al.·The Cochrane database of systematic reviews·2025

This large review looked at whether HPV vaccines (which prevent certain cancers) are safe and effective by studying millions of people across many countries. The researchers found that HPV vaccination significantly reduces cervical cancer and related precancerous conditions, especially when given to young teens, and that the vaccine is not associated with chronic fatigue syndrome, ME, or other serious conditions that some people worry about.

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM requiredReview-Narrative

Insights into the Complex Biological Network Underlying Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Dudova, Dobrina, Bozhkova, Martina, Petrov, Steliyan et al.·International journal of molecular sciences·2025

This review brings together research showing that ME/CFS involves multiple body systems going wrong at the same time—including problems with the immune system, energy production in cells, hormone balance, and gut health. These problems appear to feed into each other, creating a cycle that keeps the illness going. The findings suggest ME/CFS is not just one thing breaking down, but rather many interconnected systems all struggling together.

NeuroinflammationEnergy MetabolismImmune SystemPost-Exertional Malaise

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

Advancing research on regulatory autoantibodies targeting GPCRs: Insights from the 5th international symposium.

Cabral-Marques, Otavio, Schimke, Lena F, Moll, Guido et al.·Autoimmunity reviews·2025

Scientists at an international conference discussed autoantibodies—immune proteins that can attack the body's own cells—that target structures called GPCRs found on many cells. These autoantibodies were once thought to be harmless side effects but are now recognized as active players in diseases including ME/CFS and long COVID. The conference brought together experts to share new ways of detecting these autoantibodies and ideas for using them as diagnostic tools and treatment targets.

BiomarkersImmune System

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM unclearReview-Narrative

The potential therapeutic approaches targeting gut health in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS): a narrative review.

Hsu, Chou-Yi, Ahmad, Irfan, Maya, Rana Warid et al.·Journal of translational medicine·2025

This review looked at how gut health might be connected to ME/CFS and found that people with ME/CFS often have different bacteria in their gut compared to healthy people. The researchers reviewed studies about various gut-focused treatments like probiotics, dietary changes, and other interventions that might help reduce ME/CFS symptoms by improving the gut-brain connection.

Gut Microbiome

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredMeta-Analysis

The efficacy of acupuncture-based chinese medicine in chronic fatigue syndrome: A meta-analysis.

Feng, Chuwen, Qu, Yuanyuan, Wu, Jianli et al.·Medicine·2025

This review examined multiple studies testing whether acupuncture can help people with ME/CFS feel less tired and improve their quality of life. The researchers found that acupuncture appeared to reduce fatigue in the short term and long term, and seemed to help with depression and overall wellbeing. However, the studies reviewed had some weaknesses, so these results should be interpreted cautiously and larger, better-designed studies are needed to confirm whether acupuncture truly helps.

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM requiredReview-Narrative

Towards an understanding of physical activity-induced post-exertional malaise: Insights into microvascular alterations and immunometabolic interactions in post-COVID condition and myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Haunhorst, Simon, Dudziak, Diana, Scheibenbogen, Carmen et al.·Infection·2025

This review examines why people with ME/CFS and long COVID feel much worse after physical activity—a condition called post-exertional malaise. The researchers found that when these patients exercise, their bodies struggle to use oxygen properly and produce energy efficiently, likely due to problems with tiny blood vessels and lingering immune activation. This causes a buildup of harmful substances like lactate and triggers further inflammation and exhaustion.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E0 ConsensusReviewPEM not requiredReview-Narrative

From tradition to healing: the promise of acupuncture in managing chronic fatigue syndrome.

Wang, Delong, Yang, Tiansong, Cui, Yang et al.·Frontiers in medicine·2025

This article reviews what we know about ME/CFS and explores how acupuncture—a traditional Chinese medicine practice—might help treat it. The authors summarize research on what causes ME/CFS, how doctors diagnose it, and discuss both historical and modern approaches to using acupuncture and related techniques to manage symptoms.

Immune System

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Evidence Atlas

Evidence browser

Effectiveness of Exercise-Based Rehabilitation in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

The microbiota-gut-brain axis in mental and neurodegenerative disorders: opportunities for prevention and intervention.

Adrenergic dysfunction in patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

The pivotal role of central sensitization in long COVID, fibromyalgia and myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Recent research in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome: an evidence map.

Evaluating pacing therapy (PT) versus graded exercise therapy (GET) for improving fatigue, pain, and quality of life in adults with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS): A systematic review.

Mapping cerebral blood flow in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) and orthostatic intolerance: insights from a systematic review.

Predictors of Treatment Success of Psychotherapy in Functional Disorders: A Systematic Review of the Literature.

Dietary Supplementation for Fatigue Symptoms in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS)-A Systematic Review.

The search for a blood-based biomarker for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/ Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS): from biochemistry to electrophysiology.

Endometriosis and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Ignored, dismissed, and minimized: Understanding the harmful consequences of invalidation in health care-A systematic meta-synthesis of qualitative research.

COVID-19-associated neurological and psychological manifestations.

Effects of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination programmes on community rates of HPV-related disease and harms from vaccination.

Insights into the Complex Biological Network Underlying Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Advancing research on regulatory autoantibodies targeting GPCRs: Insights from the 5th international symposium.

The potential therapeutic approaches targeting gut health in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS): a narrative review.

The efficacy of acupuncture-based chinese medicine in chronic fatigue syndrome: A meta-analysis.

Towards an understanding of physical activity-induced post-exertional malaise: Insights into microvascular alterations and immunometabolic interactions in post-COVID condition and myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

From tradition to healing: the promise of acupuncture in managing chronic fatigue syndrome.

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Neuroinflammation Evidence

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