ME/CFS Evidence Browser — Classified Studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

981–1000 of 6,157 studies

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Evidence of White Matter Neuroinflammation in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Diffusion-Based Neuroinflammation Imaging Study.

Yu, Qiang, Kothe, Kiana, Kwiatek, Richard A et al.·Human brain mapping·2026

This study used advanced brain imaging to look for signs of inflammation in the white matter (the brain's communication cables) of ME/CFS patients compared to healthy people. Researchers found several differences in how water moves through brain tissue in ME/CFS patients, suggesting there may be swelling, immune cell activity, and changes to nerve fibers. These imaging markers could potentially help doctors identify and track ME/CFS in the future.

Neuroinflammation

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Microstructural white matter impairments in chronic fatigue syndrome: Evidence of segmental injury in the cingulum bundle.

Wu, Kang, Wu, Ziyao, Feng, Sitong et al.·Brain research bulletin·2026

This study looked at brain structure in people with ME/CFS by scanning the white matter (the brain's communication highways) and comparing them to healthy people. Researchers found that people with ME/CFS had damage in specific bundles of brain fibers called the cingulum, which is involved in emotion and memory. The damage was found in particular sections of this bundle, and fixing this damage appeared linked to feeling less fatigued.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Use and Perceived Helpfulness of Different Intervention Strategies in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Depression.

Dorczok, Marie Celine, Mossaheb, Nilufar, Mittmann, Gloria et al.·Journal of clinical medicine·2026

This study compared how people with ME/CFS and depression use different treatments and how helpful they find them. People with ME/CFS tried a much wider variety of interventions—especially pacing strategies and supplements aimed at energy—and found many of them helpful. In contrast, people with depression mainly used psychotherapy and antidepressants, which align with standard medical guidelines. The difference likely reflects that ME/CFS currently lacks established treatment guidelines, while depression has well-tested approaches.

Interventions

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Who receives a diagnostic label for fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, and irritable bowel syndrome? A study in the lifelines cohort.

Tattan, Mais, Hanssen, Denise J C, Rosmalen, Judith G M·Journal of psychosomatic research·2026

This study looked at over 150,000 people to understand why some people with ME/CFS, fibromyalgia, or irritable bowel syndrome receive a diagnosis while others with the same symptoms do not. The researchers found that only a small number of people who meet the criteria for these conditions actually get diagnosed—about 14% for ME/CFS. Several factors like sex, education level, other health conditions, and how often people visit doctors affected whether they received a diagnosis.

Diagnostics

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCase-Control

Multi-omics identifies lipid accumulation in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome cell lines: a case-control study.

Missailidis, Daniel, Armstrong, Christopher W, Anderson, Dovile et al.·Journal of translational medicine·2026

Researchers studied immune cells from people with ME/CFS and found that these cells accumulate abnormal amounts of fats (lipids) compared to healthy controls. The cells also show changes in how they process and use these fats for energy. This discovery suggests that problems with how the body handles fats might be part of what makes ME/CFS different at the cellular level.

Immune System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredLongitudinal

A longitudinal study on the correlation between symptom clusters and disease-specific health status in older adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease during pulmonary rehabilitation.

Yang, Jinghua, Xu, Na, Liang, Mengyao·Frontiers in public health·2026

This study followed 184 older adults with COPD (a lung disease) over 12 weeks of rehabilitation to understand how their symptoms changed and how those changes affected their quality of life. Researchers found that symptoms shifted over time—starting with breathing problems and tiredness, then developing muscle soreness and swelling with exercise, and eventually centering on fatigue and social withdrawal. The type of symptoms that most affected patients' wellbeing also changed throughout rehabilitation, suggesting that different support may be needed at different stages of recovery.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Disequilibrium, Rather than Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome, Is the Primary Determinant of Orthostatic Intolerance in Patients with Long COVID.

Miwa, Kunihisa·Journal of clinical medicine·2026

Many long COVID patients experience dizziness and difficulty standing (orthostatic intolerance), but researchers found this is not usually caused by the heart racing when standing up (POTS). Instead, balance problems detected by simple standing tests were the main cause in these patients. When treated with an antibiotic or brain stimulation therapy, most patients with balance-related standing problems improved.

Autonomic Nervous System

E2 ModerateBehavioralPEM not requiredObservational

Prevalence of Bodily Distress Syndrome and Prediction of Patient Outcomes: Cohort Study of 3762 Individuals With Persistent Pain.

Landmark, Live, Sunde, Hans Fredrik, Fors, Egil A et al.·European journal of pain (London, England)·2026

This study looked at how multiple physical symptoms often occur together in people with chronic pain, using a framework called Bodily Distress Syndrome (BDS). Among 3,762 people attending a specialized pain clinic, 92.5% showed moderate to severe BDS, and those with BDS experienced more severe symptoms and psychological stress. After one year, people with BDS improved less and reported less benefit from treatment compared to those without BDS.

Pain and Sensitization

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

The fatigue spectrum in a community-based long haul COVID cohort.

Carter, Isabelle V, May, Anna, Hsieh, Isabella C et al.·Sleep & breathing = Schlaf & Atmung·2026

This study looked at 277 people with long COVID who visited a specialized clinic, focusing on those experiencing fatigue. About 73% reported fatigue as a main symptom, but only about 22% of those met the strict ME/CFS diagnostic criteria. The researchers found that fatigue severity varied widely, and fatigue often came alongside other symptoms like brain fog, anxiety, and reduced physical functioning.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

A Description of Healthcare Utilization in Young Adults with Chronic Overlapping Pain.

Babiloni, Alberto Herrero, Brown, Courtney, Ash, Peyton et al.·The Clinical journal of pain·2026

This study looked at 50 young adults who have multiple overlapping pain conditions (including ME/CFS, fibromyalgia, and chronic back pain) to understand how much healthcare they use and whether it helps. On average, these patients saw 2-3 doctors currently and had seen 4 different doctors in the past, yet 78% said their conditions stayed the same or got worse. The findings suggest that simply seeing more doctors and taking more medications isn't enough—patients may need better-coordinated, team-based care.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Altered Pain Perception and Modulation in Individuals With Post-COVID-Condition: Insights From Quantitative Sensory Testing.

Lange, Hannah, Reichert, Julian, Vock, Stephanie et al.·European journal of pain (London, England)·2026

This study tested how people with long COVID perceive and respond to pain compared to healthy people. Researchers applied pressure to participants' legs and measured when they first felt pain and when pain became unbearable. People with long COVID felt pain at lower pressure levels and their pain got worse more quickly than healthy controls, suggesting their nervous systems process pain differently.

Pain and Sensitization

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Extracellular Vesicle Protein and MiRNA Signatures as Biomarkers for Post-Infectious ME/CFS Patients.

Seifert, Martina, Schäfers, Johannes, Douglas, Fiona F et al.·International journal of molecular sciences·2026

Researchers examined tiny packages of proteins and molecules (called extracellular vesicles) found in the blood of ME/CFS patients to see if they contain unique signatures that could help diagnose the disease. They found that certain proteins and a specific small molecule called hsa-let-7b-5p were different in ME/CFS patients compared to healthy people, and these differences were linked to worse fatigue, pain, and immune problems. This discovery suggests that blood tests measuring these substances could eventually help doctors diagnose ME/CFS and better understand who has the disease.

Biomarkers

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Heightened prevalence of chronic fatigue syndrome in U.S. sexual minorities.

Balshi, Alexandra, Dempsey, John P, Thompson, Hannah R et al.·Journal of psychiatric research·2026

This study looked at whether ME/CFS is more common in sexual minority adults (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and other non-heterosexual people) compared to heterosexual adults in the United States. Researchers found that about 2.4% of sexual minority adults reported ME/CFS, compared to 1.7% of heterosexual adults. Even after accounting for other health conditions and life factors, sexual minority adults had about 1.5 times higher odds of having ME/CFS.

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearLongitudinal

Two-timepoint multidomain follow-up of post-COVID condition and ME/CFS: overlapping autonomic, small-fiber, and cognitive changes.

Azcue, N, Barranco, C, Tijero-Merino, B et al.·Journal of translational medicine·2026

Researchers compared 21 people with post-COVID condition and 17 people with ME/CFS over about 2.5 years, measuring nerve function, autonomic symptoms, and cognitive performance. They observed that both groups showed similar patterns of changes over time—including worsening processing speed and cold sensation sensitivity, but improving heat sensation thresholds and verbal memory. While the two conditions appeared increasingly alike on follow-up testing, the study does not establish whether they are truly the same disease or simply share overlapping symptoms.

Pain and SensitizationAutonomic Nervous SystemDiagnosticsCognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Symptom profiles and health-related quality of life in Korean adults with post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC): A latent profile analysis.

Kim, Su-Jin, Kim, Jinhee·PloS one·2026

This study examined symptom patterns in 629 Korean adults with long COVID (persistent symptoms ≥12 weeks after COVID-19). Researchers identified four distinct groups: people with few symptoms, moderate multi-body symptoms, fatigue and post-exertional malaise-dominant symptoms, and severe multi-body symptoms. Quality of life decreased substantially as symptom burden increased. The findings are observational and reflect one population; whether they apply to ME/CFS remains unclear.

DiagnosticsCognitive ImpairmentPost-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Involvement of autoantibodies against G protein-coupled receptors in post-COVID condition and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Azcue, N, Prada, A, Del Pino, R et al.·Scientific reports·2026

Researchers compared immune markers called autoantibodies in people with post-COVID condition, ME/CFS, and healthy controls. They found that people with ME/CFS had higher levels of antibodies against certain nerve receptors (β2 adrenergic), and these antibodies were associated with autonomic nervous system problems and memory changes. However, this is a single cross-sectional study, and autoimmunity remains one of several proposed mechanisms—it is not yet clear whether these antibodies are a cause or a consequence of ME/CFS.

BiomarkersAutonomic Nervous SystemImmune SystemCognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Shared autonomic phenotype of long COVID and myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Novak, Peter, Systrom, David M, Witte, Alexandra et al.·PloS one·2026

Researchers compared people with Long COVID and ME/CFS to healthy volunteers and found they share very similar patterns of nervous system dysfunction, including problems with blood flow to the brain when standing up, widespread autonomic problems, and nerve damage in the skin. While the two conditions show these striking similarities, the study couldn't identify a single test that clearly separates them from each other, suggesting they may develop through related mechanisms.

Autonomic Nervous System

E2 ModerateCohortPEM not requiredCross-Sectional

Persistent fatigue in long-COVID is not associated with peripheral inflammatory or cellular stress biomarkers: A cross-sectional controlled study.

Omdal, Roald, Lenning, Ole Bernt, Jonsson, Grete et al.·Brain, behavior, & immunity - health·2026

A study of 48 people with long-COVID and 48 recovered controls found that fatigue was much more severe in the long-COVID group, but common blood markers of inflammation and cellular stress did not differ between the groups. This suggests that the fatigue in long-COVID may not be driven by the types of inflammation typically measured in blood tests, though the researchers note their findings are preliminary and limited to the biomarkers they tested.

NeuroinflammationBiomarkersImmune SystemLong COVID Overlap

E2 ModeratePEM unclearRegistry-Resource

Risk factors for severe post-COVID condition in children, adolescents, and young adults.

Donath, Quirin, Haegele, Matthias, Schindler, Daniela et al.·European journal of pediatrics·2026

This observational study from a German pediatric hospital followed 120 children and young adults with post-COVID condition (PCC), observing that those with more severe illness were more likely to have had 12 or more symptoms during their initial COVID-19 infection, alongside other acute symptoms such as trouble concentrating and fainting-like episodes. One quarter of participants met criteria for ME/CFS, and all of these were in the severely affected group; by analogy, if similar patterns apply to ME/CFS patients, early identification of high-symptom-burden acute illness might help predict who develops severe long-term illness. These findings are preliminary and come from a single hospital site.

Severe MEAutonomic Nervous SystemDiagnosticsCognitive Impairment

E2 ModerateCohortPEM unclearCross-Sectional

Overlapping Clinical Presentation of Long COVID and Postacute COVID-19 Vaccination Syndrome: Phenotypes, Severity, and Biomarkers.

Purpura, Lawrence, Heisler, Thomas, Palmer, Steven et al.·Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America·2026

This study compared three groups of people dealing with long-term effects from COVID-19: those with long COVID and ME/CFS, those with long COVID without ME/CFS, and those with symptoms after COVID-19 vaccination. While all three groups shared common symptoms like fatigue, the ME/CFS group experienced more widespread symptoms across their body. Interestingly, people in the vaccination-related group had higher rates of unusual symptoms like nerve pain and rashes, and their blood tests showed different patterns of autoimmune markers—substances that suggest the immune system may be attacking the body's own tissues.

Immune System

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Evidence Atlas

Evidence browser

Evidence of White Matter Neuroinflammation in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Diffusion-Based Neuroinflammation Imaging Study.

Microstructural white matter impairments in chronic fatigue syndrome: Evidence of segmental injury in the cingulum bundle.

Use and Perceived Helpfulness of Different Intervention Strategies in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Depression.

Who receives a diagnostic label for fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, and irritable bowel syndrome? A study in the lifelines cohort.

Multi-omics identifies lipid accumulation in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome cell lines: a case-control study.

A longitudinal study on the correlation between symptom clusters and disease-specific health status in older adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease during pulmonary rehabilitation.

Disequilibrium, Rather than Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome, Is the Primary Determinant of Orthostatic Intolerance in Patients with Long COVID.

Prevalence of Bodily Distress Syndrome and Prediction of Patient Outcomes: Cohort Study of 3762 Individuals With Persistent Pain.

The fatigue spectrum in a community-based long haul COVID cohort.

A Description of Healthcare Utilization in Young Adults with Chronic Overlapping Pain.

Altered Pain Perception and Modulation in Individuals With Post-COVID-Condition: Insights From Quantitative Sensory Testing.

Extracellular Vesicle Protein and MiRNA Signatures as Biomarkers for Post-Infectious ME/CFS Patients.

Heightened prevalence of chronic fatigue syndrome in U.S. sexual minorities.

Two-timepoint multidomain follow-up of post-COVID condition and ME/CFS: overlapping autonomic, small-fiber, and cognitive changes.

Symptom profiles and health-related quality of life in Korean adults with post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC): A latent profile analysis.

Involvement of autoantibodies against G protein-coupled receptors in post-COVID condition and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Shared autonomic phenotype of long COVID and myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Persistent fatigue in long-COVID is not associated with peripheral inflammatory or cellular stress biomarkers: A cross-sectional controlled study.

Risk factors for severe post-COVID condition in children, adolescents, and young adults.

Overlapping Clinical Presentation of Long COVID and Postacute COVID-19 Vaccination Syndrome: Phenotypes, Severity, and Biomarkers.

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