Reid, Steven F, Chalder, Trudie, Cleare, Anthony et al. · BMJ clinical evidence · 2008
This review looked at all available research on treatments for ME/CFS up to September 2007, examining 45 studies to see which treatments work and which are safe. The researchers studied many different treatments including therapy, exercise programs, supplements, and medications. They found that the quality and strength of evidence varies considerably depending on which treatment is being examined.
This comprehensive systematic review provides patients and clinicians with an overview of the evidence base for ME/CFS treatments, helping guide treatment decisions. The inclusion of safety data from regulatory agencies is particularly important given the risk of harm from inappropriate interventions in this condition.
This abstract does not specify which individual treatments showed benefit versus harm, so readers cannot determine from this summary alone which interventions are recommended or contraindicated. The review cannot establish causation for any treatment, only summarize what existing studies have shown. The 2007 cutoff means this review does not include more recent research.
About the PEM badge: “PEM required” means post-exertional malaise was an explicit required diagnostic criterion for participant inclusion in this study — not that PEM was studied, observed, or discussed. Studies using criteria that do not require PEM (e.g. Fukuda, Oxford) are tagged “PEM not required”. How the atlas works →
Spotted an error in this entry? Report it →