Updates

What's New in the Atlas

The atlas is continuously updated as new research is reviewed and ingested. This page shows the most recent additions and changes.

Recently Added Studies

The latest studies added to the public atlas.

E2 ModeratePEM ✓Moderate confidenceCase-ControlMachine draft

Post-exertional symptoms distinguish Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome subjects from healthy controls.

Mateo, Lariel J, Chu, Lily, Stevens, Staci et al.·Work (Reading, Mass.)·2020

This study looked at how ME/CFS patients and healthy people felt after doing a hard exercise test. ME/CFS patients experienced many more symptoms afterward—an average of 14 different types—compared to healthy people who reported only 4. Importantly, ME/CFS patients continued having symptoms for up to a week after exercise, while healthy controls had none. The most common symptoms were fatigue, brain fog, and sleep problems.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModeratePEM ✗PreliminaryCross-SectionalMachine draft

Deep sequencing of BCR heavy chain repertoires in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Ryback, Audrey A, Cowan, Graeme J M·Frontiers in immunology·2025

This study examined immune system cells called B cells in people with ME/CFS to see if the disease might be caused by chronic infections or autoimmune problems. Researchers compared blood samples from 25 patients with mild/moderate ME/CFS, 36 with severe ME/CFS, healthy people, and people with multiple sclerosis. They found that ME/CFS patients' B cells did not show the typical patterns expected if chronic infection or autoimmunity were the main cause, though they did notice a difference in the balance of certain antibody types in milder cases.

Immune Dysregulation Severe ME

E0 ConsensusPEM ?PreliminaryReview-NarrativeMachine draft

A Role for the Intestinal Microbiota and Virome in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS)?

Navaneetharaja, Navena, Griffiths, Verity, Wileman, Tom et al.·Journal of clinical medicine·2016

This review examines whether infections—particularly viruses in the gut—might trigger ME/CFS. The authors suggest that an imbalance in the gut's microbial and viral communities could be a key factor in developing the disease. They propose that understanding these gut infections could help identify better treatments and ways to prevent ME/CFS.

Immune Dysregulation

E0 ConsensusPEM ✓Moderate confidenceReview-NarrativeMachine draft

The Emerging Role of Gut Microbiota in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS): Current Evidence and Potential Therapeutic Applications.

Varesi, Angelica, Deumer, Undine-Sophie, Ananth, Sanjana et al.·Journal of clinical medicine·2021

Many people with ME/CFS experience stomach and digestive problems alongside their fatigue and pain. This review explores how the bacteria living in our gut might be different in ME/CFS patients and could be contributing to symptoms. The researchers found that people with ME/CFS tend to have fewer types of gut bacteria compared to healthy people, and they discuss how treating the gut microbiome might help reduce ME/CFS symptoms overall.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E0 ConsensusPEM ✗Higher confidenceMeta-AnalysisMachine draft

Does the effect of cognitive behavior therapy for chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) vary by patient characteristics? A systematic review and individual patient data meta-analysis.

Kuut, T A, Buffart, L M, Braamse, A M J et al.·Psychological medicine·2024

This study combined data from 8 clinical trials involving 1,298 people with ME/CFS to see whether cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) works and who benefits most from it. Researchers found that CBT did help reduce fatigue, improve daily functioning, and increase physical activity—but the amount of benefit varied depending on patient characteristics like age, how much disability someone had, and their activity patterns. Younger patients, those with less severe disability at the start, and those with fluctuating activity patterns saw the most improvement.

Post-Exertional Malaise Severe ME

E0 ConsensusPEM ✓PreliminarySystematic-ReviewMachine draft

A scoping review of 'Pacing' for management of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS): lessons learned for the long COVID pandemic.

Sanal-Hayes, Nilihan E M, Mclaughlin, Marie, Hayes, Lawrence D et al.·Journal of translational medicine·2023

This review looked at 17 studies about 'pacing'—a strategy where people with ME/CFS carefully manage their activity level to avoid making symptoms worse. The researchers found that studies on pacing had very different designs and results: some showed pacing helped, some showed no benefit, and a few suggested it could be harmful. The evidence so far isn't strong enough to confidently say whether pacing works best for everyone.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E3 PreliminaryPEM ✓Moderate confidenceEditorialMachine draft

Medically Documenting Disability in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) Cases.

Comerford, Barbara B, Podell, Richard·Frontiers in pediatrics·2019

This guideline addresses how doctors can properly document ME/CFS symptoms to support disability claims, especially for children and teens. Many ME/CFS patients see doctors unfamiliar with the condition, which can lead to misdiagnosis and rejected disability applications. The guideline emphasizes that ME/CFS is a real physical illness affecting multiple body systems, not a psychological condition.

Post-Exertional Malaise

E2 ModeratePEM ✓PreliminaryCross-SectionalMachine draft

Immunological Patient Stratification in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Rohrhofer, Johanna, Hauser, Lisa, Lettenmaier, Lisa et al.·Journal of clinical medicine·2024

This study found that ME/CFS patients have different types of immune system problems. Researchers divided patients into two groups: those with weakened immune systems and those with normal immune systems. The two groups showed different patterns of illness—one group had low levels of a protective immune protein, while the other group had signs that their gut barrier was leaking. This suggests that ME/CFS may not be one disease but rather multiple conditions that need different treatment approaches.

Immune Dysregulation

E0 ConsensusPEM ✓PreliminaryReview-NarrativeMachine draft

Epigenetic reprograming in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome: A narrative of latent viruses.

Apostolou, Eirini, Rosén, Anders·Journal of internal medicine·2024

This review examines how viruses, particularly Epstein-Barr virus, may cause lasting changes to how our cells work in ME/CFS patients. The authors found that in about 70% of ME/CFS cases, the illness begins after a viral infection, and viruses can hide in the body while triggering long-term problems with energy, thinking, and immune function. Understanding these viral-triggered changes could help explain why different patients experience ME/CFS differently and may lead to better treatments.

Post-Exertional Malaise Immune Dysregulation

E2 ModeratePEM ✓Moderate confidenceCross-SectionalMachine draft

Prevalence of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) in Australian primary care patients: only part of the story?

Orji, Nneka, Campbell, Julie A, Wills, Karen et al.·BMC public health·2022

This study looked at how many people in Australia have ME/CFS by examining medical records from primary care clinics between 2015-2019. Researchers found that roughly 95-104 people per 100,000 have ME/CFS in Australia, but they also discovered that many patients avoid visiting their doctors because of stigma, disbelief in the condition, and lack of available treatments. The researchers concluded that the real number of people with ME/CFS is likely much higher than what their numbers show.