I downloaded every abstract from Pubmed from the search term "chronic fatigue syndrome" (in quotes). I wrote a script to send every abstract, one by one, to the Claude API, to respond with whether it is original research on ME/CFS. Here's the prompt:
I sent 121 abstracts so far as a test. It's a bit expensive. There are about 8,400 abstracts. It'll cost about $40-50 to get responses for all of them. There's another Claude model that is 10 times cheaper, but the answers I was getting weren't making much sense. This model seems pretty good at making decisions. A lot of the cost is the length of the prompt above, so I might have to figure out a way to shorten it without it losing accuracy.
Anyway, here are the results of the first few. I attached a text file with all the abstract responses I've gotten so far.
You are tasked with analyzing a title and abstract from PubMed to determine if it reports original research testing something specifically in chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), or ME/CFS. Here is the information you will be analyzing:
<title>
{{TITLE}}
</title>
<abstract>
{{ABSTRACT}}
</abstract>
To analyze the title and abstract, consider the following criteria:
1. Does it describe a new study or experiment?
2. Does it mention testing or measuring something specific?
3. Does it specifically involve chronic fatigue syndrome, myalgic encephalomyelitis, or ME/CFS?
4. Are there comparisons between groups (e.g., patients vs. controls)?
5. Does it report new findings or results?
Based on these criteria, you should provide one of three decisions:
- YES: If the abstract clearly indicates original research testing something specifically in CFS/ME/ME-CFS.
- NO: If it describes a review, meta-analysis, other non-original research, or does not specifically focus on CFS/ME/ME-CFS.
- MAYBE: If there is ambiguity, insufficient information, or if the abstract is empty and the title does not provide enough clues.
Provide your response in the following format:
<analysis>
<decision>[YES/NO/MAYBE]</decision>
<explanation>
[Your explanation here, limited to two sentences at most]
</explanation>
</analysis>
Here are three examples of correct responses:
Example 1:
<analysis>
<decision>YES</decision>
<explanation>
The abstract indicates that the study tested levels of serotonin and other chemicals in ME/CFS patients and healthy controls. This is original research as it involves a specific measurement in ME/CFS and includes a comparison group.
</explanation>
</analysis>
Example 2:
<analysis>
<decision>NO</decision>
<explanation>
This abstract describes a systematic review and meta-analysis of existing studies on the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy for chronic fatigue syndrome. It does not report new, original research, but rather synthesizes and analyzes previously published data.
</explanation>
</analysis>
Example 3:
<analysis>
<decision>MAYBE</decision>
<explanation>
The abstract is missing, and the title alone does not provide sufficient information to determine if this is original research on CFS/ME/ME-CFS. More details would be needed to make a definitive decision.
</explanation>
</analysis>
Please analyze the provided title and abstract and give your response using the specified format.
I sent 121 abstracts so far as a test. It's a bit expensive. There are about 8,400 abstracts. It'll cost about $40-50 to get responses for all of them. There's another Claude model that is 10 times cheaper, but the answers I was getting weren't making much sense. This model seems pretty good at making decisions. A lot of the cost is the length of the prompt above, so I might have to figure out a way to shorten it without it losing accuracy.
Anyway, here are the results of the first few. I attached a text file with all the abstract responses I've gotten so far.
NO: 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.
* This abstract describes a review of current evidence on post-exertional malaise in Post-COVID Condition and ME/CFS, rather than reporting original research. While it focuses on ME/CFS, it does not present new experimental findings or comparisons between groups.
NO: Experiences Using Nonpharmacological Interventions for Chronic Fatigue: A Focus Group Study of Long-Term Survivors of Young Adult Cancers With Fatigue.
* This study focuses on cancer-related fatigue in young adult cancer survivors, not specifically on chronic fatigue syndrome, myalgic encephalomyelitis, or ME/CFS. While it is original research, it does not meet the criteria of testing something specifically in CFS/ME/ME-CFS.
MAYBE: Correction: Socioeconomic determinants of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome in Norway: a registry study.
* The title suggests a registry study on socioeconomic determinants of ME/CFS in Norway, which could be original research. However, as there is no abstract available and the title indicates this is a correction, there is insufficient information to determine if this meets all criteria for original research testing something specific in ME/CFS.
NO: Ear abnormalities in chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), fibromyalgia (FM), Coronavirus-19 infectious disease (COVID) and long-COVID syndrome (PCS), sick-building syndrome (SBS), post-orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (PoTS), and autoimmune/inflammatory syndrome induced by adjuvants (ASIA): A systematic review.
* This abstract describes a systematic review of literature regarding ear abnormalities in various conditions including CFS, rather than reporting original research. While it focuses partly on CFS, it is a review of existing studies from 1990 to 2024 and does not present new experimental findings.
NO: Microglia and Sleep Disorders.
* This abstract describes a book chapter or review article discussing the involvement of microglia in various sleep disorders, including ME/CFS, rather than reporting original research. While it mentions ME/CFS, it does not describe a specific experiment or new findings related to the condition.
MAYBE: A Multimodal Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Feasibility and Clinical Correlation.
* The title suggests a multimodal MRI study on ME/CFS, which could indicate original research. However, the abstract is missing, so there is insufficient information to determine if this study meets all the criteria for original research testing something specific in ME/CFS.
MAYBE: Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Impact on Quality of Life (QoL) of Persons with ME/CFS.
* The title suggests a focus on ME/CFS and quality of life, but without an abstract, it's unclear if this is original research or a review. More information would be needed to determine if the study involves new measurements, comparisons, or reports original findings.
NO: Long COVID Is Not a Functional Neurologic Disorder.
* This abstract presents a perspective on why long COVID should not be considered a functional neurologic disorder, referencing ME/CFS but not focusing on it specifically. It does not describe new original research or experiments, but rather discusses existing evidence and provides a clinical and scientific rationale.
YES: Patient experiences of remote consulting with chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis and fibromyalgia: a qualitative study.
* This abstract describes a new qualitative study exploring the experiences of people with CFS/ME and fibromyalgia when consulting remotely in primary care. The study involves semi-structured interviews with patients, focusing specifically on CFS/ME, and reports new findings about their experiences with remote consulting.
NO: Long COVID diagnostic with differentiation from chronic lyme disease using machine learning and cytokine hubs.
* This abstract describes original research on developing a diagnostic tool for long COVID using machine learning and cytokine analysis, with a comparison to chronic Lyme disease. However, it does not specifically focus on or mention chronic fatigue syndrome, myalgic encephalomyelitis, or ME/CFS.
NO: Pursuit-worthy research in health: Three examples and a suggestion.
* This abstract describes a philosophical argument for community participation in research, using chronic fatigue syndrome as one of three examples. It does not report original research or new findings specifically testing something in CFS/ME/ME-CFS, but rather presents a conceptual framework for research approaches.
YES: Dysregulation of tetrahydrobiopterin metabolism in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome by pentose phosphate pathway.
* The abstract describes a new study investigating the molecular mechanism of biopterin biogenesis in ME/CFS patients with orthostatic intolerance. It reports original research findings on the role of the pentose phosphate pathway in regulating biopterin levels specifically in ME/CFS, including gene screening, enzyme kinetic studies, and a novel cell culture model.
NO: What Makes It Tick: Exploring the Mechanisms of Post-treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome.
* The title and abstract focus on Post-treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome (PTLDS) and do not specifically mention or study chronic fatigue syndrome, myalgic encephalomyelitis, or ME/CFS. While it describes PTLDS symptoms, it appears to be an overview or exploration of mechanisms rather than reporting original research or specific testing.
NO: From human herpes virus-6 reactivation to autoimmune reactivity against tight junctions and neuronal antigens, to inflammation, depression, and chronic fatigue syndrome due to Long COVID.
* While this study does involve original research and compares Long COVID patients with healthy controls, it does not specifically focus on chronic fatigue syndrome, myalgic encephalomyelitis, or ME/CFS as the primary condition being studied. The research primarily investigates autoimmune responses and inflammation in Long COVID patients, with chronic fatigue syndrome mentioned only as a symptom of Long COVID.
NO: Evidence of aberrant anti-epstein-barr virus antibody response, though no viral reactivation, in people with post-stroke fatigue.
* While this study does describe original research testing Epstein-Barr virus reactivation and antibody response in relation to fatigue, it specifically focuses on post-stroke fatigue, not CFS/ME/ME-CFS. The study mentions ME/CFS only as a comparison point, but does not directly involve CFS/ME/ME-CFS patients in its research.
YES: Fast Targeted Metabolomics for Analyzing Metabolic Diversity of Bacterial Indole Derivatives in ME/CFS Gut Microbiome.
* The abstract describes a new study that developed a fast targeted metabolomics method to analyze metabolic diversity of bacterial indole derivatives in ME/CFS gut microbiome. It specifically mentions testing metabolic differences in indole derivatives among samples, indicating original research focused on ME/CFS.
NO: New-onset sarcoidosis in a patient with long COVID.
* The abstract describes a potential link between long COVID and sarcoidosis, but does not mention chronic fatigue syndrome, myalgic encephalomyelitis, or ME/CFS. It does not report original research or specific testing, instead discussing general observations and potential implications for future research.
NO: Nonpelvic comorbid symptoms of 45 patients with pain of pelvic venous origin, before and after treatment.
* While the study mentions ME/CFS symptoms, it primarily focuses on patients with venous-origin chronic pelvic pain (VO-CPP) and their treatment outcomes. The research does not specifically test or measure anything in CFS/ME/ME-CFS patients, but rather observes overlapping symptoms in VO-CPP patients.
NO: Methylsulfinyl Hexyl Isothiocyanate (6-MSITC) from Wasabi Is a Promising Candidate for the Treatment of Cancer, Alzheimer's Disease, and Obesity.
* The title and partial abstract do not mention chronic fatigue syndrome, myalgic encephalomyelitis, or ME/CFS. Instead, they focus on a compound from wasabi as a potential treatment for cancer, Alzheimer's disease, and obesity.
NO: Hypothesis: 2 Major Environmental and Pharmaceutical Factors-Acetaminophen Exposure and Gastrointestinal Overgrowth of Clostridia Bacteria Induced By Ingestion of Glyphosate-Contaminated Foods-Dysregulate the Developmental Protein Sonic Hedgehog and Are Major Causes of Autism.
* This abstract presents a hypothesis about potential causes of autism spectrum disorder, not chronic fatigue syndrome or myalgic encephalomyelitis. It does not describe original research or experiments, but rather proposes a theoretical link between environmental factors and autism.
YES: Absence of BOLD adaptation in chronic fatigue syndrome revealed by task functional MRI.
* This abstract describes an original research study that specifically tested BOLD signal changes during cognitive tasks in ME/CFS patients compared to healthy controls. The study reports new findings on the absence of BOLD adaptation in ME/CFS, providing insights into potential neurophysiological mechanisms of the condition.
NO: Understanding the kynurenine pathway: A narrative review on its impact across chronic pain conditions.
* This abstract describes a narrative review of existing research on the kynurenine pathway across various chronic pain conditions, including chronic fatigue syndrome. It does not report new, original research specifically on CFS/ME/ME-CFS, but rather summarizes current knowledge on the topic.
NO: Case-control study on post-COVID-19 conditions reveals severe acute infection and chronic pulmonary disease as potential risk factors.
* While this study does describe original research on long COVID and mentions chronic fatigue syndrome as a potential risk factor, it does not specifically focus on testing or measuring something in CFS/ME/ME-CFS patients. The primary focus is on long COVID risk factors and phenotypes in a general COVID-19 patient population.
YES: Comorbidity and sex differences in functional disorders and internalizing disorders.
* The abstract describes an original study analyzing comorbidity rates between functional disorders (including ME/CFS) and internalizing disorders using self-reported diagnostic criteria. It reports new findings on comorbidity and sex differences in a large population-based cohort, specifically including ME/CFS as one of the conditions studied.
YES: Systemic antibody responses against gut microbiota flagellins implicate shared and divergent immune reactivity in Crohn's disease and chronic fatigue syndrome.
* The abstract describes a new study comparing antibody responses against gut microbiota flagellins in both Crohn's disease and ME/CFS patients versus healthy controls. It reports original findings on the differences in antibody binding patterns between these groups, specifically involving ME/CFS patients.
NO: Clinical and Diagnostic Features of Post-Acute COVID-19 Vaccination Syndrome (PACVS).
* While the study involves original research on Post-acute COVID-19 vaccination syndrome (PACVS), it is not specifically focused on CFS/ME/ME-CFS. Although ME/CFS is mentioned as a potential fit for some participants, the primary focus of the study is on characterizing PACVS, not on testing something specifically in CFS/ME/ME-CFS patients.
NO: Stress-Related Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Case Report with a Positive Response to Alpha-Methyl-P-Tyrosine (AMPT) Treatment.
* This abstract describes a case report of a single patient with chronic fatigue syndrome treated with alpha-methyl-p-tyrosine (AMPT). While it focuses on CFS and reports on treatment outcomes, a single case report does not constitute original research testing something specifically in CFS/ME/ME-CFS across a broader population.
YES: Plasma Neurofilament Light Chain: A Potential Biomarker for Neurological Dysfunction in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.
* The abstract describes a new study that measured plasma neurofilament light chain (NfL) levels in ME/CFS patients compared to healthy controls. It reports original research testing a specific biomarker in ME/CFS, including comparisons between groups and new findings.
NO: Widespread Myalgia and Chronic Fatigue: Phagocytes from Macrophagic Myofasciitis Patients Exposed to Aluminum Oxyhydroxide-Adjuvanted Vaccine Exhibit Specific Inflammatory, Autophagic, and Mitochondrial Responses.
* While the study involves original research on macrophagic myofasciitis (MMF) patients who exhibit symptoms similar to ME/CFS, it does not specifically test or measure anything in CFS/ME/ME-CFS patients. The research focuses on MMF phagocytes and their responses to aluminum adjuvants, with ME/CFS mentioned as a comparison for symptoms.
NO: Research progress on pathogenesis of chronic fatigue syndrome and treatment of traditional Chinese and Western medicine.
* This abstract describes a comprehensive review of recent advancements in understanding chronic fatigue syndrome, including its etiology, pathophysiology, and treatment approaches. It does not report original research or new experimental findings, but rather synthesizes existing literature on CFS.
YES: Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome After SARS-CoV-2 Infection.
* This abstract describes a prospective cohort study that specifically evaluates the prevalence of ME/CFS-like illness following SARS-CoV-2 infection. The study compares COVID-19 positive and negative groups, reports new findings on ME/CFS-like illness prevalence, and follows participants for up to 12 months.
