News in Brief - October 2025
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Week beginning 29th September 2025
News, advocacy and articles
Trial by Error by David Tuller My Letter to Cochrane's Chief Executive Officer
David Tuller has written to Karla Soares-Weiser, chief executive officer in Cochrane, concerning their review on exercise as ME/CFS treatment. The lead author of the review, Lillebeth Larun, recently acknowledged that the review may not apply to patients diagnosed with criteria including the hallmark feature of ME/CFS; PEM. Tuller writes that this makes the need for a new review self-evident.
Article l Thread
Australia RACGP Special Interest Group: New network to support ‘often misunderstood’ conditions
"Associate Professor Shiu said the new group was created to address a growing need in primary care. ‘Conditions such as ME/CFS, long COVID, POTS, and fibromyalgia are increasingly presenting in general practice, yet many GPs feel under-resourced and isolated in managing them,’ he said."
Article | Thread
Australia NHMRC Guideline Development Committee
The National Health and Medical Research Council’s (NHMRC) Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) Guideline Development Committee (ME/CFS GDC) held its inaugural meeting on Thursday 28 August 2025 to commence development of clinical practice guidelines for ME/CFS and related conditions, including Long COVID, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) and fibromyalgia.
Article | Thread
The #NotJustFatigue group has posted a recording of their September 25 livestream event.
Website | Thread
..........
Research news
DePaul University Research is conducting an online survey focused on PEM (Post-Exertional Malaise). Patients who experience PEM, as well as members of the general population, are invited to take part. The survey takes about 10-15 minutes to complete.
Announcement (Facebook) | Survey | Thread
Special Issue
The International Journal of Molecular Sciences is organizing a special issue on ME/CFS called "Molecular Pathologies and Treatment for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome—2nd Edition." Guest Editor is Prof. Dr. Elisa Oltra. The deadline for submissions is 31 March 2026
Article | Thread
ME/CFS Science blog DecodeME: the biggest ME/CFS study ever
A clear article explaining how a genome wide association study gives pointers to what may be causing ME/CFS, takes a closer look at some of the DecodeME findings and describes next steps.
Article | Thread
...........
Coming events
Bateman Horne Center - Free Online Support Groups
Tuesday, October 14, 1:00 - 2:00 PM Mountain Time
Topic: Navigating the Complex Healthcare Industry
Tuesday, October 21, 1:00 - 2:00 PM Mountain Time
Topic: Parenting with Chronic Illness
Advance registration required, see thread for times in your time zone.
Event Calendar | Thread
Long Covid Web and Memorial University of Newfoundland are hosting the 3rd Canadian Symposium on Long COVID on October 20 - 21. This event will take place in-person in St. John’s and virtually on Whova platform.
Announcement | Thread
...........
Research
ME/CFS research
Specialised care for severely affected ME/CFS patients — Ola Didrik Saugstad et al.
"We have described a specialised care programme for severely and very severely affected ME/CFS patients. Approximately 30% of the patients benefited significantly from their stay, and about half of them showed at least some improvement."
Article | Thread
Understanding Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Physical Fatigue Through the Perspective of Immunosenescence — Yingzhe Luo et al.
Article | Thread
Long Covid research
Systemic increase of AMPA receptors associated with cognitive impairment of long COVID — Fujimoto et al.
"Using [11C]K-2 AMPAR PET imaging, our study successfully revealed a systemic increase in brain AMPAR density in patients with Cog-LC" "our study revealed that two key factors, CCL2 and TNFSF12, are significantly correlated with AMPAR expression."
Article | Thread
Muscle Abnormalities in Nonhospitalised Patients With Post–COVID-19 Condition — Andrea Tryfonos et al.
"Taken together, these observations suggest that the PCC-related muscle phenotype consists of a combination of selective fibre atrophy, lower capacity for aerobic metabolism, oxidative stress and reduced vascular support"
Article | Thread
Circulating Microclots Are Structurally Associated With Neutrophil Extracellular Traps and Their Amounts Are Elevated in Long COVID Patients — Alain R. Thierry et al.
"The plasma concentrations of circulating DNA, [myeloperoxidase] and [neutrophil elastase] are statistically much higher in patients with LC than in healthy patients (5.7‐, 3.5‐ and 14.9‐fold)."
Article | Thread
Long COVID associated with SARS-CoV-2 reinfection among children and adolescents in the omicron era (RECOVER-EHR): a retrospective cohort study — Bingyu Zhang et al.
"In this study involving 465 717 individuals, we observed an increased risk of PASC across multiple organ systems after SARS-CoV-2 reinfection, reinforcing concerns about the long-term consequences of reinfection. These findings emphasise the ongoing risk of PASC with reinfection, regardless of severity, and suggest that the risk of PASC might be cumulative with each successive infection."
Article | Thread
Experiences of living with long COVID during childhood and adolescence: a qualitative study from the child’s perspective — Lillieberg et al.
"A striking finding in the analysis were the fatigue experienced by the children and how severely it influenced the children." "The children in our study also reported a life strewn with impaired physical performance, leaving them unable to do what they had done before, and forcing them to face a new reality, namely an everyday life with the limitations that come with fatigue."
Article | Thread
Long COVID After Acquisition of the Omicron Variant of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) During Pregnancy Compared With Outside of Pregnancy — Metz, Torri D. et al.
"After propensity score matching, the adjusted long COVID prevalence estimates 6 months after index infection were 10.2% (95% CI, 6.2–14.3%) among those pregnant at infection and 10.6% (95% CI, 8.8–12.4%) among those not pregnant at infection."
Article | Thread
Prevalence and Clinical Impact of Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome in Highly Symptomatic Long COVID — Mikael Björnson et al.
"we can confirm, in agreement with previous studies, that roughly one-third of highly symptomatic long COVID patients suffer from POTS, compared with an estimated prevalence of POTS in general population of 0.2% to 1%." "All groups had Frändin-Grimby scores concordant with an active lifestyle before disease onset" "In our cohort, the prevalence of comorbidities and history of psychiatric illness lies well within or below the range of the Swedish population"
Article | Thread
Exploring Alice in Wonderland syndrome in adults with persistent headache after COVID-19: a cross-sectional study in Latin America — Carrión-Nessi et al.
"In this cohort, AIWS was a notable feature in adults with persistent headache after COVID-19, particularly in younger individuals with a history of migraine. Experiencing AIWS symptoms during acute infection increased the odds of post-acute AIWS symptoms nearly tenfold, suggesting SARS-CoV-2 may be a potent trigger."
Article | Thread
Immunological and non-immunological features specific to Long-COVID: multiple overlapping aetiologies and potential biomarkers — Frederique C Ponchel
"Our most important findings however relate to the multiple patterns observed and the overlap (or exclusion) of some features, defining clusters of patients within a syndrome rather than a unique disease (still taken with caution due to small numbers)."
Preprint | Thread
COVID-19-related sickness absence among 4,721 NHS staff in England and its relation with long COVID symptoms: findings from NHS CHECK — Dempsey et al.
"Our study found that prolonged COVID-19 symptoms are associated with increased sickness absence in HCWs in England." "We acknowledge that LC is an episodic condition, and periodic symptom relapses may mean that people with the condition require sickness absence and/or workplace adjustments, even after first returning to work post-infection"
Article | Thread
Preliminary evaluation of a cognitive rehabilitation intervention for post-COVID-19 cognitive impairment: A pilot randomized controlled trial — Jacqueline H. Becker et al.
"The mean change in the intervention group compared to the controls in measures of processing speed, learning, memory, language, and of executive function did not reach the threshold for futility."
Article | Thread
...........
S4ME social media: Forum, Mastodon, Bluesky
News, advocacy and articles
Trial by Error by David Tuller My Letter to Cochrane's Chief Executive Officer
David Tuller has written to Karla Soares-Weiser, chief executive officer in Cochrane, concerning their review on exercise as ME/CFS treatment. The lead author of the review, Lillebeth Larun, recently acknowledged that the review may not apply to patients diagnosed with criteria including the hallmark feature of ME/CFS; PEM. Tuller writes that this makes the need for a new review self-evident.
Article l Thread
Australia RACGP Special Interest Group: New network to support ‘often misunderstood’ conditions
"Associate Professor Shiu said the new group was created to address a growing need in primary care. ‘Conditions such as ME/CFS, long COVID, POTS, and fibromyalgia are increasingly presenting in general practice, yet many GPs feel under-resourced and isolated in managing them,’ he said."
Article | Thread
Australia NHMRC Guideline Development Committee
The National Health and Medical Research Council’s (NHMRC) Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) Guideline Development Committee (ME/CFS GDC) held its inaugural meeting on Thursday 28 August 2025 to commence development of clinical practice guidelines for ME/CFS and related conditions, including Long COVID, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) and fibromyalgia.
Article | Thread
The #NotJustFatigue group has posted a recording of their September 25 livestream event.
Website | Thread
..........
Research news
DePaul University Research is conducting an online survey focused on PEM (Post-Exertional Malaise). Patients who experience PEM, as well as members of the general population, are invited to take part. The survey takes about 10-15 minutes to complete.
Announcement (Facebook) | Survey | Thread
Special Issue
The International Journal of Molecular Sciences is organizing a special issue on ME/CFS called "Molecular Pathologies and Treatment for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome—2nd Edition." Guest Editor is Prof. Dr. Elisa Oltra. The deadline for submissions is 31 March 2026
Article | Thread
ME/CFS Science blog DecodeME: the biggest ME/CFS study ever
A clear article explaining how a genome wide association study gives pointers to what may be causing ME/CFS, takes a closer look at some of the DecodeME findings and describes next steps.
Article | Thread
...........
Coming events
Bateman Horne Center - Free Online Support Groups
Tuesday, October 14, 1:00 - 2:00 PM Mountain Time
Topic: Navigating the Complex Healthcare Industry
Tuesday, October 21, 1:00 - 2:00 PM Mountain Time
Topic: Parenting with Chronic Illness
Advance registration required, see thread for times in your time zone.
Event Calendar | Thread
Long Covid Web and Memorial University of Newfoundland are hosting the 3rd Canadian Symposium on Long COVID on October 20 - 21. This event will take place in-person in St. John’s and virtually on Whova platform.
Announcement | Thread
...........
Research
ME/CFS research
Specialised care for severely affected ME/CFS patients — Ola Didrik Saugstad et al.
"We have described a specialised care programme for severely and very severely affected ME/CFS patients. Approximately 30% of the patients benefited significantly from their stay, and about half of them showed at least some improvement."
Article | Thread
Understanding Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Physical Fatigue Through the Perspective of Immunosenescence — Yingzhe Luo et al.
Article | Thread
Long Covid research
Systemic increase of AMPA receptors associated with cognitive impairment of long COVID — Fujimoto et al.
"Using [11C]K-2 AMPAR PET imaging, our study successfully revealed a systemic increase in brain AMPAR density in patients with Cog-LC" "our study revealed that two key factors, CCL2 and TNFSF12, are significantly correlated with AMPAR expression."
Article | Thread
Muscle Abnormalities in Nonhospitalised Patients With Post–COVID-19 Condition — Andrea Tryfonos et al.
"Taken together, these observations suggest that the PCC-related muscle phenotype consists of a combination of selective fibre atrophy, lower capacity for aerobic metabolism, oxidative stress and reduced vascular support"
Article | Thread
Circulating Microclots Are Structurally Associated With Neutrophil Extracellular Traps and Their Amounts Are Elevated in Long COVID Patients — Alain R. Thierry et al.
"The plasma concentrations of circulating DNA, [myeloperoxidase] and [neutrophil elastase] are statistically much higher in patients with LC than in healthy patients (5.7‐, 3.5‐ and 14.9‐fold)."
Article | Thread
Long COVID associated with SARS-CoV-2 reinfection among children and adolescents in the omicron era (RECOVER-EHR): a retrospective cohort study — Bingyu Zhang et al.
"In this study involving 465 717 individuals, we observed an increased risk of PASC across multiple organ systems after SARS-CoV-2 reinfection, reinforcing concerns about the long-term consequences of reinfection. These findings emphasise the ongoing risk of PASC with reinfection, regardless of severity, and suggest that the risk of PASC might be cumulative with each successive infection."
Article | Thread
Experiences of living with long COVID during childhood and adolescence: a qualitative study from the child’s perspective — Lillieberg et al.
"A striking finding in the analysis were the fatigue experienced by the children and how severely it influenced the children." "The children in our study also reported a life strewn with impaired physical performance, leaving them unable to do what they had done before, and forcing them to face a new reality, namely an everyday life with the limitations that come with fatigue."
Article | Thread
Long COVID After Acquisition of the Omicron Variant of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) During Pregnancy Compared With Outside of Pregnancy — Metz, Torri D. et al.
"After propensity score matching, the adjusted long COVID prevalence estimates 6 months after index infection were 10.2% (95% CI, 6.2–14.3%) among those pregnant at infection and 10.6% (95% CI, 8.8–12.4%) among those not pregnant at infection."
Article | Thread
Prevalence and Clinical Impact of Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome in Highly Symptomatic Long COVID — Mikael Björnson et al.
"we can confirm, in agreement with previous studies, that roughly one-third of highly symptomatic long COVID patients suffer from POTS, compared with an estimated prevalence of POTS in general population of 0.2% to 1%." "All groups had Frändin-Grimby scores concordant with an active lifestyle before disease onset" "In our cohort, the prevalence of comorbidities and history of psychiatric illness lies well within or below the range of the Swedish population"
Article | Thread
Exploring Alice in Wonderland syndrome in adults with persistent headache after COVID-19: a cross-sectional study in Latin America — Carrión-Nessi et al.
"In this cohort, AIWS was a notable feature in adults with persistent headache after COVID-19, particularly in younger individuals with a history of migraine. Experiencing AIWS symptoms during acute infection increased the odds of post-acute AIWS symptoms nearly tenfold, suggesting SARS-CoV-2 may be a potent trigger."
Article | Thread
Immunological and non-immunological features specific to Long-COVID: multiple overlapping aetiologies and potential biomarkers — Frederique C Ponchel
"Our most important findings however relate to the multiple patterns observed and the overlap (or exclusion) of some features, defining clusters of patients within a syndrome rather than a unique disease (still taken with caution due to small numbers)."
Preprint | Thread
COVID-19-related sickness absence among 4,721 NHS staff in England and its relation with long COVID symptoms: findings from NHS CHECK — Dempsey et al.
"Our study found that prolonged COVID-19 symptoms are associated with increased sickness absence in HCWs in England." "We acknowledge that LC is an episodic condition, and periodic symptom relapses may mean that people with the condition require sickness absence and/or workplace adjustments, even after first returning to work post-infection"
Article | Thread
Preliminary evaluation of a cognitive rehabilitation intervention for post-COVID-19 cognitive impairment: A pilot randomized controlled trial — Jacqueline H. Becker et al.
"The mean change in the intervention group compared to the controls in measures of processing speed, learning, memory, language, and of executive function did not reach the threshold for futility."
Article | Thread
...........
S4ME social media: Forum, Mastodon, Bluesky
Week beginning 6th October 2025
News and advocacy
UK Action for ME Big Survey 2025
The 5 yearly survey of people in the UK with ME/CFS will open on Monday 13th October. It has been developed by AfME in collaboration with Dr Katherine Cheston at Durham University.
Details | Thread
UK Action for ME The recording from the 2025 Annual General Meeting (AGM) is now available on YouTube. Duration 1 hour 9 minutes.
The Annual report and accounts for 2024/5 are published on their website.
AGM video | Annual report | Thread
UK ME Association 2024 Annual report has been published. Largely a financial report, it also includes the Trustees report with some information on developments and plans including research funding.
Report listing | Thread
UK MEA Governance Review Stage 1 Announcement Autumn 2025
"In 2025, the board commissioned an independent governance review to understand what is working well, and to identify areas where improvement is needed... "
Areas for development include: "Leadership and role clarity: At the time of the review, the organisation operated without a Chief Executive. Trustees were heavily involved in day-to-day operational matters, which blurred the lines between governance and management."
The report also highlights the need for better strategic planning, staff training and management, and member engagement.
Article | Thread
..............
Fundraising
David Tuller's Trial by Error Fall 2025
New fundraising to secure David Tuller's important work reporting on ME, Long Covid, MUS and much more, via his position at Berkeley University till June 2026. The aim is to raise $68 000 US by November 7th.
Fundraising l Thread
............
Coming events
Solve ME Webinar: The Unified Platform: Advancing Research Across ME/CFS, Long Covid, and Other Chronic Conditions
Tuesday, October 14, 3 PM Pacific / 6 PM Eastern
Webinar panelists will discuss the unhide® Solve Together Unified Platform
Announcement | Registration | Thread
Long Covid Web and Memorial University of Newfoundland are hosting the 3rd Canadian Symposium on Long COVID on October 20 - 21. This event will take place in-person in St. John’s and virtually on Whova platform.
Announcement | Thread
...........
Research
ME/CFS research
Development and validation of blood-based diagnostic biomarkers for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) using EpiSwitch® 3-dimensional genomic regulatory immuno-genetic profiling — Hunter et al.
"The top 200 probes identified through feature importance analysis were found to be distributed across multiple chromosomal regions, suggesting a polygenic signature of ME/CFS"
Article | Thread
Relationships between fatigue, cognitive function, and upright activity in a randomized trial of oxaloacetate for myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome — Vernon et al.
"fatigue was only marginally predictive of UP Time, and no clear interaction by treatment group emerged, indicating that UP Time may be influenced by additional factors such as orthostatic intolerance, post-exertional malaise, or pacing"
Article | Thread
Pacing with a heart rate monitor for people with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome and long COVID: a feasibility study — N. Clague-Baker et al.
"Measuring the effect of pacing with an HRM requires a combination of physical and questionnaire-based measures, as well as interview methods to ensure a comprehensive understanding of any effect. People with ME/CFS and LC continue to use an HRM after the end of the study, which suggests they find it beneficial."
Article | Thread
Wearable technology in the management of complex chronic illness: preliminary survey results on self-reported outcomes — Sawyer et al.
"Home-monitoring based mobile applications are feasible and acceptable for a motivated subgroup of people with energy-limiting complex chronic illnesses, and are associated with self-reported benefits in energy management and participation in daily activities."
Article | Thread
Comparative risk of post-acute sequelae among adults following SARS-CoV-2 or influenza virus infection: A retrospective cohort study among United States adults — Joseph A. Lewnard et al.
"Whereas PAS are widely known to occur after COVID-19, our results suggest that the risk of PAS associated with influenza may be under-appreciated and worthy of further study."
Article | Thread
The association of fatigue and pain with cognitive test performance in patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome — Oosterman et al.
Article | Thread
Psychometric evaluation of the PROMIS® physical function short form 12a for use by adults with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome — Yang et al.
Article | Thread
Systematic review: digital biomarkers of fatigue in chronic diseases — Aboagye et al.
"The results highlight several consistent patterns by which fatigue manifests and how digital biomarkers can offer objective insights into this subjective and often debilitating symptom."
Article | Thread
Long Covid research
Discovery of molecular signature of long-term psychiatric sequelae in COVID-19 through proteome profiling of dried blood spots — Baik et al.
"findings suggest that alterations in immune, glucose, and lipid metabolism pathways, along with neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration, contribute to the psychiatric PASC phenotype"
Article | Thread
VEGFA sex-specific signature is associated to long COVID symptom persistence — Farré et al.
"VEGFA emerged as a central node associated with symptom persistence and showed distinct expression patterns across sexes. These findings suggest hormonal regulation may influence long COVID"
Article | Thread
Prevalence and Clinical Impact of Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome in Highly Symptomatic Long COVID — Mikael Björnson et al.
"one-third of highly symptomatic patients with long COVID were diagnosed with POTS. The group diagnosed with POTS had significantly lower physical capacity and higher heart rate during physical capacity tests compared with non-POTS patients. The similarities in symptom prevalence and types of symptoms among long COVID patients with and without POTS pose clinical challenges in the clinical work-up"
Article | Thread
The effect of uninterrupted and interrupted sitting] on vascular function in adults with long COVID — Nick Hudson et al.
"The findings suggest that individuals with long COVID are not disproportionately vulnerable to the acute vascular effects of prolonged sitting compared to controls."
Article | Thread
Post Covid-19 Condition as a Diagnosis: A Qualitative Study on Epistemological Tensions Among Experts in Sweden — Anna Bredström and Sofia Morberg Jämterud
"The key conflict among experts concerns the extent to which post Covid should be considered a unique illness requiring specialist care or whether it has more in common with other long‐term illnesses."
Article | Thread
Enduring Outcomes of COVID-19 Work Absences on the US Labor Market — Julia M. Dennett et al.
"Ongoing SARS-CoV-2 circulation has continued to negatively affect the US labor force through 2024 by increasing health-related absences and subsequent exits from the labor market" "Labor force exits after a health-related absence also continued to be elevated, with 13.1% more exits in the postpandemic period compared with before the pandemic (13 500 monthly exits)."
Article | Thread
Return to work with long COVID: a rapid review of support and challenges — Sarah Daniels et al.
"Barriers to the provision of support at organisational level included lack of understanding of LC symptoms, insufficient workplace guidance and educational gaps among managers. Individual barriers included threat of income loss, remote working and disconnection from the workplace."
Article | Thread
Related Research
Tired minds, normal scores: rethinking cognitive fatigue in multiple sclerosis — Spinetti and Zarbo
"One of the most frustrating experiences reported by people with MS is the mismatch between how they feel and how they are clinically assessed." "This dissonance is often interpreted, mistakenly, as exaggeration or emotional overlay. In reality, it reflects a fundamental failure of current testing paradigms to capture the temporal dynamics and ecological reality of cognitive fatigue."
Article | Thread
...........
S4ME social media: Forum, Mastodon, Bluesky
News and advocacy
UK Action for ME Big Survey 2025
The 5 yearly survey of people in the UK with ME/CFS will open on Monday 13th October. It has been developed by AfME in collaboration with Dr Katherine Cheston at Durham University.
Details | Thread
UK Action for ME The recording from the 2025 Annual General Meeting (AGM) is now available on YouTube. Duration 1 hour 9 minutes.
The Annual report and accounts for 2024/5 are published on their website.
AGM video | Annual report | Thread
UK ME Association 2024 Annual report has been published. Largely a financial report, it also includes the Trustees report with some information on developments and plans including research funding.
Report listing | Thread
UK MEA Governance Review Stage 1 Announcement Autumn 2025
"In 2025, the board commissioned an independent governance review to understand what is working well, and to identify areas where improvement is needed... "
Areas for development include: "Leadership and role clarity: At the time of the review, the organisation operated without a Chief Executive. Trustees were heavily involved in day-to-day operational matters, which blurred the lines between governance and management."
The report also highlights the need for better strategic planning, staff training and management, and member engagement.
Article | Thread
..............
Fundraising
David Tuller's Trial by Error Fall 2025
New fundraising to secure David Tuller's important work reporting on ME, Long Covid, MUS and much more, via his position at Berkeley University till June 2026. The aim is to raise $68 000 US by November 7th.
Fundraising l Thread
............
Coming events
Solve ME Webinar: The Unified Platform: Advancing Research Across ME/CFS, Long Covid, and Other Chronic Conditions
Tuesday, October 14, 3 PM Pacific / 6 PM Eastern
Webinar panelists will discuss the unhide® Solve Together Unified Platform
Announcement | Registration | Thread
Long Covid Web and Memorial University of Newfoundland are hosting the 3rd Canadian Symposium on Long COVID on October 20 - 21. This event will take place in-person in St. John’s and virtually on Whova platform.
Announcement | Thread
...........
Research
ME/CFS research
Development and validation of blood-based diagnostic biomarkers for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) using EpiSwitch® 3-dimensional genomic regulatory immuno-genetic profiling — Hunter et al.
"The top 200 probes identified through feature importance analysis were found to be distributed across multiple chromosomal regions, suggesting a polygenic signature of ME/CFS"
Article | Thread
Relationships between fatigue, cognitive function, and upright activity in a randomized trial of oxaloacetate for myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome — Vernon et al.
"fatigue was only marginally predictive of UP Time, and no clear interaction by treatment group emerged, indicating that UP Time may be influenced by additional factors such as orthostatic intolerance, post-exertional malaise, or pacing"
Article | Thread
Pacing with a heart rate monitor for people with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome and long COVID: a feasibility study — N. Clague-Baker et al.
"Measuring the effect of pacing with an HRM requires a combination of physical and questionnaire-based measures, as well as interview methods to ensure a comprehensive understanding of any effect. People with ME/CFS and LC continue to use an HRM after the end of the study, which suggests they find it beneficial."
Article | Thread
Wearable technology in the management of complex chronic illness: preliminary survey results on self-reported outcomes — Sawyer et al.
"Home-monitoring based mobile applications are feasible and acceptable for a motivated subgroup of people with energy-limiting complex chronic illnesses, and are associated with self-reported benefits in energy management and participation in daily activities."
Article | Thread
Comparative risk of post-acute sequelae among adults following SARS-CoV-2 or influenza virus infection: A retrospective cohort study among United States adults — Joseph A. Lewnard et al.
"Whereas PAS are widely known to occur after COVID-19, our results suggest that the risk of PAS associated with influenza may be under-appreciated and worthy of further study."
Article | Thread
The association of fatigue and pain with cognitive test performance in patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome — Oosterman et al.
Article | Thread
Psychometric evaluation of the PROMIS® physical function short form 12a for use by adults with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome — Yang et al.
Article | Thread
Systematic review: digital biomarkers of fatigue in chronic diseases — Aboagye et al.
"The results highlight several consistent patterns by which fatigue manifests and how digital biomarkers can offer objective insights into this subjective and often debilitating symptom."
Article | Thread
Long Covid research
Discovery of molecular signature of long-term psychiatric sequelae in COVID-19 through proteome profiling of dried blood spots — Baik et al.
"findings suggest that alterations in immune, glucose, and lipid metabolism pathways, along with neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration, contribute to the psychiatric PASC phenotype"
Article | Thread
VEGFA sex-specific signature is associated to long COVID symptom persistence — Farré et al.
"VEGFA emerged as a central node associated with symptom persistence and showed distinct expression patterns across sexes. These findings suggest hormonal regulation may influence long COVID"
Article | Thread
Prevalence and Clinical Impact of Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome in Highly Symptomatic Long COVID — Mikael Björnson et al.
"one-third of highly symptomatic patients with long COVID were diagnosed with POTS. The group diagnosed with POTS had significantly lower physical capacity and higher heart rate during physical capacity tests compared with non-POTS patients. The similarities in symptom prevalence and types of symptoms among long COVID patients with and without POTS pose clinical challenges in the clinical work-up"
Article | Thread
The effect of uninterrupted and interrupted sitting] on vascular function in adults with long COVID — Nick Hudson et al.
"The findings suggest that individuals with long COVID are not disproportionately vulnerable to the acute vascular effects of prolonged sitting compared to controls."
Article | Thread
Post Covid-19 Condition as a Diagnosis: A Qualitative Study on Epistemological Tensions Among Experts in Sweden — Anna Bredström and Sofia Morberg Jämterud
"The key conflict among experts concerns the extent to which post Covid should be considered a unique illness requiring specialist care or whether it has more in common with other long‐term illnesses."
Article | Thread
Enduring Outcomes of COVID-19 Work Absences on the US Labor Market — Julia M. Dennett et al.
"Ongoing SARS-CoV-2 circulation has continued to negatively affect the US labor force through 2024 by increasing health-related absences and subsequent exits from the labor market" "Labor force exits after a health-related absence also continued to be elevated, with 13.1% more exits in the postpandemic period compared with before the pandemic (13 500 monthly exits)."
Article | Thread
Return to work with long COVID: a rapid review of support and challenges — Sarah Daniels et al.
"Barriers to the provision of support at organisational level included lack of understanding of LC symptoms, insufficient workplace guidance and educational gaps among managers. Individual barriers included threat of income loss, remote working and disconnection from the workplace."
Article | Thread
Related Research
Tired minds, normal scores: rethinking cognitive fatigue in multiple sclerosis — Spinetti and Zarbo
"One of the most frustrating experiences reported by people with MS is the mismatch between how they feel and how they are clinically assessed." "This dissonance is often interpreted, mistakenly, as exaggeration or emotional overlay. In reality, it reflects a fundamental failure of current testing paradigms to capture the temporal dynamics and ecological reality of cognitive fatigue."
Article | Thread
...........
S4ME social media: Forum, Mastodon, Bluesky
Last edited by a moderator:
Week beginning 13th October 2025
News and articles
Austria
The rollout of Austria's national action plan for post-acute infection syndromes (PAIS), including ME/CFS, faces further delays. Although the plan was publicly presented in late 2024, it has not yet been approved by the Federal Target Steering Commission. A new approval is now expected only by mid-2026.
Article | Thread
Germany
The Deutsche Gesellschaft für ME/CFS, in collaboration with the Charité Fatigue Center, has developed a clinical practice guide for ME/CFS and Long COVID. It includes essential information about the condition, practical guidance for procedures and questions in everyday practice, as well as evidence-based information on treatment.
Article | Thread
UK Welsh Parliament A Senned debate on severe and very severe ME/CFS planned for this week has been postponed to 26th November. The proposal asks the government to "respond to the concerns raised in the Coroner in England’s Prevention of Future Deaths Report, and explain what practical steps they will take to ensure that no patient in Wales will ever be placed in such tragic circumstances as those described in the report".
Proposal |Thread
Canada The Museum of Vancouver has an exhibition called Living with Long COVID which runs from October 4, 2025 to March 22, 2026. This exhibition "invites visitors into the often-invisible world of those living with the life-altering effects of a COVID-19 infection."
Website | Thread
Rolling Stone Long Covid is Real - And It's Changing an Entire Generation
An in depth article about Long Covid which focuses on its impact on children. Quote: "When you have a disability people can’t see you don’t get as much empathy."
Article | Thread
.............
Fundraising
David Tuller's Trial by Error Fall 2025
New fundraising to secure David Tuller's important work reporting on ME, Long Covid, MUS and much more, via his position at Berkeley University till June 2026. The aim is to raise $68 000 US by November 7th.
Fundraising l Thread
..............
Advocacy
Petition in Sweden Withdraw national guidelines for post-infectious conditions now!
Patient advocate "the ME Inquiry Report" has initiated a petition for the removal of the guidelines for post-Covid and other post-infectious conditions (including ME/CFS). The guidelines have received a lot of criticism for putting patients at risk. The petition also asks for the National Audit Office to review the authorities' work.
Petition l Thread
UK Action for ME Big Survey 2025
Open to UK residents. Closing date 27th January 2026
"Every 5 years, we develop our Big Survey. It enables us to gather large amounts of data which can then be analysed and used to support our wider work and illustrate the impact of ME."
Adult's survey | Young people's survey | Thread
...............
Research news
David Tuller Interview with Chris Ponting about PRIME, a project to increase infrastructure for ME/CFS research
PRIME is a partnership between Action for ME and the University of Edinburgh to develop an infrastructure for research into ME/CFS. Tuller speaks with professor Christ Ponting, who is one of the overseers of PRIME. Duration: 15 minutes.
Youtube l Thread
Genes pointing to the brain: DecodeME part II
ME/CFS Science blog delves deeper into the DecodeME results and the genes associated with ME/CFS, concluding that "The clearest signals point to genes such as CA10, SHISA6, SOX6, LRRC7, and DCC, which are involved in neuronal development and communication in the brain."
Article | Thread
...............
Coming events
ICanCME Canadian Collaborative Conference on ME: Nothing About Us Without US
Three half day sessions, November 4-6, from 1 to 5 PM Eastern Time.
Announcement | Registration | Thread
................
Research
ME/CFS research
Altered effort and deconditioning are not valid explanations of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome — Davenport et al.
"Failure to use 2-day CPET prevented the authors from adequately testing their conclusion that PEM is related to participants’ effort preference, as they did not evaluate physiological performance under conditions involving objective, standardized criteria for maximal exertion." "study samples were not adequately matched using deconditioned control participants, which would be necessary to differentiate the effects of PI-ME/CFS from deconditioning."
Article | Authors' Reply | Thread
Autonomic phenotyping, brain blood flow control, and cognitive-motor-integration in Long COVID and myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome: A pilot study — Badhwar et al.
"in ME/CFS we observed a greater reduction of cerebrovascular resistance (p = 0.041) and impaired autoregulation (p = 0.042) during hypercapnia alongside impaired cognitive-motor integration (p < 0.02), and in Long COVID we observed reduced peripheral and end-tidal oxygen (p < 0.04) and less vagal withdrawal during tilt (p = 0.028)."
Article | Thread
Understanding concussion in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome: Findings from the 2023 National Health Interview study — Zoe Sirotiak et al.
"In a nationally representative sample, individuals with ME/CFS appear to have over 4.5 times the odds of a concussion in the past year compared to individuals without ME/CFS after accounting for sociodemographic factors."
Article | Thread
Seeing is Believing: Identifying the “Ideal Manifestation of Hidden Disability” in Ontario’s and Quebec’s Social Benefits Tribunals — Pascale Malenfant
"Akin to the ideal victim, the ideal claimant of hidden disability must navigate a system built by (and from the perspective of) those with specific preconceived notions of what it means to be a person with a disability and to present as one."
Article | Thread
Analysis of Potential Subgroups in Vaes ME/CFS Patient Clusters — Erik Squires
"Our secondary analysis suggests that the 13 clusters identified by Vaes can be organized into two broader structures defined by overall symptom intensity relative to PEM severity."
Preprint | Thread
Long Covid research
Transcriptomic Profiling of Endothelial Progenitor Cells in Post-COVID-19 Patients: Insights at 3 and 6-Months Post-Infection — Poyatos et al.
"Transcriptomic profiling identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs) associated with endothelial homeostasis, inflammation, oxidative stress, and thrombosis. Post-COVID [Endothelial Progenitor Cells] showed downregulation of NOS3, KLF2, ANGPT1, PIK3R3, GBX2, GDF6, SMAD6, SRC, and TGFB1, and upregulation of CASP1, CXCL5, IL12A, SOD2, TIMP3, and TLR2."
Article | Thread
Mechanisms of sex differences in acute and long COVID sequelae in mice — Jennifer A. Liu et al.
"female mice exhibited persistent neurocognitive and behavioral impairments, along with greater frequencies of inflammatory myeloid subsets, neuroinflammation, and dysregulated T cell subsets" "XX animals independent of chromosome Y presented with neuroinflammation and PASC along with infection-induced upregulation of the X-linked genes Xist and Tlr7 that regulate inflammation and chronic disease outcomes."
Preprint | Thread
Inflammatory predictors of Post-COVID fatigue — Nuber-Champier et al.
"Our study highlights the complex interplay between acute immune markers and post-COVID fatigue. Key inflammatory markers, particularly TNFα, IL-1RA, and IFNγ, appear to influence different dimensions of fatigue and cognitive fatigue awareness months after infection."
Article | Thread
Alterations of the amygdala in post-COVID olfactory dysfunction — Thaploo et al.
"Our results add to the growing body of evidence that links post COVID-19 condition with cerebral changes, particularly in olfactory processing regions, and suggests that these alterations may be drivers of persistent symptoms."
Article | Thread
Cardiopulmonary crosstalk in Long COVID: a systematic review of emerging evidence — Arab et al.
Article | Thread
...........
S4ME social media: Forum, Mastodon, Bluesky
News and articles
Austria
The rollout of Austria's national action plan for post-acute infection syndromes (PAIS), including ME/CFS, faces further delays. Although the plan was publicly presented in late 2024, it has not yet been approved by the Federal Target Steering Commission. A new approval is now expected only by mid-2026.
Article | Thread
Germany
The Deutsche Gesellschaft für ME/CFS, in collaboration with the Charité Fatigue Center, has developed a clinical practice guide for ME/CFS and Long COVID. It includes essential information about the condition, practical guidance for procedures and questions in everyday practice, as well as evidence-based information on treatment.
Article | Thread
UK Welsh Parliament A Senned debate on severe and very severe ME/CFS planned for this week has been postponed to 26th November. The proposal asks the government to "respond to the concerns raised in the Coroner in England’s Prevention of Future Deaths Report, and explain what practical steps they will take to ensure that no patient in Wales will ever be placed in such tragic circumstances as those described in the report".
Proposal |Thread
Canada The Museum of Vancouver has an exhibition called Living with Long COVID which runs from October 4, 2025 to March 22, 2026. This exhibition "invites visitors into the often-invisible world of those living with the life-altering effects of a COVID-19 infection."
Website | Thread
Rolling Stone Long Covid is Real - And It's Changing an Entire Generation
An in depth article about Long Covid which focuses on its impact on children. Quote: "When you have a disability people can’t see you don’t get as much empathy."
Article | Thread
.............
Fundraising
David Tuller's Trial by Error Fall 2025
New fundraising to secure David Tuller's important work reporting on ME, Long Covid, MUS and much more, via his position at Berkeley University till June 2026. The aim is to raise $68 000 US by November 7th.
Fundraising l Thread
..............
Advocacy
Petition in Sweden Withdraw national guidelines for post-infectious conditions now!
Patient advocate "the ME Inquiry Report" has initiated a petition for the removal of the guidelines for post-Covid and other post-infectious conditions (including ME/CFS). The guidelines have received a lot of criticism for putting patients at risk. The petition also asks for the National Audit Office to review the authorities' work.
Petition l Thread
UK Action for ME Big Survey 2025
Open to UK residents. Closing date 27th January 2026
"Every 5 years, we develop our Big Survey. It enables us to gather large amounts of data which can then be analysed and used to support our wider work and illustrate the impact of ME."
Adult's survey | Young people's survey | Thread
...............
Research news
David Tuller Interview with Chris Ponting about PRIME, a project to increase infrastructure for ME/CFS research
PRIME is a partnership between Action for ME and the University of Edinburgh to develop an infrastructure for research into ME/CFS. Tuller speaks with professor Christ Ponting, who is one of the overseers of PRIME. Duration: 15 minutes.
Youtube l Thread
Genes pointing to the brain: DecodeME part II
ME/CFS Science blog delves deeper into the DecodeME results and the genes associated with ME/CFS, concluding that "The clearest signals point to genes such as CA10, SHISA6, SOX6, LRRC7, and DCC, which are involved in neuronal development and communication in the brain."
Article | Thread
...............
Coming events
ICanCME Canadian Collaborative Conference on ME: Nothing About Us Without US
Three half day sessions, November 4-6, from 1 to 5 PM Eastern Time.
Announcement | Registration | Thread
................
Research
ME/CFS research
Altered effort and deconditioning are not valid explanations of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome — Davenport et al.
"Failure to use 2-day CPET prevented the authors from adequately testing their conclusion that PEM is related to participants’ effort preference, as they did not evaluate physiological performance under conditions involving objective, standardized criteria for maximal exertion." "study samples were not adequately matched using deconditioned control participants, which would be necessary to differentiate the effects of PI-ME/CFS from deconditioning."
Article | Authors' Reply | Thread
Autonomic phenotyping, brain blood flow control, and cognitive-motor-integration in Long COVID and myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome: A pilot study — Badhwar et al.
"in ME/CFS we observed a greater reduction of cerebrovascular resistance (p = 0.041) and impaired autoregulation (p = 0.042) during hypercapnia alongside impaired cognitive-motor integration (p < 0.02), and in Long COVID we observed reduced peripheral and end-tidal oxygen (p < 0.04) and less vagal withdrawal during tilt (p = 0.028)."
Article | Thread
Understanding concussion in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome: Findings from the 2023 National Health Interview study — Zoe Sirotiak et al.
"In a nationally representative sample, individuals with ME/CFS appear to have over 4.5 times the odds of a concussion in the past year compared to individuals without ME/CFS after accounting for sociodemographic factors."
Article | Thread
Seeing is Believing: Identifying the “Ideal Manifestation of Hidden Disability” in Ontario’s and Quebec’s Social Benefits Tribunals — Pascale Malenfant
"Akin to the ideal victim, the ideal claimant of hidden disability must navigate a system built by (and from the perspective of) those with specific preconceived notions of what it means to be a person with a disability and to present as one."
Article | Thread
Analysis of Potential Subgroups in Vaes ME/CFS Patient Clusters — Erik Squires
"Our secondary analysis suggests that the 13 clusters identified by Vaes can be organized into two broader structures defined by overall symptom intensity relative to PEM severity."
Preprint | Thread
Long Covid research
Transcriptomic Profiling of Endothelial Progenitor Cells in Post-COVID-19 Patients: Insights at 3 and 6-Months Post-Infection — Poyatos et al.
"Transcriptomic profiling identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs) associated with endothelial homeostasis, inflammation, oxidative stress, and thrombosis. Post-COVID [Endothelial Progenitor Cells] showed downregulation of NOS3, KLF2, ANGPT1, PIK3R3, GBX2, GDF6, SMAD6, SRC, and TGFB1, and upregulation of CASP1, CXCL5, IL12A, SOD2, TIMP3, and TLR2."
Article | Thread
Mechanisms of sex differences in acute and long COVID sequelae in mice — Jennifer A. Liu et al.
"female mice exhibited persistent neurocognitive and behavioral impairments, along with greater frequencies of inflammatory myeloid subsets, neuroinflammation, and dysregulated T cell subsets" "XX animals independent of chromosome Y presented with neuroinflammation and PASC along with infection-induced upregulation of the X-linked genes Xist and Tlr7 that regulate inflammation and chronic disease outcomes."
Preprint | Thread
Inflammatory predictors of Post-COVID fatigue — Nuber-Champier et al.
"Our study highlights the complex interplay between acute immune markers and post-COVID fatigue. Key inflammatory markers, particularly TNFα, IL-1RA, and IFNγ, appear to influence different dimensions of fatigue and cognitive fatigue awareness months after infection."
Article | Thread
Alterations of the amygdala in post-COVID olfactory dysfunction — Thaploo et al.
"Our results add to the growing body of evidence that links post COVID-19 condition with cerebral changes, particularly in olfactory processing regions, and suggests that these alterations may be drivers of persistent symptoms."
Article | Thread
Cardiopulmonary crosstalk in Long COVID: a systematic review of emerging evidence — Arab et al.
Article | Thread
...........
S4ME social media: Forum, Mastodon, Bluesky
Last edited by a moderator:
Week beginning 20th October 2025
News, advocacy and articles
World ME Alliance recruiting a new Head of Advocacy and Comms
“This is an opportunity to work with extraordinary people and organisations from across the world — from patient advocates and clinicians to global health leaders — to amplify the collective voice of millions of people living with ME.” Deadline for applications 10th November.
Website | Thread
Trial By Error by David Tuller Some Thoughts on Ten Years of Trial By Error
"Ten years ago this month, I launched Trial By Error with a 15,000-word investigation of he misbegotten and fraudulent PACE trial, which purported to prove that graded exercise therapy (GET) and cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) could cure what they then called chronic fatigue syndrome. And what an amazing ride it’s been for me—difficult and challenging at times, but always fascinating, rewarding and engaging, both intellectually and personally."
Article l Thread
UK Action for ME joins Our Future Health as affiliate charity partner
“We're excited to announce that we have joined as an affiliate charity partner of Our Future Health, the UK's largest health research programme.
As an affiliate charity, we'll support Our Future Health to shape their programme to ensure it serves the research needs of a range of health conditions and diseases, including ME.”
Website | Thread
Ireland Tom Kindlon collects Social Justice Award
Tom Kindlon received the Belvedere College Union Social Justice Award at their Annual Dinner on October 17th. Details of the award, speech and a photo have been posted on the forum.
Thread
UK Privilege and Pain: Why the Medical Humanities Matter
“Katharine Cheston reflects on her own experience of ME and the need for a more caring, curious, and compassionate approach to health research.” Katharine has also been working with Action for ME on their 2025 Big Survey.
Article | Thread
A life Hidden On Gratitude and Grief
A beautifully written blog post with poem by Naomi Whittingham who has suffered from ME since 1990
"The ability to balance great sorrow alongside genuine joy, while not allowing one to overwhelm the other, is perhaps one of the most important learnings of being human."
Article l Thread
.............
Fundraising
David Tuller's Trial by Error Fall 2025
New fundraising to secure David Tuller's important work reporting on ME/CFS, Long Covid, MUS and much more, via his position at Berkeley University till June 2026. The aim is to raise $68 000 US by November 7th.
Fundraising l Thread
.............
Coming events
ICanCME Canadian Collaborative Conference on ME: Nothing About Us Without US
Three half day sessions, November 4-6, from 1 to 5 PM Eastern Time.
Announcement | Registration | Thread
UK NIHR/MRC Showcase event for post acute infection conditions research
“The NIHR and MRC are hosting a research showcase event for post-acute infection conditions research, including ME/CFS and long COVID”
This is scheduled to take place on Thurs 6th Nov between 10am and 4:30pm in London. Virtual/online places are also available. Topics will include patient priorities, showcasing established research findings and early career researchers, as well as views from industry, charities and funders and next steps for research.
Website | Thread
............
Resources
World ME Alliance Medical Education Hub
A pilot version of a Medical Education Hub developed by World ME Alliance. "designed to guide healthcare professionals to reliable, evidence-based resourced on ME/CFS. Over time, we aim to further develop and expand the hub, making it as clear, user-friendly, and accessible as possible across different languages and levels of cognitive impairment."
Website l Thread
.............
Research news
Psychology's Quiet Conservatism
ME/CFS researcher and psychologist Brian Hughes has a new book out called "Psychology's Quiet Conservatism". Chapters 14 and 21 include sections on Long Covid and ME/CFS, such as an account of the new NICE guideline and the politics of the biopsychosocial model.
Book | Thread
.............
Research
ME/CFS research
HLA and pathogens in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) and other post-infection conditions — Georgopoulos et al.
"we determined in silico the predicted binding affinity of two susceptibility alleles (C*07:04, DQB1*03:03) and two protective alleles (B*08:01, DPB1*02:01)" "We found that the 2 ME/CFS susceptibility HLA alleles above had very weak binding with SARS-CoV-2 virus glycoprotein (involved in Long COVID) and 5 proteins of Borrelia burgdorferi (involved in PTLDS), in contrast to the ME/CFS protective alleles that showed strong bindings."
Article | Thread
Using the Thermal Power of Light to Affect Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) — Hochecker
"This thesis explores the potential of hyperthermia—an artificially induced elevation of body temperature—as a novel treatment option for ME/CFS."
Thesis | Thread
Low-dose rapamycin alleviates clinical symptoms of fatigue and PEM in ME/CFS patients via improvement of autophagy: a pilot study — Ruan et al.
"We conducted a decentralized, uncontrolled trial of rapamycin in 86 patients with ME/CFS to evaluate its safety and efficacy"
Article | Thread
Functional olfactory impairment and fatigue in post-COVID-19 syndrome including ME/CFS – a longitudinal prospective observational study — Meyer-Arndt et al.
"Both PCS and PCS-ME/CFS patients showed significant improvement in olfactory function, with all patients returning to normosmia after 20 months" "Olfactory impairment correlated with cognitive, physical, and mental performance, with stronger correlations in the PCS group, particularly linking better odor discrimination at baseline to improved daily functioning and health-related quality of life after 20 months."
Article | Thread
A brief, comprehensive measure of post-exertional malaise — Leonard A. Jason and Kelly J. Chee
"In summary, we have crafted a relatively brief questionnaire, based on work that we had previously conducted, to measure the construct known as PEM. We believe that this measure does capture the main domains of PEM, in contrast to our previous work as well as most other scales that have been developed."
Article | Thread
Sex-related cardiometabolic differences in ME/CFS patients — Hofmann et al.
"cardiovascular measurements in this study were obtained after 1 min of standing, in accordance with UKMEB protocols." "Despite these limitations, our findings provide new insights into sex- and posture-related physiological variability in ME/CFS."
Article | Thread
Metabolic reprogramming in diabetes and other endocrine and metabolic disorders: exploring the Warburg effect, ketones, and SGLT2 inhibitors — Carrera-Bastos et al.
"this review reframes chronic metabolic diseases and cellular senescence as conditions marked by a conserved, maladaptive shift in cellular metabolism."
Article | Thread
ME/CFS as a sickness behaviour-like response to HSV-1 infection within the brain: A hypothesis — Campbell
Article | Thread
Long Covid research
Effectiveness of Colchicine for the Treatment of Long COVID: A Randomized Clinical Trial — Abhinav Bassi et al.
"among adults with long COVID, colchicine did not improve functional capacity, respiratory function, or inflammatory markers."
Article | Thread
Post-COVID syndrome patients show reduced anti-Spike antibodies compared to COVID-recovered controls, but enhanced IgG4/IgG1 switch after the third vaccine dose — Rossi et al.
"post-COVID patients produce increased levels of IgG against the Nucleocapsid but low levels of IgG anti-FLSpike, while the IgG1 response to the SARS-CoV-2 RBD is conserved." "The clear response to the Nucleocapsid detected would agree with the increasingly supported hypothesis of the persistence of the SARS-CoV-2 in at least some PC-afflicted individuals."
Article | Thread
Urinary Peptidomic Profiling in Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 Infection: A Case-Control Study — Dilara Gülmez et al.
"we present a PASC-specific urinary peptidome profile that revealed cross-sectional variations in collagen homeostasis, inflammatory responses, and hemostatic processes that are distinct from non-COVID-19 ME/CFS and healthy controls"
Preprint | Thread
Neuropsychiatric sequelae in an experimental model of post-COVID syndrome in mice — Pimenta et al.
Article | Thread
...........
S4ME social media: Forum, Mastodon, Bluesky
News, advocacy and articles
World ME Alliance recruiting a new Head of Advocacy and Comms
“This is an opportunity to work with extraordinary people and organisations from across the world — from patient advocates and clinicians to global health leaders — to amplify the collective voice of millions of people living with ME.” Deadline for applications 10th November.
Website | Thread
Trial By Error by David Tuller Some Thoughts on Ten Years of Trial By Error
"Ten years ago this month, I launched Trial By Error with a 15,000-word investigation of he misbegotten and fraudulent PACE trial, which purported to prove that graded exercise therapy (GET) and cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) could cure what they then called chronic fatigue syndrome. And what an amazing ride it’s been for me—difficult and challenging at times, but always fascinating, rewarding and engaging, both intellectually and personally."
Article l Thread
UK Action for ME joins Our Future Health as affiliate charity partner
“We're excited to announce that we have joined as an affiliate charity partner of Our Future Health, the UK's largest health research programme.
As an affiliate charity, we'll support Our Future Health to shape their programme to ensure it serves the research needs of a range of health conditions and diseases, including ME.”
Website | Thread
Ireland Tom Kindlon collects Social Justice Award
Tom Kindlon received the Belvedere College Union Social Justice Award at their Annual Dinner on October 17th. Details of the award, speech and a photo have been posted on the forum.
Thread
UK Privilege and Pain: Why the Medical Humanities Matter
“Katharine Cheston reflects on her own experience of ME and the need for a more caring, curious, and compassionate approach to health research.” Katharine has also been working with Action for ME on their 2025 Big Survey.
Article | Thread
A life Hidden On Gratitude and Grief
A beautifully written blog post with poem by Naomi Whittingham who has suffered from ME since 1990
"The ability to balance great sorrow alongside genuine joy, while not allowing one to overwhelm the other, is perhaps one of the most important learnings of being human."
Article l Thread
.............
Fundraising
David Tuller's Trial by Error Fall 2025
New fundraising to secure David Tuller's important work reporting on ME/CFS, Long Covid, MUS and much more, via his position at Berkeley University till June 2026. The aim is to raise $68 000 US by November 7th.
Fundraising l Thread
.............
Coming events
ICanCME Canadian Collaborative Conference on ME: Nothing About Us Without US
Three half day sessions, November 4-6, from 1 to 5 PM Eastern Time.
Announcement | Registration | Thread
UK NIHR/MRC Showcase event for post acute infection conditions research
“The NIHR and MRC are hosting a research showcase event for post-acute infection conditions research, including ME/CFS and long COVID”
This is scheduled to take place on Thurs 6th Nov between 10am and 4:30pm in London. Virtual/online places are also available. Topics will include patient priorities, showcasing established research findings and early career researchers, as well as views from industry, charities and funders and next steps for research.
Website | Thread
............
Resources
World ME Alliance Medical Education Hub
A pilot version of a Medical Education Hub developed by World ME Alliance. "designed to guide healthcare professionals to reliable, evidence-based resourced on ME/CFS. Over time, we aim to further develop and expand the hub, making it as clear, user-friendly, and accessible as possible across different languages and levels of cognitive impairment."
Website l Thread
.............
Research news
Psychology's Quiet Conservatism
ME/CFS researcher and psychologist Brian Hughes has a new book out called "Psychology's Quiet Conservatism". Chapters 14 and 21 include sections on Long Covid and ME/CFS, such as an account of the new NICE guideline and the politics of the biopsychosocial model.
Book | Thread
.............
Research
ME/CFS research
HLA and pathogens in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) and other post-infection conditions — Georgopoulos et al.
"we determined in silico the predicted binding affinity of two susceptibility alleles (C*07:04, DQB1*03:03) and two protective alleles (B*08:01, DPB1*02:01)" "We found that the 2 ME/CFS susceptibility HLA alleles above had very weak binding with SARS-CoV-2 virus glycoprotein (involved in Long COVID) and 5 proteins of Borrelia burgdorferi (involved in PTLDS), in contrast to the ME/CFS protective alleles that showed strong bindings."
Article | Thread
Using the Thermal Power of Light to Affect Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) — Hochecker
"This thesis explores the potential of hyperthermia—an artificially induced elevation of body temperature—as a novel treatment option for ME/CFS."
Thesis | Thread
Low-dose rapamycin alleviates clinical symptoms of fatigue and PEM in ME/CFS patients via improvement of autophagy: a pilot study — Ruan et al.
"We conducted a decentralized, uncontrolled trial of rapamycin in 86 patients with ME/CFS to evaluate its safety and efficacy"
Article | Thread
Functional olfactory impairment and fatigue in post-COVID-19 syndrome including ME/CFS – a longitudinal prospective observational study — Meyer-Arndt et al.
"Both PCS and PCS-ME/CFS patients showed significant improvement in olfactory function, with all patients returning to normosmia after 20 months" "Olfactory impairment correlated with cognitive, physical, and mental performance, with stronger correlations in the PCS group, particularly linking better odor discrimination at baseline to improved daily functioning and health-related quality of life after 20 months."
Article | Thread
A brief, comprehensive measure of post-exertional malaise — Leonard A. Jason and Kelly J. Chee
"In summary, we have crafted a relatively brief questionnaire, based on work that we had previously conducted, to measure the construct known as PEM. We believe that this measure does capture the main domains of PEM, in contrast to our previous work as well as most other scales that have been developed."
Article | Thread
Sex-related cardiometabolic differences in ME/CFS patients — Hofmann et al.
"cardiovascular measurements in this study were obtained after 1 min of standing, in accordance with UKMEB protocols." "Despite these limitations, our findings provide new insights into sex- and posture-related physiological variability in ME/CFS."
Article | Thread
Metabolic reprogramming in diabetes and other endocrine and metabolic disorders: exploring the Warburg effect, ketones, and SGLT2 inhibitors — Carrera-Bastos et al.
"this review reframes chronic metabolic diseases and cellular senescence as conditions marked by a conserved, maladaptive shift in cellular metabolism."
Article | Thread
ME/CFS as a sickness behaviour-like response to HSV-1 infection within the brain: A hypothesis — Campbell
Article | Thread
Long Covid research
Effectiveness of Colchicine for the Treatment of Long COVID: A Randomized Clinical Trial — Abhinav Bassi et al.
"among adults with long COVID, colchicine did not improve functional capacity, respiratory function, or inflammatory markers."
Article | Thread
Post-COVID syndrome patients show reduced anti-Spike antibodies compared to COVID-recovered controls, but enhanced IgG4/IgG1 switch after the third vaccine dose — Rossi et al.
"post-COVID patients produce increased levels of IgG against the Nucleocapsid but low levels of IgG anti-FLSpike, while the IgG1 response to the SARS-CoV-2 RBD is conserved." "The clear response to the Nucleocapsid detected would agree with the increasingly supported hypothesis of the persistence of the SARS-CoV-2 in at least some PC-afflicted individuals."
Article | Thread
Urinary Peptidomic Profiling in Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 Infection: A Case-Control Study — Dilara Gülmez et al.
"we present a PASC-specific urinary peptidome profile that revealed cross-sectional variations in collagen homeostasis, inflammatory responses, and hemostatic processes that are distinct from non-COVID-19 ME/CFS and healthy controls"
Preprint | Thread
Neuropsychiatric sequelae in an experimental model of post-COVID syndrome in mice — Pimenta et al.
Article | Thread
...........
S4ME social media: Forum, Mastodon, Bluesky
Last edited by a moderator:
Week beginning 27th October 2025
Part 1 of 2 parts
News, advocacy and articles
The Tyee This Physicist Says We Don't Take COVID Seriously Enough
A thorough article with interview with MIT-researcher Yaneer Bar-Yam and a summary of the many harms Covid infections may cause and what preventative measures that should be taken .
“The fight in the big pandemic public health story,” says Bar-Yam, “has moved from proving COVID is airborne to building a public health system that acts like it.”
Article l Thread
USA - Bateman Horne Center "Orthostatic Intolerance: Clinic Assessment and Treatment"
This video presentation by Dr. Batemen talks about identifying and managing orthostatic intolerance, a condition which is common in ME/CFS and Long Covid patients.
Video | Thread
France
Two new initiatives have been taken in France. First there is a new website with the goal of informing people about ME/CFS: https://comprendrelem.fr/. Second, a new association has been founded: AFEMISE (Association Française de l'Encéphalomyélite Myalgique et des Intolérances Systémiques à L'Effort).
Article | Thread
USA - PANDORA (Patient Alliance for Neuroendocrineimmune Diseases Organization for Research and Advocacy) has announced that it will officially dissolve.
Announcement (Facebook) | Thread
UK British Psychological Society Update on ME/CFS Guidelines
An update the development of Good Practice Guidelines for working with people with ME/CFS was sent to people who took part in an earlier survey.
“In this update, we introduce some of the people working on the guidelines — including psychologists and Experts by Experience. You’ll also find details about our next steps as we move towards completing the first full draft.”
Thread
............
Fundraising
David Tuller's Trial by Error Fall 2025
Last week of the fundraising to secure David Tuller's important work reporting on ME/CFS, Long Covid, MUS and much more, via his position at Berkeley University till June 2026. The aim is to raise $68 000 US by November 7th.
Fundraising l Thread
...........
Research news
Talks from a ME/CFS and Long Covid conference in Sweden last month are available. The conference was organised by the Swedish ME Association (RME) and the Swedish Covid Association. Talks are from Kerstin Heiling, Lisa Noreen, Michaela Hollis, Lotta Svensson, Åsa Kristoferson Hedlund, Gunnar Gottschalk, Jonas Bergquist, David Systrom and Klaus Wirth.
Website l Thread
#MEAction "2nd Annual RECOVER-TLC Research Workshop: A summary"
Discussion of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) 2025 RECOVER-TLC Workshop. A recording of the full workshop is available online.
Article | Video playlist | Thread
WE&ME Foundation
In collaboration with WWTF (a big non-profit in Vienna dedicated to science), the WE&ME has created ME/CFS fellowships: 6-month research stays with funding of up to € 40,000. The call is aimed at young researchers in the ME/CFS field who would like to complete a six-month research stay at a research institution abroad. The deadline for applying is February 3 2026.
Article | Thread
The Sick Times "We need more at-home clinical trials for Long COVID. Here’s how we designed the largest one yet."
Article about the fully remote clinical research study (US residents only) for Long Covid patients. The study will analyze whether the drug tirzepatide can help reduce symptoms.
Article | Register for trial | Thread
HealthRising interviews Steve Gardner from PrecisionLife
The interview covers why and how the company got involved in ME/CFS research, their approach and goals and some details of partnerships and trials. Their analysis of the DecodeME data is also discussed with the expectation of a preprint with the results to be released in the coming weeks.
Website | Thread
Medscape
Miriam Tucker gives a summary of several research presentations at the IACFS/ME meeting in her article titled: "No Evidence Supports Using Graded Exercise for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome"
Article | Thread
UK ME Association LDN clinical trial progress update
The MEA provided an update on the clinical trial investigating low dose naltrexone (LDN) which they are helping to fund. Details covered included ongoing recruitment numbers and what stage people were at in the trial protocol. The aim is to complete recruitment by October 2025 and all participant activities by mid-February 2026.
Website | Thread
...........
Go to the next post for the research section
Part 1 of 2 parts
News, advocacy and articles
The Tyee This Physicist Says We Don't Take COVID Seriously Enough
A thorough article with interview with MIT-researcher Yaneer Bar-Yam and a summary of the many harms Covid infections may cause and what preventative measures that should be taken .
“The fight in the big pandemic public health story,” says Bar-Yam, “has moved from proving COVID is airborne to building a public health system that acts like it.”
Article l Thread
USA - Bateman Horne Center "Orthostatic Intolerance: Clinic Assessment and Treatment"
This video presentation by Dr. Batemen talks about identifying and managing orthostatic intolerance, a condition which is common in ME/CFS and Long Covid patients.
Video | Thread
France
Two new initiatives have been taken in France. First there is a new website with the goal of informing people about ME/CFS: https://comprendrelem.fr/. Second, a new association has been founded: AFEMISE (Association Française de l'Encéphalomyélite Myalgique et des Intolérances Systémiques à L'Effort).
Article | Thread
USA - PANDORA (Patient Alliance for Neuroendocrineimmune Diseases Organization for Research and Advocacy) has announced that it will officially dissolve.
Announcement (Facebook) | Thread
UK British Psychological Society Update on ME/CFS Guidelines
An update the development of Good Practice Guidelines for working with people with ME/CFS was sent to people who took part in an earlier survey.
“In this update, we introduce some of the people working on the guidelines — including psychologists and Experts by Experience. You’ll also find details about our next steps as we move towards completing the first full draft.”
Thread
............
Fundraising
David Tuller's Trial by Error Fall 2025
Last week of the fundraising to secure David Tuller's important work reporting on ME/CFS, Long Covid, MUS and much more, via his position at Berkeley University till June 2026. The aim is to raise $68 000 US by November 7th.
Fundraising l Thread
...........
Research news
Talks from a ME/CFS and Long Covid conference in Sweden last month are available. The conference was organised by the Swedish ME Association (RME) and the Swedish Covid Association. Talks are from Kerstin Heiling, Lisa Noreen, Michaela Hollis, Lotta Svensson, Åsa Kristoferson Hedlund, Gunnar Gottschalk, Jonas Bergquist, David Systrom and Klaus Wirth.
Website l Thread
#MEAction "2nd Annual RECOVER-TLC Research Workshop: A summary"
Discussion of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) 2025 RECOVER-TLC Workshop. A recording of the full workshop is available online.
Article | Video playlist | Thread
WE&ME Foundation
In collaboration with WWTF (a big non-profit in Vienna dedicated to science), the WE&ME has created ME/CFS fellowships: 6-month research stays with funding of up to € 40,000. The call is aimed at young researchers in the ME/CFS field who would like to complete a six-month research stay at a research institution abroad. The deadline for applying is February 3 2026.
Article | Thread
The Sick Times "We need more at-home clinical trials for Long COVID. Here’s how we designed the largest one yet."
Article about the fully remote clinical research study (US residents only) for Long Covid patients. The study will analyze whether the drug tirzepatide can help reduce symptoms.
Article | Register for trial | Thread
HealthRising interviews Steve Gardner from PrecisionLife
The interview covers why and how the company got involved in ME/CFS research, their approach and goals and some details of partnerships and trials. Their analysis of the DecodeME data is also discussed with the expectation of a preprint with the results to be released in the coming weeks.
Website | Thread
Medscape
Miriam Tucker gives a summary of several research presentations at the IACFS/ME meeting in her article titled: "No Evidence Supports Using Graded Exercise for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome"
Article | Thread
UK ME Association LDN clinical trial progress update
The MEA provided an update on the clinical trial investigating low dose naltrexone (LDN) which they are helping to fund. Details covered included ongoing recruitment numbers and what stage people were at in the trial protocol. The aim is to complete recruitment by October 2025 and all participant activities by mid-February 2026.
Website | Thread
...........
Go to the next post for the research section
Week beginning 27th October 2025
Part 2 of 2
Research
ME/CFS research
Development and content validity of the [Clinical] Needs Assessment for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (CNAME) — Sarah F Tyson et al.
"Although, a new concept in the ME/CFS community, the notion of needs assessment is well established in other areas of health and social care, to the extent that the UK Care Quality Commission lists assessment of patients’ needs as a core competency for health care professionals and clinical services."
Preprint | Thread
The Relationship Between Hemodynamic Responses During Head-Up Tilt Testing and Parameters of Infection in Post-COVID Syndrome, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and Late-Stage Lyme Disease — Milovanovic et al.
"findings support the hypothesis that ANS dysfunction in post-infectious syndromes may be driven by persistent or prior infections"
Article | Thread
Blood Flow to the Head in a Person With Myalgic Encephalomyelitis Experiencing Postexertional Malaise: A Case Report — Christian et al.
Article | Thread
Fatigue: a common but poorly understood symptom in neurological and non-neurological diseases — Penner et al.
"The lack of a unifying definition across diseases hinders the development of objective assessment tools, which in turn complicates research into pathological mechanisms, biomarkers and therapy. In this Review, we propose a unifying taxonomy to facilitate precise diagnosis and monitoring, clearer communication across disciplines and, ultimately, the development of tailored interventions."
Article | Thread
The Gut–Brain–Immune Axis in Environmental Sensitivity Illnesses: Microbiome-Centered Narrative Review of Fibromyalgia Syndrome, Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and Multiple Chemical Sensitivity — Watai et al.
"This review synthesizes current knowledge on microbiome alterations in FMS, ME/CFS, and MCS, emphasizing their convergence on metabolic and immune pathways."
Article | Thread
Experiences and challenges of staying employed with chronic fatigue syndrome — Surendran and Jose
"Together, these findings add to a growing body of research that positions ME/CFS not just as a physical health condition, but as a deeply disruptive force that intersects with identity, communication, and institutional norms."
Article | Thread
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Moral Exploration of Illness and Accountability — Jennifer McMurray
"The historical and contemporary understanding of CFS has been deeply influenced by societal attitudes, cultural beliefs, and scientific frameworks. From its early associations with neurasthenia and hysteria to its currentre cognition as a complex and debilitating condition, CFS has been shaped by evolving perceptions of health, morality, and personal accountability."
Article | Thread
Medicalisation, de-medicalisation and stigma: an investigation into the ethical purposes of disease designation — Mary Jean Walker and Wendy Rogers
"While biological explainability and dysfunction can work to block some drivers of stigma and reduce attributions of blame, they can also drive stigma in other ways via labelling, encouraging essentialist thinking and implying that a condition should be negatively evaluated."
Article | Thread
Long Covid research
Blood diagnostic biomarkers for neurologic manifestations of long COVID — Padhye et al.
"Among the statistically significantly altered proteins between NeuroPASC subjects and CC and/or HC, the majority are involved in platelet, viral, immunological pathways of B-cell which can be the source of IL1 inflammation, TGF-β signaling, and complement."
Article | Thread
scRNA-seq reveals persistent aberrant differentiation of nasal epithelium driven by TNFα and TGFβ in post-COVID syndrome — Reddy et al.
"Here, we show that a severe post-COVID syndrome (PCS) phenotype is characterized by immune-mediated damage to the nasal epithelium, occurring independently of viral persistence." "in severe PCS, basal proliferating cells feature a TGFβ-driven response, with myeloid cells maintaining an inflammatory profile. This inflammation is triggered through MIF and propagated by TNFα signaling"
Article | Thread
Exploring predictors of post-COVID-19 condition among 810 851 individuals in Sweden — Xu et al.
"we show that preexisting thromboembolic disease, asthma, fibromyalgia, and common mental disorders (depression, anxiety, stress-related disorders) were associated with an increased risk of receiving a diagnosis of PCC in the multivariable model, and that preexisting stroke, dementia, and serious mental disorders (bipolar disorder, schizophrenia) were associated with a decreased risk."
Article | Thread
Immunological associations in post-infective fatigue syndromes including Long COVID—a systematic review and meta-analysis — Ruud P.H. Raijmakers et al.
"only the WBC count, as well as circulating levels of RANTES and TNFα were significantly increased in PIFS cases compared to recovered control participants but only in a small number of studies and at selected timepoints. These findings generally support our hypothesis that PIFS is associated with persistent immune activation."
Article | Thread
Baseline Dysregulation in B, T, and NK Cells in COVID-19 Predicts Increased Late Mortality but Not Long-COVID Symptoms: Results from a Single-Center Observational Study — Matyja-Bednarczyk et al.
"no significant differences were observed in baseline immune profiles between patients who developed long-COVID symptoms and those who did not."
Article | Thread
Evaluating the risk and risk factors of dysautonomia as a post-acute sequelae of COVID-19: a secondary analysis of a matched case–control dataset — Pierson et al.
A matched case control study of 1.37 million US active duty service members. "comorbid depression and anxiety were associated with development of PASC dysautonomia among those diagnosed with COVID-19. Interestingly, we found those with PASC dysautonomia were less likely to have these comorbid conditions as compared to those with non-PASC dysautonomia."
Article | Thread
Characterizing post-COVID-19 syndrome in multiple sclerosis: Vaccine status, infection burden, and therapy categories as predictors — Deepak Sharma et al.
"Of 107 participants, 7 (6.5%) reported PCS." "the incidence of post-COVID-19 syndrome (PCS) was lower than expected compared to the general population but demonstrated a symptom profile consistent with that described in the general population"
Article | Thread
SARS-CoV-2 spike-specific IgG4 class switching associates with clinical recovery in Long COVID — Kaori Sano et al.
"Analysis of quartile combinations revealed that patients with low S-IgG1% combined with high S-IgG4%—indicative of enhanced S-IgG4 class switching—achieved 66.7% improvement versus 40.5% in other patterns (p=0.031)."
Article | Thread
A Multidimensional Assessment of Sleep Disorders in Long COVID Using the Alliance Sleep Questionnaire — Wilson et al.
"This study adds to the nascent literature on Long COVID sleep issues and indicates that a significant proportion of long COVID patients may experience sleep disturbances." "Further research is needed regarding understudied sleep issues in long COVID, including parasomnia activity, restless legs, extreme circadian phenotypes, and sleep-related breathing disturbances."
Article | Thread
Prevalence and duration of clinical symptoms of pediatric long COVID: findings from a one-year prospective study — Perestiuk et al.
"Overall, 32.5% of all participants continued to experience symptoms of long COVID more than one year after their initial illness. The results confirm the development of long COVID in pediatric patients of all ages, regardless of the severity and course of the acute illness."
Article | Thread
Persistent neurological sequelae in children and adolescents after SARS-CoV-2: a scoping review — Mallouli et al.
"Our results demonstrate a considerable burden of COVID-19-related persistent neurological signs/symptoms in children and adolescents, which should be taken into consideration in healthcare decision-making."
Article | Thread
Pre-pandemic disease trajectories and genetic insights into long COVID susceptibility — Blay et al.
"Although direct genetic overlap is limited, polygenic risk scores for neurological and musculoskeletal disorders suggest indirect genetic influences."
Article | Thread
“I Put a Lot of Emphasis on Work Because I Want to Keep My Job”: A Population-Based Interview Study of Long Covid and Employment Changes in England — Viveka Guzmán et al.
"Heterogeneous symptom presentations meant that some participants were completely unable to sustain employment, while others faced increased work instability as fluctuating symptoms misaligned with job demands."
Article | Thread
Schizophrenia, Bipolar, or Major Depressive Disorder and Postacute Sequelae of COVID-19 — Veer Vekaria et al.
"A total of 1 625 857 patients with a COVID-19 infection were included" "patients with [Serious Mental Illness] compared with those without SMI were at increased risk of PASC"
Article | Thread
Co-occurrence of memory impairment and fatigue distinguishes post COVID from pandemic-related health effects in the 4-year CON-VINCE cohort study — Martins Conde et al.
Article | Thread
Optimising and beta-testing a user-centred, accessible, self-management rehabilitation smartphone app (reCOVer) for long-COVID fatigue using qualitative interview methods — J. L. McCready et al.
"The second core component of the reCOVer app, the goal-setting tool, was not well-received by some participants in this study. This rehabilitation tool is recommended by NHS England as part of the national post-COVID-19 syndrome pathway and is designed to support behaviour change by empowering individuals to maintain or improve the management of their own physical, psychological or social health."
Article | Thread
...........
S4ME social media: Forum, Mastodon, Bluesky
Part 2 of 2
Research
ME/CFS research
Development and content validity of the [Clinical] Needs Assessment for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (CNAME) — Sarah F Tyson et al.
"Although, a new concept in the ME/CFS community, the notion of needs assessment is well established in other areas of health and social care, to the extent that the UK Care Quality Commission lists assessment of patients’ needs as a core competency for health care professionals and clinical services."
Preprint | Thread
The Relationship Between Hemodynamic Responses During Head-Up Tilt Testing and Parameters of Infection in Post-COVID Syndrome, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and Late-Stage Lyme Disease — Milovanovic et al.
"findings support the hypothesis that ANS dysfunction in post-infectious syndromes may be driven by persistent or prior infections"
Article | Thread
Blood Flow to the Head in a Person With Myalgic Encephalomyelitis Experiencing Postexertional Malaise: A Case Report — Christian et al.
Article | Thread
Fatigue: a common but poorly understood symptom in neurological and non-neurological diseases — Penner et al.
"The lack of a unifying definition across diseases hinders the development of objective assessment tools, which in turn complicates research into pathological mechanisms, biomarkers and therapy. In this Review, we propose a unifying taxonomy to facilitate precise diagnosis and monitoring, clearer communication across disciplines and, ultimately, the development of tailored interventions."
Article | Thread
The Gut–Brain–Immune Axis in Environmental Sensitivity Illnesses: Microbiome-Centered Narrative Review of Fibromyalgia Syndrome, Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and Multiple Chemical Sensitivity — Watai et al.
"This review synthesizes current knowledge on microbiome alterations in FMS, ME/CFS, and MCS, emphasizing their convergence on metabolic and immune pathways."
Article | Thread
Experiences and challenges of staying employed with chronic fatigue syndrome — Surendran and Jose
"Together, these findings add to a growing body of research that positions ME/CFS not just as a physical health condition, but as a deeply disruptive force that intersects with identity, communication, and institutional norms."
Article | Thread
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Moral Exploration of Illness and Accountability — Jennifer McMurray
"The historical and contemporary understanding of CFS has been deeply influenced by societal attitudes, cultural beliefs, and scientific frameworks. From its early associations with neurasthenia and hysteria to its currentre cognition as a complex and debilitating condition, CFS has been shaped by evolving perceptions of health, morality, and personal accountability."
Article | Thread
Medicalisation, de-medicalisation and stigma: an investigation into the ethical purposes of disease designation — Mary Jean Walker and Wendy Rogers
"While biological explainability and dysfunction can work to block some drivers of stigma and reduce attributions of blame, they can also drive stigma in other ways via labelling, encouraging essentialist thinking and implying that a condition should be negatively evaluated."
Article | Thread
Long Covid research
Blood diagnostic biomarkers for neurologic manifestations of long COVID — Padhye et al.
"Among the statistically significantly altered proteins between NeuroPASC subjects and CC and/or HC, the majority are involved in platelet, viral, immunological pathways of B-cell which can be the source of IL1 inflammation, TGF-β signaling, and complement."
Article | Thread
scRNA-seq reveals persistent aberrant differentiation of nasal epithelium driven by TNFα and TGFβ in post-COVID syndrome — Reddy et al.
"Here, we show that a severe post-COVID syndrome (PCS) phenotype is characterized by immune-mediated damage to the nasal epithelium, occurring independently of viral persistence." "in severe PCS, basal proliferating cells feature a TGFβ-driven response, with myeloid cells maintaining an inflammatory profile. This inflammation is triggered through MIF and propagated by TNFα signaling"
Article | Thread
Exploring predictors of post-COVID-19 condition among 810 851 individuals in Sweden — Xu et al.
"we show that preexisting thromboembolic disease, asthma, fibromyalgia, and common mental disorders (depression, anxiety, stress-related disorders) were associated with an increased risk of receiving a diagnosis of PCC in the multivariable model, and that preexisting stroke, dementia, and serious mental disorders (bipolar disorder, schizophrenia) were associated with a decreased risk."
Article | Thread
Immunological associations in post-infective fatigue syndromes including Long COVID—a systematic review and meta-analysis — Ruud P.H. Raijmakers et al.
"only the WBC count, as well as circulating levels of RANTES and TNFα were significantly increased in PIFS cases compared to recovered control participants but only in a small number of studies and at selected timepoints. These findings generally support our hypothesis that PIFS is associated with persistent immune activation."
Article | Thread
Baseline Dysregulation in B, T, and NK Cells in COVID-19 Predicts Increased Late Mortality but Not Long-COVID Symptoms: Results from a Single-Center Observational Study — Matyja-Bednarczyk et al.
"no significant differences were observed in baseline immune profiles between patients who developed long-COVID symptoms and those who did not."
Article | Thread
Evaluating the risk and risk factors of dysautonomia as a post-acute sequelae of COVID-19: a secondary analysis of a matched case–control dataset — Pierson et al.
A matched case control study of 1.37 million US active duty service members. "comorbid depression and anxiety were associated with development of PASC dysautonomia among those diagnosed with COVID-19. Interestingly, we found those with PASC dysautonomia were less likely to have these comorbid conditions as compared to those with non-PASC dysautonomia."
Article | Thread
Characterizing post-COVID-19 syndrome in multiple sclerosis: Vaccine status, infection burden, and therapy categories as predictors — Deepak Sharma et al.
"Of 107 participants, 7 (6.5%) reported PCS." "the incidence of post-COVID-19 syndrome (PCS) was lower than expected compared to the general population but demonstrated a symptom profile consistent with that described in the general population"
Article | Thread
SARS-CoV-2 spike-specific IgG4 class switching associates with clinical recovery in Long COVID — Kaori Sano et al.
"Analysis of quartile combinations revealed that patients with low S-IgG1% combined with high S-IgG4%—indicative of enhanced S-IgG4 class switching—achieved 66.7% improvement versus 40.5% in other patterns (p=0.031)."
Article | Thread
A Multidimensional Assessment of Sleep Disorders in Long COVID Using the Alliance Sleep Questionnaire — Wilson et al.
"This study adds to the nascent literature on Long COVID sleep issues and indicates that a significant proportion of long COVID patients may experience sleep disturbances." "Further research is needed regarding understudied sleep issues in long COVID, including parasomnia activity, restless legs, extreme circadian phenotypes, and sleep-related breathing disturbances."
Article | Thread
Prevalence and duration of clinical symptoms of pediatric long COVID: findings from a one-year prospective study — Perestiuk et al.
"Overall, 32.5% of all participants continued to experience symptoms of long COVID more than one year after their initial illness. The results confirm the development of long COVID in pediatric patients of all ages, regardless of the severity and course of the acute illness."
Article | Thread
Persistent neurological sequelae in children and adolescents after SARS-CoV-2: a scoping review — Mallouli et al.
"Our results demonstrate a considerable burden of COVID-19-related persistent neurological signs/symptoms in children and adolescents, which should be taken into consideration in healthcare decision-making."
Article | Thread
Pre-pandemic disease trajectories and genetic insights into long COVID susceptibility — Blay et al.
"Although direct genetic overlap is limited, polygenic risk scores for neurological and musculoskeletal disorders suggest indirect genetic influences."
Article | Thread
“I Put a Lot of Emphasis on Work Because I Want to Keep My Job”: A Population-Based Interview Study of Long Covid and Employment Changes in England — Viveka Guzmán et al.
"Heterogeneous symptom presentations meant that some participants were completely unable to sustain employment, while others faced increased work instability as fluctuating symptoms misaligned with job demands."
Article | Thread
Schizophrenia, Bipolar, or Major Depressive Disorder and Postacute Sequelae of COVID-19 — Veer Vekaria et al.
"A total of 1 625 857 patients with a COVID-19 infection were included" "patients with [Serious Mental Illness] compared with those without SMI were at increased risk of PASC"
Article | Thread
Co-occurrence of memory impairment and fatigue distinguishes post COVID from pandemic-related health effects in the 4-year CON-VINCE cohort study — Martins Conde et al.
Article | Thread
Optimising and beta-testing a user-centred, accessible, self-management rehabilitation smartphone app (reCOVer) for long-COVID fatigue using qualitative interview methods — J. L. McCready et al.
"The second core component of the reCOVer app, the goal-setting tool, was not well-received by some participants in this study. This rehabilitation tool is recommended by NHS England as part of the national post-COVID-19 syndrome pathway and is designed to support behaviour change by empowering individuals to maintain or improve the management of their own physical, psychological or social health."
Article | Thread
...........
S4ME social media: Forum, Mastodon, Bluesky