Review,
Advancing Research and Treatment: An Overview of Clinical Trials in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) and Future Perspectives
Affiliations
- [1] Quadram Inst Biosci, Norwich Res Pk, Norwich NR4 7UQ, Norfolk, England [NORA names: United Kingdom; Europe, Non-EU; OECD];
- [2] Quadram Inst Biosci, Norwich Res Pk, Norwich NR4 7UQ, Norfolk, England [NORA names: United Kingdom; Europe, Non-EU; OECD];
- [3] Quadram Inst Biosci, Norwich Res Pk, Norwich NR4 7UQ, Norfolk, England [NORA names: United Kingdom; Europe, Non-EU; OECD];
- [4] Max Delbruck Ctr Mol Med, Robert Rossle Str 10, D-13125 Berlin, Germany [NORA names: Germany; Europe, EU; OECD];
- [5] Max Delbruck Ctr Mol Med, Robert Rossle Str 10, D-13125 Berlin, Germany [NORA names: Germany; Europe, EU; OECD];
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Abstract
Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is a chronic, debilitating, and multi-faceted illness. Heterogenous onset and clinical presentation with additional comorbidities make it difficult to diagnose, characterize, and successfully treat. Current treatment guidelines focus on symptom management, but with no clear target or causative mechanism, remission rates are low, and fewer than 5% of patients return to their pre-morbid activity levels. Therefore, there is an urgent need to undertake robust clinical trials to identify effective treatments. This review synthesizes insights from clinical trials exploring pharmacological interventions and dietary supplements targeting immunological, metabolic, gastrointestinal, neurological, and neuroendocrine dysfunction in ME/CFS patients which require further exploration. Additionally, the trialling of alternative interventions in ME/CFS based on reported efficacy in the treatment of illnesses with overlapping symptomology is also discussed. Finally, we provide important considerations and make recommendations, focusing on outcome measures, to ensure the execution of future high-quality clinical trials to establish clinical efficacy of evidence-based interventions that are needed for adoption in clinical practice.