Incidence age is bimodal for myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome, with higher severity burden for early onset disease.

Simon J McGrath, Charles B Hillier, Joshua J Dibble, Trude Schei, Arild Angelsen, Audrey A Ryback

Abstract read

In one paragraph

Article in Oxford open immunology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it

0cells of the map it votes in

0citing papers in PubMed

–field-weighted citation impact

1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Simon J McGrathc/o Action for ME, Unit 2.2 Streamline, 436-441 Paintworks, Bristol, BS4 3AS, United Kingdom.

Charles B Hillierc/o Action for ME, Unit 2.2 Streamline, 436-441 Paintworks, Bristol, BS4 3AS, United Kingdom.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8885-7065

Joshua J DibbleMRC Human Genetics Unit, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, EH4 2XU, United Kingdom.

Trude ScheiNorwegian ME Association, Nedre Slottsgate 4 M, 0157, Oslo, Norway.

Arild AngelsenSchool of Economics and Business, Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), PO Box 5003, 1432, Ås, Norway.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6037-6849

Audrey A RybackMRC Human Genetics Unit, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, EH4 2XU, United Kingdom.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0008-2248-2131

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS), is a disease of uncertain origin. Studies of Norwegian health records have suggested that ME/CFS incidence across age groups is bimodal-a characteristic that could provide insight into the aetiology of the disease. Here, we analysed survey data from over 9000 respondents with ME/CFS from 10 European countries, and observe an early onset peak with a mean of 16.0 years old (standard deviation [SD]: 4.3) and a late onset peak at 36.6 years old (SD: 10.5). Statistical support for multimodal onset age was evident in 7 of the 10 countries examined. Infection as a trigger for ME/CFS was 10 percentage points higher among early compared to late onset disease (

Indexed as

age at onsetbimodal onset agechronic fatigue syndromedisease severityepidemiologyglandular feverinfectious mononucleosisinfectious triggersmyalgic encephalomyelitismyalgic encephalomyelitis / chronic fatigue syndrome

Identifiers

PMID41983041

DOI10.1093/oxfimm/iqag007

PMCPMC13070794

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY

Read underepoch 390

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.