Participate in research

Through this website, you can register for research on ME/CFS and other post-acute infection syndromes (PAIS).

For the study, you will visit Amsterdam UMC or Radboud UMC in Nijmegen. If you are unable to travel to the hospital, a home visit may sometimes be possible.

If you live more than 65 km from the hospital, we may invite you to participate at a later stage. If you are willing to travel more than 65 km, please let us know.

How does the study work?

Below, the study process is explained in five steps. If you still have questions afterwards or if any information is missing, please feel free to contact us. You can also visit the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section.

Step 1: Can I participate?

To determine whether you are eligible to participate, we ask you to complete a questionnaire. In this questionnaire, we look at several criteria, including the following:

For patients:

You live in the Netherlands and speak Dutch
You are between 18 and 65 years old
Your BMI is <40
You are not pregnant and have not breastfed in the past 12 months
You have been diagnosed by a physician with ME/CFS, post-COVID, Q fever, chronic Lyme disease, or multiple sclerosis
You do not have another serious medical condition
You are not using medication that suppresses the immune system

For healthy participants (control group):

You are healthy and do not have a serious medical condition (control group)

Step 2: A nurse will contact you

If you are eligible to participate, we will contact you by phone to schedule an appointment with the research nurse. During this call, you will receive more information about the study and have the opportunity to ask questions.

Do you still wish to participate? We will schedule your study visit.

Step 3: Questionnaire and fecal sampling

After the call and before your visit, the research nurse will send you three things:

1) An email with a link to an online questionnaire about your symptoms. You can complete this questionnaire at your own pace.

2) A consent form for for the study will be included in the same e-mail. Please read this carefully

3) A sample kit by post to collect a stool sample

Step 4: The visit

After this, it will be time for your visit to the hospital. The research nurse you spoke with will perform several measurements to assess your health and will also take a blood sample.

If you are unable to travel, the research nurse can visit you at home. During a home visit, not all measurements will be performed; the procedures will be adjusted to your capabilities.