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At least one in four of the nearly 700,000 U.S. veterans of the 1990-1991 Gulf War are affected by Gulf War illness (GWI), the chronic condition currently defined only by veterans self-reported symptoms. Previous studies have identified neurological, inflammatory, endocrine, and hematological measures that significantly distinguish groups of GWI cases from controls. Using state-of-the-art biodiscovery techniques, the present study is designed to identify a biological signature for GWI that can be used clinically as a diagnostic blood test. A multiphase case-control design is used to canvas a broad spectrum of blood analytes in three independent samples of Gulf War veterans. The multiplex assay platform includes a diverse array of cytokines, chemokines, growth factors, hormones, hematological measures, and neurotrophic factors, and provides highly replicable and accurate quantitative values for each analyte. The pattern of analytes whose values most reliably distinguish veterans with GWI from healthy controls in the first two development samples will be assembled, and tested in the third validation sample, to determine the test s sensitivity and specificity for diagnosing GWI and/or identified GWI subgroups. If successful, the availability of an objective test for diagnosing GWI will be immensely beneficial to veterans and their healthcare providers, and provide an important tool for improving research to better understand and treat GWI.

Despite considerable research on health issues affecting the nearly 700,000 U.S. veterans of the 1991 Persian Gulf War, fundamental questions and challenges remain. There is still no widely-accepted case definition for Gulf War illness (GWI) and little current information related to its characteristics. Nor has there been a comprehensive assessment of rates of more familiar diagnosed medical conditions. Gulf War veterans many still looking for answers about unexplained health problems have been anxious to participate in studies, while researchers commonly report enormous difficulty identifying adequate numbers of Gulf War veterans for their studies. This project addresses these challenges with a coordinated research effort. Investigators at Baylor University are using a multifaceted survey research strategy to obtain current information on symptoms and medical conditions from a nationally representative sample of 5,000 1991 Gulf War era veterans. These data will be used to optimize a GWI case definition, based on current symptoms, and to provide insights concerning rates of other medical conditions in Gulf War veterans. Parallel to this effort, the project is inviting a broad national sample of Gulf War era veterans to complete health questionnaires by mail or online, and to participate in the 1991 Veterans Research and Information Network (91VetNet), a national research and information resource for Gulf War era veterans and for investigators., The original document contains color images.

The complex of multiple symptoms known as Gulf War Illness (GWI) continues to affect a substantial number of veterans who served in the 1990-1991 Gulf War. Despite considerable research, the biological processes underlying veterans symptoms have not been clearly elucidated. In order to develop useful diagnostic tests and optimize the search for effective GWI treatments, it is imperative to establish a more definitive and integrated understanding of the pathophysiology of this problem. This study utilizes a case-control design to evaluate diverse biological measures in a single, well-characterized and population-based sample of 130 Gulf War veterans residing in Central Texas. Eighty veterans with GWI are compared to 50 healthy veteran controls in a protocol that includes physical and neuropsychological evaluations, neuroimaging (MRI, fMRI, DTI), adrenal function tests, and diverse immune, inflammatory, and coagulation measures. Statistical analyses will determine which objective measures significantly distinguish GWI cases from controls, and explore the extent to which biological findings are interrelated and are associated with identifiable veteran subgroups. When complete, the study is expected to clarify many of the ambiguities currently associated with GWI and improve understanding of the biological processes that underlie veterans symptoms. This will facilitate efforts to identify useful diagnostic tests and promising treatments.

At least one in four of the nearly 700,000 U.S. veterans of the 1990-1991 Gulf War are affected by Gulf War illness (GWI), the chronic condition currently defined only by veterans self-reported symptoms. Previous studies have identified neurological, inflammatory, endocrine, and hematological measures that significantly distinguish groups of GWI cases from controls. Using state-of-the-art biodiscovery techniques, the present study is designed to identify a biological signature for GWI that can be used clinically as a diagnostic blood test. A multiphase case-control design is used to canvas a broad spectrum of blood analytes in three independent samples of Gulf War veterans. The multiplex assay platform includes a diverse array of cytokines, chemokines, growth factors, hormones, hematological measures, and neurotrophic factors, and provides highly replicable and accurate quantitative values for each analyte. The pattern of analytes whose values most reliably distinguish veterans with GWI from healthy controls in the first two development samples will be assembled, and tested in the third validation sample, to determine the test s sensitivity and specificity for diagnosing GWI and/or identified GWI subgroups. If successful, the availability of an objective test for diagnosing GWI will be immensely beneficial to veterans and their healthcare providers, and provide an important tool for improving research to better understand and treat GWI., The original document contains color images.

The complex of multiple symptoms known as Gulf War Illness (GWI) continues to affect a substantial number of veterans who served in the 1990-1991 Gulf War. Despite considerable research, the biological processes underlying veterans symptoms have not been clearly elucidated. In order to develop useful diagnostic tests and optimize the search for effective GWI treatments, it is imperative to establish a more definitive and integrated understanding of the pathophysiology of this problem. This study utilizes a case-control design to evaluate diverse biological measures in a single, well-characterized and population-based sample of 130 Gulf War veterans residing in Central Texas. Eighty veterans with GWI are compared to 50 healthy veteran controls in a protocol that includes physical and neuropsychological evaluations, neuroimaging (MRI, fMRI, DTI), adrenal function tests, and diverse immune, inflammatory, and coagulation measures. Statistical analyses will determine which objective measures significantly distinguish GWI cases from controls, and explore the extent to which biological findings are interrelated or are associated with identifiable veteran subgroups. Data collection has not yet begun, as we finalize the process of obtaining regulatory approvals. When complete, the study is expected to clarify many of the ambiguities currently associated with GWI and improve understanding of the biological processes that underlie veterans symptoms. This will facilitate efforts to identify useful diagnostic tests and promising treatments.

Despite considerable research on health issues affecting U.S. veterans of the 199 0-1991 Persian Gulf War, fundamental questions remain about the health consequences of military service in that conflict. The hallmark health problem associated with 1991 Gulf War military service has been Gulf War illness (GWI), the complex of undiagnosed symptoms that have persisted, for many veterans, for over 20 years. Studies indicate that at least one in four veterans are affected by a generally consistent pattern of excess symptoms, variously defined, that is not attributable to established medical or psychiatric diagnoses, and not explain ed by clinical diagnostic tests. This problem has long been the focus of scientific studies, Congressional inquiries, media reports, and scientific panels., The original document contains color images.

The complex of multiple symptoms known as Gulf War Illness (GWI) continues to affect a substantial number of veterans who served in the 1990-1991 Gulf War. Despite considerable research, the biological processes underlying veterans symptoms have not been clearly elucidated. In order to develop useful diagnostic tests and optimize the search for effective GWI treatments, it is imperative to establish a more definitive and integrated understanding of the pathophysiology of this problem. This study utilizes a case-control design to evaluate diverse biological measures in a single, well-characterized sample of 130 Gulf War veterans. Eighty veterans with GWI are compared to 50 healthy veteran controls in a protocol that includes physical and neuropsychological evaluations, neuroimaging (MRI, fMRI, DTI), adrenal function tests, and diverse immune, inflammatory, and coagulation measures. Statistical analyses will determine which objective measures significantly distinguish GWI cases from controls, and explore the extent to which biological findings are interrelated or are associated with identifiable veteran subgroups. Data collection has not yet begun, as we finalize the process of obtaining regulatory approvals. When complete, the study is expected to clarify many of the ambiguities currently associated with GWI and improve understanding of the biological processes that underlie veterans symptoms. This will facilitate efforts to identify useful diagnostic tests and promising treatments., The original document contains color images.