A Detoxification Intervention for Gulf War Illness

A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

Bibliographic Data

ID15509494
AuthorsKathleen Kerr (0000-0002-7955-7551, University of Toronto), Gayle Skawennio Morse (0000-0001-6294-964X, University at Albany, State University of New York), Gayle Morse (Department of Psychology, The Sage Colleges, Troy, NY 12180, USA), Donald F Graves (0000-0001-9691-5640, Sage Colleges), Donald Graves (Department of Psychology, The Sage Colleges, Troy, NY 12180, USA), Fei Zuo (0000-0001-8902-1753, St. Michael's Hospital), Alain A Lipowicz (0000-0003-0037-8110, Ministry of Health and Long Term Care), David O Carpenter (0000-0003-4841-394X, University at Albany, State University of New York, corresponding author)
Year2019
Volume16
Issue21
Pages4143-4143
Publication date2019-10-28
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueInternational Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1661-7827 • E-ISSN: 1660-4601
PublisherMultidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (PUBLISHER • CH)
DOI10.3390/ijerph16214143
PMID31661809
OpenAlexW2981889470
LanguageEN
References cited113

Approximately 30% of the 700,000 US veterans of the 1990-1991 Persian Gulf War developed multiple persistent symptoms called Gulf War illness. While the etiology is uncertain, several toxic exposures including pesticides and chemical warfare agents have shown associations. There is no effective medical treatment. An intervention to enhance detoxification developed by Hubbard has improved quality of life and/or reduced body burdens in other cohorts. We evaluated its feasibility and efficacy in ill Gulf War (GW) veterans in a randomized, waitlist-controlled, pilot study at a community-based rehabilitation facility in the United States. Eligible participants ( n = 32) were randomly assigned to the intervention ( n = 22) or a four-week waitlist control ( n = 10). The daily 4-6 week intervention consisted of exercise, sauna-induced sweating, crystalline nicotinic acid and other supplements. Primary outcomes included recruitment, retention and safety; and efficacy was measured via Veteran's Short Form-36 (SF-36) quality of life, McGill pain, multidimensional fatigue inventory questionnaires and neuropsychological batteries. Scoring of outcomes was blinded. All 32 completed the trial and 21 completed 3-month follow-up. Mean SF-36 physical component summary score after the intervention was 6.9 (95% CI; -0.3, 14.2) points higher compared to waitlist control and 11 of 16 quality of life, pain and fatigue measures improved, with no serious adverse events. Most improvements were retained after 3 months. The Hubbard regimen was feasible, safe and might offer relief for symptoms of GW illness

Adverse effect · Intervention (counseling · Physical therapy · Psychiatry · Quality of life (healthcare · Randomized controlled trial · Climate Change and Health Impacts · Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Research · Medicine · Spaceflight effects on biology · Internal Medicine · Rehabilitation

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