Persian Gulf Syndrome (Gulf War Syndrome)

Unexplained symptoms reported by veterans of the Persian Gulf War with Iraq in 1991. The symptoms reported include fatigue, skin rash, muscle and joint pain, headaches, loss of memory, shortness of breath, gastrointestinal and respiratory symptoms, and extreme sensitivity to commonly occurring chemicals. (Nature 1994 May 5;369(6475):8)

Also Known As:

Gulf War Syndrome; Syndrome, Gulf War; Syndrome, Persian Gulf

Networked: 71 relevant articles (1 outcomes, 3 trials/studies)

Relationship Network

Disease Context: Research Results

Related Diseases

1.	Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (Lou Gehrig's Disease)
2.	Alzheimer Disease (Alzheimer's Disease)
3.	Parkinson Disease (Parkinson's Disease)
4.	Multiple Sclerosis
5.	Huntington Disease (Huntington's Disease)

Experts

1.	Staines, Donald R: 4 articles (01/2005 - 01/2004)
2.	Jara, Luis J: 2 articles (04/2013 - 04/2013)
3.	Shoenfeld, Yehuda: 2 articles (04/2013 - 10/2008)
4.	Staines, Donald: 2 articles (01/2005 - 01/2005)
5.	Henderson, Rogene F: 2 articles (10/2002 - 10/2002)
6.	Abou-Donia, Mohamed B: 2 articles (08/2002 - 03/2002)
7.	Haley, R W: 2 articles (06/2001 - 09/2000)
8.	Petty, F: 2 articles (06/2001 - 09/2000)
9.	Bothe, Stefanie Nicole: 1 article (10/2021)
10.	Lampert, Angelika: 1 article (10/2021)

Drugs and Biologics

Drugs and Important Biological Agents (IBA) related to Persian Gulf Syndrome:

1.	Pyridostigmine Bromide (Pyridostigmine)FDA LinkGeneric 09/01/1998 - "Pyridostigmine bromide and Gulf War syndrome." 09/01/2010 - "Exposure to the reversible cholinesterase inhibitor, pyridostigmine bromide (PB), in conjunction with stress, has been suggested as a possible cause of Gulf War Syndrome. " 01/01/2005 - "Do vasoactive neuropeptide autoimmune disorders explain pyridostigmine's association with Gulf War syndrome?" 09/01/1998 - "It is suggested that research on genotype/phenotype of acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase may help to discover the role of pyridostigmine bromide in the cause of Gulf War Syndrome." 08/01/2002 - "We investigated the effects of a combined exposure to restraint stress and low doses of chemicals pyridostigmine bromide (PB), N, N-diethyl-m-toluamide (DEET), and permethrin in adult male rats, a model of Gulf-War syndrome. "
2.	ButyrylcholinesteraseIBA 09/01/1998 - "It is suggested that research on genotype/phenotype of acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase may help to discover the role of pyridostigmine bromide in the cause of Gulf War Syndrome."
3.	AcetylcholinesteraseIBA 09/01/1998 - "It is suggested that research on genotype/phenotype of acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase may help to discover the role of pyridostigmine bromide in the cause of Gulf War Syndrome."
4.	Permethrin (Ambush)FDA LinkGeneric 09/01/1999 - "Permethrin and the Gulf War Syndrome." 06/01/1997 - "Simultaneous exposure to DEET and permethrin was recently proposed to be associated with the "Gulf War Syndrome." However, no studies have reported the percutaneous absorption of DEET and permethrin when applied simultaneously to the skin as a mixture, the relevant route of exposure in the Persian Gulf. " 08/01/2002 - "We investigated the effects of a combined exposure to restraint stress and low doses of chemicals pyridostigmine bromide (PB), N, N-diethyl-m-toluamide (DEET), and permethrin in adult male rats, a model of Gulf-War syndrome. " 04/01/2000 - "Interactions of pyridostigmine bromide (PB), permethrin (PERM), and the insect repellent DEET (DEET) have been suggested as possible causes of Gulf War Syndrome (GWS) in humans. " 06/15/2002 - "The cause of the Gulf War Syndrome may be related to soldiers being exposed to insecticides (e.g., permethrin (P)), insect repellents (e.g., N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide (DEET)), an organophosphate nerve agent simulant (e.g., diisopropyl fluorpohosphate (DFP)), and/or prophylactic treatment (e.g., pyridostigmine bromide (PB)) against potential nerve gas attacks. "
5.	DEET (DET)IBA 06/01/1997 - "Simultaneous exposure to DEET and permethrin was recently proposed to be associated with the "Gulf War Syndrome." However, no studies have reported the percutaneous absorption of DEET and permethrin when applied simultaneously to the skin as a mixture, the relevant route of exposure in the Persian Gulf. " 08/01/2002 - "We investigated the effects of a combined exposure to restraint stress and low doses of chemicals pyridostigmine bromide (PB), N, N-diethyl-m-toluamide (DEET), and permethrin in adult male rats, a model of Gulf-War syndrome. " 04/01/2000 - "Interactions of pyridostigmine bromide (PB), permethrin (PERM), and the insect repellent DEET (DEET) have been suggested as possible causes of Gulf War Syndrome (GWS) in humans. " 06/15/2002 - "The cause of the Gulf War Syndrome may be related to soldiers being exposed to insecticides (e.g., permethrin (P)), insect repellents (e.g., N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide (DEET)), an organophosphate nerve agent simulant (e.g., diisopropyl fluorpohosphate (DFP)), and/or prophylactic treatment (e.g., pyridostigmine bromide (PB)) against potential nerve gas attacks. "
6.	CytokinesIBA 11/01/1999 - "The present study demonstrates that there is no shift in cytokine balance towards a Th2 profile in former UNTAC soldiers with symptoms similar to those of the Gulf War syndrome." 06/21/1997 - "Gulf War syndrome: is it due to a systemic shift in cytokine balance towards a Th2 profile?" 01/01/1998 - "SRL 172 also appears to shift the cytokine profile in persons with Gulf War Syndrome and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome from TH2 back to the more effective TH1 profile. "
7.	MetalsIBA 01/01/2019 - "Kidney is reported as the main target organ for the chemical toxicity of this metal that was reported in Persian Gulf syndrome. " 01/01/2016 - "Epidemiological and clinical studies have shown a strong correlation between aberrant metal exposure and a number of neurological diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, autism spectrum disorders, Guillain-Barré disease, Gulf War syndrome, Huntington's disease, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, and Wilson's disease. "
8.	SqualeneIBA 01/01/2018 - "The most common scientifically unsound claims concerned safety issues and, in particular, claims linking squalene-based adjuvants to the Gulf War Syndrome and autoimmune disorders. " 06/12/2009 - "The etiology of Gulf War syndrome remains unknown, but should not include squalene antibody status." 03/15/2001 - "One successful arthritis trigger was squalene, which is approved for vaccinations in humans and has been implicated in Gulf War syndrome. " 06/20/2002 - "Specific lots of Anthrax Vaccine Adsorbed, administered to members of the US Armed Forces, have been described on various Internet sites and in news articles as a source of squalene, a chemical purported by these media to be associated with the Gulf War Syndrome. " 06/01/2000 - "Re: Antibodies to squalene in Gulf War Syndrome."
9.	SiliconesIBA 08/01/2000 - "The authors focus their discussion on three problems (painter's encephalopathy, silicone breast implant neurotoxicity, and the Gulf War syndrome) for which no scientific consensus has been reached that would establish them as diagnosable disorders. " 06/01/2011 - "In the 1990s the term "functional somatic syndromes" was applied to several syndromes, including SBS, multiple chemical sensitivity, repetition stress injury, the side effects of silicone breast implants, the Gulf War syndrome (GWS), chronic fatigue syndrome, the irritable bowel syndrome, and fibromyalgia. " 06/01/1999 - "These syndromes include multiple chemical sensitivity, the sick building syndrome, repetition stress injury, the side effects of silicone breast implants, the Gulf War syndrome, chronic whiplash, the chronic fatigue syndrome, the irritable bowel syndrome, and fibromyalgia. " 08/01/2003 - "Overlapping symptom complexes suggest that chronic fatigue syndrome, Gulf war syndrome, premenstrual syndrome, post traumatic stress disorder, breast implant silicone sensitivity syndrome, bipolar affective disorder, systemic candidiasis, myofascial pain syndrome, and idiopathic environmental intolerance are similar enough to fibromyalgia to merit investigation for possible thyroid resistance. " 01/01/2016 - "There have been many cases of the appearance of autoantibodies and symptoms of disease after exposure to adjuvants, not only after breast augmentation with silicone implants, but also as a very rare vaccination side effect, such as Gulf war syndrome or macrophagic myofasciitis syndrome. "
10.	NeuropeptidesIBA 01/01/2005 - "Autoimmune dysfunction of certain vasoactive neuropeptides (VNs) has been postulated as a contributing cause of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), Gulf War syndrome (GWS) and other fatigue-related disorders. " 01/01/2005 - "This paper examines the possible role of GPCR dysfunction in contributing to fatigue-related vasoactive neuropeptide autoimmune disorders which may include chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), Gulf War syndrome (GWS) and even sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)." 01/01/2005 - "Autoimmune dysfunction of certain vasoactive neuropeptides may be implicated in a range of disorders associated with fatigue like states (chronic fatigue syndrome, Gulf War syndrome) and even sudden infant death syndrome. " 01/01/2005 - "Do vasoactive neuropeptide autoimmune disorders explain pyridostigmine's association with Gulf War syndrome?" 01/01/2004 - "Is Gulf War Syndrome an autoimmune disorder of endogenous neuropeptides, exogenous sandfly maxadilan and molecular mimicry?"

Therapies and Procedures

1.	Breast Implants (Breast Implant) 08/01/2000 - "The authors focus their discussion on three problems (painter's encephalopathy, silicone breast implant neurotoxicity, and the Gulf War syndrome) for which no scientific consensus has been reached that would establish them as diagnosable disorders. " 12/01/2000 - "Rheumatologists grapple in daily practice with many controversial syndromes including fibromyalgia, late whiplash syndrome, chronic fatigue syndrome, Gulf War syndrome, the adverse outcomes of silicon breast implants and so on. " 06/01/2011 - "In the 1990s the term "functional somatic syndromes" was applied to several syndromes, including SBS, multiple chemical sensitivity, repetition stress injury, the side effects of silicone breast implants, the Gulf War syndrome (GWS), chronic fatigue syndrome, the irritable bowel syndrome, and fibromyalgia. " 06/01/1999 - "These syndromes include multiple chemical sensitivity, the sick building syndrome, repetition stress injury, the side effects of silicone breast implants, the Gulf War syndrome, chronic whiplash, the chronic fatigue syndrome, the irritable bowel syndrome, and fibromyalgia. " 08/01/2003 - "Overlapping symptom complexes suggest that chronic fatigue syndrome, Gulf war syndrome, premenstrual syndrome, post traumatic stress disorder, breast implant silicone sensitivity syndrome, bipolar affective disorder, systemic candidiasis, myofascial pain syndrome, and idiopathic environmental intolerance are similar enough to fibromyalgia to merit investigation for possible thyroid resistance. "
2.	Injections 11/01/2009 - "The debatable question of silicone as an adjuvant and connective tissue diseases, as well as the Gulf War syndrome and macrophagic myofaciitis which followed multiple injections of aluminium-based vaccines, are presented here. "
3.	Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation (TENS) 03/01/1998 - "Since the end of the Gulf War, tens of thousands of American, Canadian and British soldiers who participated in that war have claimed to be suffering from a variety of incapacitating symptoms which are generally termed as Gulf War Syndrome (GWS). "