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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2022 Apr 1.
Published in final edited form as: Pharmacol Ther. 2020 Oct 24;220:107716. doi: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2020.107716

Table 1.

Completed clinical trials on Gulf War Illness (GWI) posted at Clinicaltrials.gov.

Study title Objective and participants NCT number Current status Trial type/Phase Results
Antibiotic Treatment of Gulf War Veterans’ Illnesses To determine if antibiotic treatment directed against Mycoplasma species (i.e. doxycycline) will improve functioning and symptoms in deployed veterans with GWI (450 participants). NCT00007735 Completed Randomized Results Published (Donta et al., 2004)
Exercise and Behavioral Therapy Trial To investigate the effects of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and aerobic exercise, aerobic exercise alone, CBT alone or usual and customary care in veterans with GWI (1064 participants). NCT00007748 Completed Phase III, Randomized Results Published (Donta et al., 2003).
A Controlled Trial of Mifepristone in Gulf War Veterans With Chronic Multisymptom Illness To examine the effects of glucocorticoid receptor antagonist mifepristone for improving physical and mental health and cognitive functioning in veterans with GWI (65 participants). NCT00691067 Completed Phase IV,Randomized Results Published (Golier et al., 2016).
Treatment Study of Carnosine Versus Placebo in Gulf War Illness To study of the effects of carnosine treatment on cognitive, psychometric, autonomic, and muscle strength outcomes in veterans with GWI (33 participants). NCT00810368 Completed Randomized Results published (Baraniuk, El-Amin, Corey, Rayhan, & Timbol, 2013)
Q10 for Gulf War Veterans To examine whether giving the supplement coenzyme Q10 improves symptoms and subjective health in GW veterans with chronic, multi-symptom health problems (58 participants). NCT01011348 Completed Randomized Results published (Golomb et al., 2014).
Exercise in Gulf War Illness To determine if submaximal exercise by bicycle stress tests with pulmonary measurement of VO2MAX plus maximal isometric hand grips on 2 consecutive days causes a higher level of “exertional exhaustion” in veterans with GWI (50 participants). NCT01291758 Completed Observational Results published (Rayhan, Stevens, et al., 2013)
Acupuncture in the Treatment of Gulf War Illness To test the effects of individualized acupuncture treatments for veterans with GWI (104 participants). NCT01305811 Completed Phase I and II, Randomized Results published (Conboy et al., 2016).
Clinical Benefits of a Novel Sleep-focused Mind-body Program on Gulf War Illness To investigate clinical benefits of a novel sleep-focused mind-body program on GWI symptoms (75 participants). NCT01543997 Completed Randomized Results Published (Nakamura et al., 2017).
rTMS for the Treatment of Chronic Pain in GW1 Veterans (rTMS) To evaluate the effect of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in the resolution of chronic pain in veterans from the first GW with chronic pain problems (17 participants). NCT01608321 Completed Phase III, Randomized Results Posted (but yet to be Published).
Gulf War Illness: Evaluation of an Innovative Detoxification Program To test the efficacy of the Hubbard detoxification program (exercise and sauna therapy together with administration of several dietary supplements), over a period of about 4 weeks in veterans with GWI (32 participants). NCT01672710 Completed Randomized Results published (Kerr et al., 2019).
Gulf War Illness Nasal Irrigation Study To determine whether nasal irrigation with xylitol or saline are effective in the treatment of chronic rhinosinusitis and fatigue symptoms associated with GWI (40 participants). NCT01700725 Completed Randomized Results published (Hayer et al., 2015).
Scalp Application of LED Therapy to Improve Thinking and Memory in Veterans With Gulf War Illness To learn if an experimental treatment (light-emitting diodes, LEDs) can help thinking ability, and memory in Veterans with GWI (96 participants). NCT01782378 Completed Randomized Results Posted (but yet to be published).
Research Examining Gulf War Illness in Our Nations Service Members (REGIONS) To test the efficacy of Duloxetine and Pregabalin for treating veterans with GWI (112 participants). NCT01846182 Completed Randomized Results not Posted
Complementary Neurosteroid Intervention in Gulf War Illnesses To investigate the effects of pregnenolone treatment for fatigue, musculoskeletal pain, cognitive symptoms in veterans deployed to the GW theatre of operations between 1990 and 1991 (170 participants). NCT01956279 Completed Phase II, Randomized Results Posted (but yet to be published).
Cognitive Rehabilitation for Gulf War Illness Problem-solving therapy - a treatment approach that teaches patients strategies to address real-life problems (268 participants). NCT02161133 Completed Randomized, double-blind Results published (Sullivan et al., 2019).
Trial of Naltrexone and Dextromethorphan for Gulf War Illness To examine the effects of Naltrexone and Dextromethorphan treatment on chronic fatigue, memory, and chronic pain, and autonomic dysfunction in GWI (60 participants). NCT02206490 Completed Randomized Results notPosted
Methylphenidate Plus GWI-Nutrient Formula as a Treatment for Patients With Gulf War Illness To evaluate the safety and efficacy of a currently available medication, methylphenidate (Ritalin), combined with a mitochondrial support nutrient formula (K-PAX Synergy) to treat GWI. (30 participants). NCT02357030 Completed Phase 2A - open label Results published (Holodniy & Kaiser, 2019).
Treating Chronic Pain in Gulf War Illness To determine whether yoga is effective for the treatment of chronic pain in GWI (75 participants). NCT02378025 Completed Randomized Results published (Mathersul et al., 2020).
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia for Gulf War Illness To examine whether better sleep with cognitive behavioral therapy would help to alleviate non-sleep symptoms of GWI (165 participants). NCT02782780 Completed Randomized Results notPosted
Vagus Nerve Stimulation: Treatment for Gulf Veterans With Gulf War Illness To assess the effect of vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) in alleviating migraine headache and pain in veterans with GWI (27 participants). NCT02791893 Completed Randomized Results notPosted
Development of a Polyphenol-rich Dietary Preparation for Treating Veterans With Gulf War Illness To test the efficacy of flavonoid-rich concord grape juice for alleviating clinical complications in veterans with GWI (36 participants). NCT02915237 Completed Phase 1/2A, Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Results published (Helmer et al., 2020).
Alleviating Headache and Pain in GWI With Neuro-navigation Guided rTMS To assess the effect of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) on GWI-related headaches and pain (90 participants). NCT03030794 Completed Randomized Results notPosted