Gulf War Illness: Evaluation of an Innovative Detoxification Program

This will be a pilot randomized controlled trial of feasibility, safety and changes in fatigue and pain symptoms, measured quality of life, mental health status, and neuro-cognitive functioning of a group of GWVs after a 4 to 6 week sauna detoxification regimen as compared to control. For control subjects we will also have a group of GWVs receiving usual care who are randomly assigned to a waitlist and who will start the intervention after a four to six week delay. The waitlist group will also take part in the baseline tests a second time just prior to their treatment 4 to 6 weeks later and a 7-day post-treatment battery of tests the same as described for the treatment group. Finally, there will be a 3-month follow-up with both the groups. The Severna Park Health and Wellness Center (SPHWC) is a commercial center that offers the Hubbard detoxification program. The investigators will contract with SPHWC to provide the program to the subjects of this study and to provide office space for the Study Coordinator, so that all components of this project except the initial Physician evaluation and blood sample acquisition can be done at the Center, not just the detoxification.

Study Variables: The investigators will examine feasibility of the research design, and safety of the regimen and estimate changes in:

• Quality of life as measured by the Veterans Short Form (SF36-V). The SF36-V also includes physical (PCS) and mental (MCS) component summary scores.
• Case status for GWI will be assessed utilizing the Kansas criteria.
• Symptoms of fatigue and pain in GWI will be measured wit, the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory, and the short-form McGill Pain-2 Questionnaire.
• Cognitive function will be measured with a battery of neurocognitive tests. These will include visual motor, memory and executive functioning as measured by the Trailmaking test, Grooved Pegboard, Wechsler Memory Abbreviated test, and the Stroop color word test. To account for potential confounding in neurocognitive testing, mental health status will be evaluated using the Symptom Checklist 90 revised and the State Trait Anxiety Inventory.
• Physical health status will be assessed via standard medical examination and laboratory analyses of serum metabolic panel, lipid profile and hormones.

Sampling Method: This will be a convenience sample and will consist of Gulf War Veterans who meet the Kansas case definition for Gulf War illness and reside in the Washington/Baltimore area or can travel to and reside in the area for several weeks. The individuals who show interest in this study, who meet eligibility criteria and subsequently agree to participate will be selected to enroll in the study.

Randomization: Volunteers will be randomly assigned to a group when they enroll. One group will be the immediate experimental intervention group and one group will be the wait-list control group. Random assignment will be achieved by use of sequentially numbered, opaque, sealed envelopes. Both will undergo the detoxification protocol, but the control group will be tested twice prior to treatment.

Inclusion criteria

• Any veteran of the 1990-1991 Gulf War who meets the Kansas Gulf War Illness case definition.

Exclusion criteria

• Veterans who meet the inclusion criteria but have been diagnosed by a physician with (1) chronic conditions (eg., cancer, heart disease, diabetes, liver disease, multiple sclerosis, etc.) that are not associated with Gulf War service but can produce diverse symptoms similar to Gulf War Illness; (2) conditions that might interfere with respondents' ability to report symptoms (eg., psychiatric conditions or history of hospitalization for depression, alcohol or drug dependence; (3) pregnancy or unwillingness to use contraception.