Gulf War Vets' Fatigue Linked to Gene

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Gulf War Vets' Fatigue Linked to Gene

Fri May 14,11:47 PM ET

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By Reinberg

HealthDay Reporter

FRIDAY, May 14 (HealthDayNews) -- The chronic fatigue associated with Gulf

War (news - web sites) syndrome may be caused by a gene, researchers report.

A new study finds chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is almost four times as

common in veterans of the first Gulf War compared to civilians.

CFS has no known medical cause and produces a substantial decrease in a

patient's activity. Symptoms associated with infection, as well as

rheumatological and neuropsychiatric problems, also accompany CFS.

In Gulf War veterans, CFS is almost epidemic. While the exact cause is

unknown, genetic factors appear to play a role, the study said.

" It is known that Gulf War veterans have an increased risk of having CFS, "

said study co-author Dr. Natelson, director of the War-Related

Illness and Injury Study Center at the University of Medicine and Dentistry

of New Jersey.

" We looked at veterans and non-veterans in terms of one gene, because there

was information that what the gene makes might be abnormal in CFS, " he

added.

Natelson and his colleague, Dr. Georgirene Vladutiu, took blood samples from

49 Gulf War veterans with CFS and 61 civilians with CFS. They also took

blood samples from 30 healthy veterans and 45 healthy civilians.

The researchers looked specifically at the DCP1 gene and found veterans with

CFS had a higher prevalence of the so-called D variant of that gene. In

fact, veterans with the DD genotype were eight times more likely to have CFS

compared to the other genotypes, according to the report in the May 14 issue

of Muscle and Nerve.

The DD genotype has been associated with alcoholism and cardiac disease,

Natelson noted.

" This finding suggests that there could be some kind of genetic

predisposition, or maybe even a risk factor, for developing this war-related

illness, " he said.

Natelson explained CFS is not unique to the Gulf War. Between 5 percent and

7 percent of troops develop unexplained fatigue and pain, so maybe there is

a genetic predisposition that is triggered by the combat environment.

Triggers might include stress, exposure to diesel fuel or other chemicals or

anti-nerve gas medicines, Natelson said.

The next step in the research is to see if the same thing occurred in other

war zones, such as Bosnia, and if the same genetic link is present, he said.

Maybe someday there will be a clinical use for this data, Natelson said.

" But that's an if piled on an if. "

" Finding genes that may be involved CFS is incredibly important, " said Dr.

Leonard , a professor of psychology at De University.

" There are some individuals who have said that CFS is a psychogenic illness;

that it is just a version of mass hysteria. Other people have felt that

there really is a biologic predisposition for CFS, " said.

believes CFS may really be a combination of a genetic predisposition

that can be triggered by certain types of stress or other risk factors.

 

" Most scientists today think that, from CFS to cancer to AIDS (news - web

sites) and onwards, there is some type of mind-body interactions that can be

exacerbated by environmental or psychological characteristics, " he said.

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