Confirming the Effects of Acupuncture Treatments to Relieve Symptoms of Gulf War Illness

Recruiting now · Not applicable

Conditions studied: Persian Gulf Syndrome, Gulf War Syndrome, Multiple Chronic Illnesses, Occupational Diseases, War-Related Injuries, Wounds and Injuries

In brief

This unblinded Phase II clinical trial will test the effects of individualized acupuncture treatments offered in extant acupuncture practices in the community; practitioners will have had at least 5 years of experience plus additional training provided by the study. Veterans with diagnosed symptoms of Gulf War Illness will be randomized to either six months of biweekly acupuncture treatments (group 1, n=100) or 2 months of waitlist followed by weekly acupuncture treatments (group 2, n=100). Measurements were taken at baseline, 2, 4 and 6 months. The primary outcome is the SF-36 physical component scale score (SF-36P).

Key facts

Study ID

NCT06716411

Run by

University of Utah

People needed

200

Starts

2026-02-03

Expected to finish

2028-09-30

Last updated by the study team

2026-04-03

Who can join

Age: 18 and older. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Deployed to the Gulf Theater of operations (as defined by 38 CFR 3.317, includes Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, the Gulf of Aden, the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, the Arabian Sea, the Red Sea, and the airspace above all of these locations) between August 1990 and the present date
• Have at least 2 of the following symptoms from the 3 CDC clusters of symptom that have lasted for more than 6 months. Each symptom cluster must be characterized as mild-moderate or severe, with at least one symptom in each cluster required to be severe. The clusters are:
• A. Fatigability: fatigue 24 hours or more after exertion B. Mood and Cognition: feeling depressed; feeling irritable; difficulty thinking or concentrating; feeling worried, tense, anxious; problems finding words; or problems getting to sleep C. Musculoskeletal: joint pain or muscle pain

You may not qualify if…

• Currently enrolled in another clinical trial
• Have another disease that likely could account for the symptoms, as determined by our Medical Monitor
• Severe psychiatric illness (in the last 2 years psychiatric hospitalization, suicidal attempt, alcohol or substance abuse, use of antipsychotic medication) as measured by the Primary Care Evaluation of Mental Disorder (Prime MD).
• Unable to complete the protocol on based on the evaluation of the Medical Monitor.

Where it is running

• Various — Tampa, Florida, United States (enrolling)
• Various — Los Angeles, California, United States (enrolling)
• Various — Dallas, Texas, United States (enrolling)
• Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center — Boston, Massachusetts, United States
• University of Utah — Salt Lake City, Utah, United States
• Various — Fairfax, Virginia, United States
• University of California, Berkeley — Berkeley, California, United States
• Various — Seattle, Washington, United States
• Various — Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States
• Various — Denver, Colorado, United States

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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