Gulf War Syndrome as a part of the autoimmune (autoinflammatory) syndrome induced by adjuvant (ASIA)

Abstract

Gulf War syndrome (GWS) is a multi-symptom condition comprising a variety of signs and symptoms described in the literature, which not been fully resolved. The various symptoms of the condition include muscle fatigue and tiredness, malaise, myalgia, impaired cognition, ataxia, diarrhoea, bladder dysfunction, sweating disturbances, headaches, fever, arthralgia, skin rashes, and gastrointestinal and sleep disturbances. In addition, excessive chemical sensitivity and odour intolerance is reported. The aetiology of the condition is unclear, but many reviews and epidemiological analyses suggest association with pyridostigmine bromide (PB), certain vaccination regimes, a variety of possible chemical exposures, including smoke from oil-well fires or depleted uranium from shells, as well as physical and psychological stress. Recently, Shoenfeld et al. suggested that four conditions--siliconosis, macrophagic myofaciitis (MMF), GWS and post-vaccination phenomena--that share clinical and pathogenic resemblances, may be incorporated into common syndrome called 'Autoimmune (Autoinflammatory) Syndrome induced by Adjuvants' (ASIA). Symptoms and signs of the four conditions described by Shoenfeld et al. show that at least eight out of ten main symptoms are in correlation in all four conditions. Namely, myalgia, arthralgias, chronic fatigue, neurological cognitive impairment, gastrointestinal symptoms, respiratory symptoms, skin manifestations and appearance of autoantibodies. Regardless of the aetiology of GWS, be it exposure to environmental factors or chemical drugs, vaccinations or the adjuvants in them, GWS fits well with the definition of ASIA and is included as part of 'Shoenfeld's syndrome'.

The meaning of aluminium exposure on human health and aluminium-related diseases

“…Previously described as chronic fatigue syndrome (92) , Gulf War syndrome (GWS) is a multisymptom condition described in a significant percentage of USA veterans of the 1991 conflict known as the Gulf War who, months after their return home, experienced muscle fatigue associated with impaired cognition, ataxia, diarrhoea, bladder dysfunction, headache, arthralgia, skin rashes and sleep disturbances (93) . A subset of veterans of the 1991 Persian Gulf War developed a severe motor neuron disease, virtually indistinguishable from classical amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), except for the age of onset (94) .…”

Effects of adjuvants for human use in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)-prone (New Zealand black/New Zealand white) F1 mice

“…Recently, a clinical syndrome referred to as 'autoimmune/ autoinflammatory syndrome induced by adjuvant' (ASIA), encompassing four different clinical entities, namely siliconosis [28,29], the 'gulf war syndrome' [30], macrophagic myofasciitis syndrome [31] and post-vaccination phenomena [29,[32][33][34], has been described in humans. The symptoms are overlapping and have been attributed to the probable effect of adjuvants (reviewed in [35][36][37][38]).…”

Autoimmune (auto-inflammatory) syndrome induced by adjuvants – ASIA

“…In laboratory tests elevated tyrosine kinase (CK) levels, increased sedimentation rate, and the emergence of autoantibodies have been observed. Electromyography revealed primary muscle damage and muscle biopsy and gallium scintigraphy confirmed seizure of muscles without damage to muscle fibers [21,22]. The syndrome develops mainly in patients with the HLA-DRB1*01 allele, which explains the relatively rare occurrence [23].…”

“…The validation of the autoimmune picture of the disease especially in histological findings, after biopsy of involved organs or by the presence of autoantibodies and antibodies directed against the suspected adjuvant (e.g. anti-silicone antibodies, anti-squalene antibodies), is the fourth major criterion of ASIA syndrome [21,28].…”

“…In patients with GWS, symptoms correlated with the presence of antibodies to squalene (an adjuvant used in many vaccines, often together with Al) were observed [21].…”