Clinical Trials Logo

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

NCT number NCT01011348
Other study ID # W81WH-07-1-0667
Secondary ID
Status Completed
Phase N/A
First received
Last updated
Start date July 2008
Est. completion date July 2011

Study information

Verified date February 2020
Source University of California, San Diego
Contact n/a
Is FDA regulated No
Health authority
Study type Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

Goal: The investigators propose to test whether giving the supplement coenzyme Q10 (Q10) improves symptoms and subjective health in Gulf War veterans (GWV) with chronic, multi-symptom health problems.

Rationale: Direct empirical evidence, in groups that are not GWV, has supported benefit of Q10 to many of the symptoms that GWV are at heightened risk of experiencing - such as fatigue, muscle pain, and cognition, which are syndrome-defining conditions. In addition, Q10 has also been reported to benefit other symptoms arising at increased rates in GWV, including headaches, sleep disturbances, and breathing problems. This provides a strong rationale for testing whether Q10 will have similar benefit to these symptoms in GWV.

Method: 46 GWV with chronic health problems will participate.The design is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study. Each subject will be "crossed over" between Q10 and an identical placebo, receiving each agent twice, for 3.5 month periods. In one of the Q10 phases, a lower dose of Q10 will be used - 100mg three times a day; while in one a higher dose will be used - 300mg three times a day. Neither subjects nor investigators will know which substance each subject is receiving in which phase. Subjects will be randomly assigned to one of four crossover orders.

Assessments: Assessments will include subjective quality of life; symptoms that are "syndrome defining" for Gulf War illness (like fatigue and muscle problems); and other symptoms and conditions reported to occur more commonly in GWV (like sleep problems). Analyses will show whether Q10 led to improvements when compared to placebo; whether higher Q10 doses improved outcomes more than lower doses; and whether people with certain symptoms or characteristics get more benefit than people with other symptoms or characteristics.


Description:

Goal: To determine, via a double-blind placebo-controlled crossover study, whether coenzyme Q10 (Q10) administration reduces symptoms and improve subjective health in Gulf War veterans (GWV).

Rationale: In a number of settings, studies have reported benefits of Q10 to fatigue, muscle pain and cognition, "syndrome" defining symptoms in GWV. It has also been reported to improve a range of other symptoms and conditions that arise at increased rates in GWV. Additionally Q10 defends against mechanisms that may play a role in health problems in GWV. For these reasons, a study evaluating benefits by Q10 to symptoms and quality of life in symptomatic GWV is merited.

Subjects: 46 GWV meeting Center for Disease Control (CDC) and Kansas criteria for "Gulf War illness." Design: Randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind crossover study. Intervention: Coenzyme Q10 at 100mg three times a day (tid) or 300mg tid or matching placebo for 3.5 ± 0.5 month periods.

Primary Outcome: Subjective health; syndrome defining symptoms (fatigue, muscle pain, muscle strength; and cognition).

Secondary Outcomes: A variety of secondary outcomes will be assessed including other symptoms reported to be elevated in GWV; markers of oxidative stress; and dose-response.

Analyses: Nonparametric and secondarily parametric analyses will compare effects of Q10 vs placebo; and of higher dose vs lower dose Q10 on primary and secondary endpoints. Possible effect modification (differential benefit) based on factors such as oxidative state and Q10 serum concentration will be explored through regression analysis.


Recruitment information / eligibility

Status Completed
Enrollment 58
Est. completion date July 2011
Est. primary completion date July 2011
Accepts healthy volunteers No
Gender All
Age group 18 Years and older
Eligibility Inclusion Criteria:

- Deployed to the Middle East for any period between August 1990 and July 1991.

- Adherence to CDC criteria for Gulf War illness: Chronic symptoms, for at least six months, first arising after Gulf deployment, in at least two of the three areas of fatigue, musculoskeletal, and mood/cognition.

- Adherence to Kansas criteria for Gulf War illness. To aid specificity, these criteria are more involved than CDC criteria Veterans are asked about symptoms in several general categories (e.g., respiratory, gastrointestinal, neuropsychological, sleep disturbances, pain), as well as symptoms (e.g., fatigue, headache) for which no single category is apparent. Gulf War illness criteria symptoms must have persisted or recurred in the year prior to interview and first have been a problem for respondents in 1990 or later. Full criteria are as delineated in Steele 2000.

- Willing to agree to defer initiating other over the counter medications till after completion of study participation.

- Willing to defer participation in other clinical trials till after completion of study participation.

- If female of childbearing potential, willing to be on two forms of birth control during study participation.

Exclusion Criteria:

- Any factor that might compromise participation for the full duration of the study.

- Known active cancer (except nonmelanoma skin cancer), neurodegenerative disease, or HIV.

- Active medical problems distinct from Gulf War symptomatology that confer a significant probability of hospitalization, medication change, or change in clinical state during the course of participation.

- Use of coumadin.

- Use of Q10-containing products, including lotions, toothpastes, or supplements in the prior two months.

- Current use of drugs known to be mitochondrial toxins: amiodarone, protease inhibitors, fluoroquinoline ("floxin") antibiotics.

- Nursing or pregnant women.

Study Design


Related Conditions & MeSH terms


Intervention

Dietary Supplement:
Coenzyme Q10
100mg/day for three months
Coenzyme Q10
300mg/day for three months
Placebo
Three month period

Locations

Country Name City State
United States University of California, San Diego La Jolla California

Sponsors (2)

Lead Sponsor Collaborator
University of California, San Diego United States Department of Defense

Country where clinical trial is conducted

United States, 

Outcome

Type Measure Description Time frame Safety issue
Primary Coenzyme Q10 will improve overall subjective quality of life in ill Gulf War Veterans, using a single item General Self-Rated Health measure. Assessed every three months for one year
Secondary Coenzyme Q10 will improve specific symptoms that dominate definitions of illness in GWV including fatigue, pain, and muscle strength. Assessed every three months over one year
Secondary Coenzyme Q10 will subjectively improve other symptoms reported to arise at elevated rates in GWV defined by responses on a symptom survey (e.g. headache, shortness of breath, sleep problems, gastrointestinal problems). Assessed every three months over one year
Secondary Effect modification: The magnitude of Coenzyme Q10 (Q10) benefit may be influenced by baseline oxidative state, change in oxidation with Q10, and serum Q10 level; or by which symptoms a veteran has. Assessed every three months over one year
Secondary Assess whether higher dose Q10 provides greater benefit; or does so selectively in individuals with more unfavorable baseline oxidation state; or individuals who require a higher dose to achieve the same change in Q10, e.g. due to impaired assimilation. Assessed every three months over one year
See also
  Status Clinical Trial Phase
Recruiting NCT04254627 - TNF and Glucocorticoid Antagonist for GWI Associated Multi-symptom Disease Homeostasis Reset Phase 1
Terminated NCT02011542 - Probiotic (VSL #3) for Gulf War Illness Phase 2/Phase 3
Recruiting NCT03078530 - Probiotic (Visbiome) for Gulf War Illness Phase 2/Phase 3
Recruiting NCT04058275 - "Immunomodulation in GWI (Phlebotomy)"
Recruiting NCT04255498 - Understanding GWI: Integrative Modeling Phase 1
Completed NCT02782780 - Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia for Gulf War Illness N/A
Recruiting NCT02983734 - D-cycloserine: A Novel Treatment for Gulf War Illness (GWDCS) Phase 2
Recruiting NCT05972291 - Mechanisms of Gulf War Illness N/A
Recruiting NCT04182659 - Long Term Efficacy of Neuronavigation Guided rTMS in Alleviating Gulf War Illness Related Headaches and Pain Symptoms N/A
Recruiting NCT04046536 - rTMS in Alleviating Pain and Co-Morbid Symptoms in Gulf War Veterans Illness (GWVI) N/A
Recruiting NCT05377242 - Curcumin, Resveratrol, and Stinging Nettle as Treatments for GWI N/A
Recruiting NCT05675878 - Confirmation of Diet as a Treatment for Gulf War Illness Phase 3
Recruiting NCT05736146 - Validating Gulf War Illness Blood Biomarkers
Not yet recruiting NCT05820893 - Resistant Potato Starch to Alleviate GWI Phase 2
Terminated NCT01846182 - Research Examining Gulf War Illness in Our Nations Service Members Phase 2
Active, not recruiting NCT05252949 - OEA for Targeting Lipid Metabolism in GWI N/A
Completed NCT02378025 - Treating Chronic Pain in Gulf War Illness N/A
Completed NCT02865460 - Coenzyme Q10 Phase III Trial in Gulf War Illness Phase 3
Completed NCT02909686 - Effects of Botanical Microglia Modulators in Gulf War Illness N/A
Completed NCT01291758 - Exercise in Gulf War Illness (GWI)