Uncovering the Public Health Impact of Toxin Release in East Palestine, Ohio

 Impact of Physician Attitudes on Healthcare in Veterans with Gulf War Illness

 Mitochondrial and Nuclear Genes Together Determine Gulf War Illness Severity and Symptom Profile

Beatrice A. Golomb, MD, PhD is conducting a research study to help advance our understanding of Gulf War illness and validate our prior findings that nuclear and mitochondrial genetics work together to predict Gulf War illness severity and clinical profile. We seek to learn why some veterans’ health is more affected than others’, and why it is affected differently. Understanding genetic risk factors will help us to understand mechanisms of Gulf War illness, which can help to identify candidate treatments. 

We are currently seeking Gulf War veterans nationwide. 

To be eligible, veterans must fit the following criteria: 

• At least 48 years of age 

• Deployed in the 1990-91 Persian Gulf War 

Study participation involves:  

1. One Consent televisit over Zoom Pro. 

1. One Zoom Pro televisit where a cheek swab sample will be collected. 

1. Online surveys – we will inquire about your Gulf War deployment, exposures, and health status. You can complete the surveys at home using your home computer.  

1. Compensation (Visa Gift Card) for your time will be provided upon completion of the study visit.  

For more information, contact our study office at 858-375-6372 or email nucmito@health.ucsd.edu 

 Coenzyme Q10 for Gulf War Illness: A Replication Study

Beatrice Golomb, MD, PhD is conducting a study to assess if Coenzyme Q10 might alleviate symptoms and improve physical function in veterans with Gulf War illness.

We are enrolling Gulf War veterans who:

1.     Participated in the 1990-91 Persian Gulf War

2.     Are experiencing symptoms that could include (but are not limited to) fatigue, muscle or joint pain, muscle weakness, cognitive or mood problems, and/or gastrointestinal problems etc.

Study participation involves:

1.     Study visits conducted via Zoom Telepro.

2.     Blood Draws at a Quest or other laboratory facility near your home.

3.     Online surveys - we will inquire about your Gulf War deployment and current health status.  You can complete the surveys at home using your home computer.

4.     Compensation (Visa Gift Card) for your time and effort will be provided upon completion of each study visit.

For more information, contact our study coordinators at q10study@health.ucsd.edu or (619) 736-7114.

Study of Fluoroquinolone Adverse Events

We would like to learn more about the adverse events that some patients experience, and others do not, taking fluoroquinolone antibiotics.  Examples of fluoroquinolones include: Cipro or Ciprodex (ciprofloxacin), Levaquin or Tavanic (levofloxacin), Avelox or Vigamox (moxifloxacin), Zymar (gatifloxacin), and Floxin (ofloxacin).  We hope to learn why some people have problems with these antibiotics, while many others do not.  And we hope to learn more about the problem and the mechanism as well as any unexpected benefits. 

We are recruiting 10,000 participants for this study who have taken fluoroquinolone antibiotics, whether:

• 1) They experienced an adverse reaction during use, and/or after stopping.

-- OR --

• 2) They have not experienced an adverse reaction (i.e. tolerated fluoroquinolones without apparent problem).

If you meet either of the above criteria, we would like to invite you to participate in this voluntary study so we can further understand the adverse effects of fluoroquinolones. 

The study will be conducted via online survey only, so geographic location does not matter for the study.  For more information, please see our study website at www.fqstudy.info or email our office at golombresearch@health.ucsd.edu.  We would be happy to give you additional information or instructions on how to participate.

Would you like more information? Click HERE.

Study of Statin Adverse Events

We would like to learn more about the adverse events that some patients experience taking statins or other cholesterol­-lowering drugs.  Examples of statins include: Lipitor (atorvastatin), Crestor (rosuvastatin), Zocor (simvastatin), Pravachol (pravastatin), Mevacor (lovastatin), and Lescol (fluvastatin), Baycol (cerivastatin), and Livalon (pitavastatin).   And we hope to learn more about the problem and the mechanism, and learn about unexpected benefits.

We are recruiting participants for this study who meet the following criteria:

• Users of statin cholesterol lowering drugs who believe that they have experienced an adverse reaction during use and/or after cessation.

If you meet the above criteria, we would like to invite you to participate in this voluntary study so we can further understand the adverse effects of statins.

The study will be conducted via online survey only, so geographic location does not matter for the study.  For more information, please email our office at golombresearch@health.ucsd.edu.  We would be happy to give you additional information or instructions on how to participate.

Would you like more information? Click HERE.

Electrohypersensitivity Study

We are initiating a survey to learn more about electosensitivity- risk factors, triggers, manifestations, etc. We are also interested in finding healthy controls that do not have electrosensitivity (and do not have chemical sensitivity). 
Ultimately, we hope to learn from the survey, and also to identify good quality affected individuals and matched healthy unaffected controls, who may be willing to participate in a study, to test biological markers that we believe will elucidate mechanisms of electrohypersensitivity.

If you could share the option to participate with affected (and healthy!) individuals with whom you are in contact, we would be very grateful. (If you know of any other individuals or organization with whom we should communicate to help reach affected individuals, please let us know.)

Warm regards, 

Beatrice A. Golomb, MD, PhD

Professor of Medicine
UC San Diego School of Medicine

The link to the survey is:
https://golombgroup.az1.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_bBkSl2GWMqT5w7b

Would you like more information? Click HERE.

Gulf War Bioenergetics Study

Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy in Gulf War Veterans and Healthy Controls

This study will compare brain and muscle energetics in Gulf War veterans with Gulf War Illness to those of healthy controls. We will be recruiting both Gulf War veterans and non-veteran controls from the San Diego area.  Only one study visit will be required.  The procedure is a noninvasive magnetic resonance (MR) study.  With MR, there is no radiation exposure, and the study does not involve any medications or injections.  

Would you like more information? Click HERE.

         Metabolomics in Veterans with Gulf War Illness Study

We are conducting a research study to assess whether there are profiles of chemicals or “metabolites” that differ in those with Gulf War Illness vs healthy volunteers using an approach called metabolomics, an assessment which measures multiple chemicals together in the body.

We invite the following groups:

Those with multiple chronic symptoms such as fatigue, pain or cognitive problems:

• Veterans

• Non-Veterans

AND

Those that are generally healthy:

• Gulf War veterans

• Non-Veterans

You will be compensated $30 for your time and travel.

Study participation includes one visit to the UC San Diego Clinical and Translational Research Institute (CTRI) in La Jolla, CA.

The study visit will include:

1)      Assessments such as blood pressure, heart rate, height and weight

2)      Blood and urine sample

3)      Health Questionnaires (can be completed at home)

Click HERE for more information.

 Mitochondrial Cocktail for Gulf War Illness

A new study will assess if a combination of nutritional supplements that improve the function of mitochondria (a “mitochondrial cocktail”) alleviates symptoms in veterans with Gulf War illness. If you are a Gulf War veteran with GWI symptoms, you might qualify to participate. Thank you for your interest in advancing GWI research!

Mitochondrial and Nuclear Genetics Gulf War Study

We are conducting a research study to examine how genes for (and related to) chemical detoxification of Gulf-exposures relate to Gulf War illness risk, severity, and progression.

We invite Gulf War Veterans who were deployed to the Middle East during the 1990-1991 conflict with chronic health symptoms, healthy Gulf War Veterans, and Healthy others (Veteran and Non-Veteran) to participate in the study.

The participation involves one visit to our clinic at our research facility in La Jolla, CA OR at a Quest lab in your area and will last about 1.5-2.5 hours.

The study visit will include:

1)    Assessments such as blood pressure, temperature, heart rate, height, and weight.

2)    Blood draw; saliva & urine sample.

3)    Health Questionnaires.

You will be compensated $25 for your time and travel and can receive your genetic profile through 23andMe at no cost.

Would you like more information? Click HERE.

Muscle Mitochondrial Assessments in Gulf War Illness

We are conducting a new study: Muscle Mitochondrial Assessments in Gulf War Illness. Mitochondria are an important part of your cells that produce energy so your cells function normally. Using muscle biopsy samples, we hope to assess the mitochondrial abnormalities that do and do not characterize Gulf War illness. Muscle biopsies will be performed by skilled, board-certified Dr. Pamela Taub who has had extensive experience doing this procedure. Dr. Taub will numb the area and remove a tiny bit of muscle. The biopsy procedure takes approximately 20-30 minutes, after which you can immediately return to your daily activities.

We are enrolling study participants who meet the following criteria:

1.      Gulf War Veterans: Veterans who participated in the 1990-91 Persian Gulf War and are experiencing symptoms such as (but not limited to) exertional fatigue, muscle pain, and/or muscle weakness.

2.      Matched Healthy Non-Veteran Volunteers: Individuals who are:

a.       At least 39 years old.

b.      Were NOT deployed to the Persian Gulf during the 1990-91 conflict.

Study participation involves up to 3 outpatient visits, to include: a muscle biopsy, blood draws, a respiratory assessment, a light exercise, and health questionnaires. Meals and compensation will be provided upon completion of each visit. A flow chart of the study visits can be found below.

Thank you for your time, we look forward to hearing from you.  

Would you like more information? Click HERE. 

Treatments Tried for Gulf War Illness

We are conducting a survey study to learn what treatments Gulf War veterans have tried to benefit their Gulf War illness symptoms – and what has worked. This study will seek to understand which treatments are helpful, harmful, or have no impact in easing the symptoms of Gulf War illness. We also welcome input from other veterans with similar problems, to learn how treatment effects differ and to identify other promising treatments.

We are enrolling a total of 1,000 study participants who meet the following criteria:

1.      Gulf War veterans: Veterans who were deployed to the Persian Gulf Region July 1990- August 1991 and have experienced health changes (Gulf War illness).

OR

2.      Other veterans: Retired members of the military who have had environmental exposures in the military and experienced unexplained chronic multisymptom health changes.

Study participants will complete up to 8 online surveys. Each addresses a different aspect of your treatment experience or symptoms, or asks about factors, like exposures, that may lead to differences in the effect of a treatment. Each survey will take approximately 0.5 – 2 hours. The surveys will ask about your overall heath, well-being, symptoms, exposures, treatments you have tried and their effect, and your healthcare experience.

You can proceed to the next survey either immediately, or a week after a prior survey has been completed (or specify another time to be reminded). After each survey is completed, you will receive a $5 gift card to either Amazon.com or Starbucks (depending on your preference). The more you complete the more you will help.

Thank you for your time—and thank you, in advance, for your help, should you choose to provide it. We look forward to hearing from you.

Would you like more information? Click HERE.