UK Researchers Link Rare Condition to Gulf War Veterans

NHS Trust links rare condition to Gulf War Veterans

A rare condition usually effecting 1 male a year in the UK has been found in over 70% of Gulf War Veterans (GWV’s) tested by an NHS trust.

The test, praised by the National Gulf Veterans & Families Association (NGVFA), involved 11 ill GWV’s suffering from significant health problems, including musculoskeletal pain, skin disorders, headaches, and memory loss; results confirmed eight to be suffering from Autoimmune Hypophysitis.

The Gulf War began on January 16 1991 in response to Saddam Hussein’s invasion of Kuwait. 53,000 British servicemen and women were engaged in the conflict.

To date, over 9000 British veterans have suffered from a range of Gulf War-related problems, including Gulf War Syndrome (GWS).

The clinical paper conducted through East Yorkshire NHS Trust is the very first peer reviewed evidence of the very rare disease in GWV’s. An explanation for the condition was linked back to a previous report in 2009 which found overloading of vaccinations to be a possible cause.

Five of the subjects showed significant improvements after being treated with hormonal replacement therapy. The case series concluded that an unusually high clustering of abnormal pituitary tests in GWV’s with GWS may be related.

NGVFA trustee and Gulf veteran Shaun Rusling said: “This landmark paper confirms that Ministers at the MoD failed to accept the advice by the Department of Health December 1990 not to use Whooping Cough vaccine to stimulate service personnel’s immune systems”

“This has led to the insidious onset of autoimmune disease in Gulf War Veterans, who were subjected to over vaccination and over stimulation of the immune system, not prescribed or licensed for this purpose”

“The paper provides proof that the treatment and testing of those suffering from Gulf War Syndrome has been completely inadequate. The MoD and Government has to begin treating GWV’s before its too late”

    

Media contacts: Shaun Rusling or Maria Rusling Tel. +011 0845 257 4853 or email info@ngvfa.org.uk 

Notes to Editors

• Autoimmune hypophysitis or Lymphocytic hypophysitis is defined as below normal production of one or more hormones by the pituitary gland due to autoimmunity.

• Reference: Atkin, S (2011) Pituitary hypophysitis and Gulf War Syndrome: a case series and hypothesis.Clinical Endocrinolog, 75, 271-274. (Copy available by request from the NGVFA)

• Test subjects were treated by Prof’ Stephen Atkin Reader of Medicine Head of Endocrinology Hull and York Teaching Schools,  Dr Ammar Wakil (corresponding author) and Thozhukat Sathyapalan at the Hull Royal Infirmary Department of Academic Endocrinology Diabetes and Metabolism, Hull York Medical School.