Fatigue and Pain Severity in Gulf War Illness Is Associated With Changes in Inflammatory Cytokines and Positive Acute Phase Proteins.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study is to investigate relationships between inflammatory analytes and symptoms of pain and fatigue in Gulf War illness (GWI). METHODS: In this preliminary study, 12 male veterans meeting GWI criteria provided daily blood samples and symptom ratings over 25 days. Linear mixed models were used to analyze associations between symptoms and sera concentrations of cytokines, acute phase proteins, insulin, and brain-derived neurotropic factor. RESULTS: Analyses included 277 days with both blood draws and self-reports. Days with worse fatigue severity were associated with higher C-reactive protein and serum amyloid A, and lower eotaxin 1. Muscle pain and joint pain were associated with leptin, monocyte chemoattractant protein 1, and interferon γ-induced protein. Joint pain was further associated with serum amyloid A and eotaxin 3. CONCLUSIONS: Gulf War illness involves fatigue and pain associated with inflammation. Conventional and novel anti-inflammatories should be further explored for the treatment of GWI.

A Descriptive Analysis of Long-Term Treatment with Adolescent-Aged Foster Youth.

Foster youth experience a complex combination of psychological symptoms associated with the experience of abuse and/or neglect. Among adolescents, psychological challenges can be magnified by an increased likelihood of placement disruption once in foster care, longer stays in the system, and numerous barriers that impede access and use of mainstream psychological intervention. This manuscript relies on two studies to learn more about the experience of adolescent-aged foster youth who utilize long-term mental health services coordinated through A Home Within, a national nonprofit committed to reducing treatment barriers by asking licensed therapists to provide pro bono therapy "for as long as it takes." Study 1 evaluates 84 therapist interviews about client demographics, trauma history, and mental health symptoms in an effort to learn more about the concerns and experiences of adolescent-aged youth participating in treatment. Study 2 examines 30 pre/post interviews with therapists to understand outcomes associated with treatment completion, as well as to describe treatment practices. Findings support a need for continued investigation of long-term psychotherapeutic services with foster youth focused on the needs of youth accessing care and best treatment practices with this population of vulnerable youth.