Summary
| Direction in Gulf War Illness | ↕ Inconsistent — reported as both higher and lower across studies, with no consistent direction |
|---|---|
| Category | Autoimmune |
| Also described as | Autoimmune screen |
| Compared against | HGV (healthy Gulf War veteran controls) |
| Associated symptoms | Autoimmune overlap subset |
| Test type | Blood test (serum / plasma / whole blood) |
| Source | Gean et al. 2021 — doi:10.1016/j.lfs.2021.119456 |
| Condition atlas | Gulf War Illness Biomarker Atlas |
Trials, interventions and tests
In clinical-trial registrations this marker maps to the outcome term To compare immune response markers: Antinuclear antibodies (ANAs) in patients with persistent COVID among the three treatment arms. (2 registered trials use a matching outcome measure).
Clinical trials using Anti-nuclear antibodies (ANA) as an outcome
- NCT06766825: Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of Plitidepsin in Adults With Post-COVID-19 Condition (PCC) (Recruiting)
Outcome measure: To compare immune response markers: Antinuclear antibodies (ANAs) in patients with persistent COVID among the three treatment arms. - NCT04695704: Efficacy of Montelukast in Mild-moderate Respiratory Symptoms in Patients With Long-COVID-19: (Terminated)
Outcome measure: Factors of inflamatory and prothrombotic processes: D-Dimer, N-terminal prohormone of brain natriuretic peptide (NT Pro-BNP), C-reactive protenin and Antinuclear antibodies (ANA)
Related Autoimmune markers in Gulf War Illness
- Anti-acetylcholine receptor antibodies ↑
- Rheumatoid factor (RF) ↕
- β2-adrenergic receptor autoantibodies ↑
- Muscarinic receptor autoantibodies ↑
Full list: Gulf War Illness Biomarker Atlas.
Frequently asked questions
Is Anti-nuclear antibodies (ANA) high or low in Gulf War Illness?
Mixed. Some studies report higher and others lower Anti-nuclear antibodies (ANA) in Gulf War Illness compared with healthy Gulf War veteran controls, so no single direction is established. Source: Gean et al. 2021.
What symptoms is Anti-nuclear antibodies (ANA) associated with in Gulf War Illness?
The cited literature associates this marker with Autoimmune overlap subset. These are population-level associations and do not mean the marker causes the symptoms.
Which test measures Anti-nuclear antibodies (ANA)?
It is measured as a blood test (serum / plasma / whole blood). Many of the cited studies used research-grade assays, so clinical availability may vary.
Is one abnormal Anti-nuclear antibodies (ANA) result diagnostic of Gulf War Illness?
No. No single biomarker is diagnostic of Gulf War Illness. Anti-nuclear antibodies (ANA) findings come from group comparisons, overlap considerably between patients and controls, and vary with study design, timing and comparison group. A result should be interpreted by a clinician alongside symptoms, history and other tests.
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Last reviewed: 2026-06-29 · Page generated from gulf-war-illness.json · Browse: Gulf War Illness atlas · Biomarker Index · All marker pages
Disclaimer: This page is an educational synthesis of published, peer-reviewed research and is not medical advice. Biomarker findings vary across studies with case definitions, comparison groups, timing and assay methods. Direction of change reflects the predominant finding in the cited source and does not establish a diagnostic threshold. Discuss any test result with a qualified clinician.