Summary
| Direction in Gulf War Illness | ↑ Elevated — higher than in the comparison group |
|---|---|
| Category | Inflammatory |
| Also described as | Immune activation marker |
| Compared against | HGV (healthy Gulf War veteran controls) |
| Associated symptoms | Cell-mediated immune activation |
| Test type | Blood test (serum / plasma / whole blood) |
| LOINC code | 3254-0 |
| Source | Gean et al. 2021 — doi:10.1016/j.lfs.2021.119456 |
| Condition atlas | Gulf War Illness Biomarker Atlas |
Trials, interventions and tests
Commercial test availability
Neopterin — specialty laboratory test.
Links are for reference only; availability, specimen requirements and coverage vary by location.
Related Inflammatory markers in Gulf War Illness
- Interleukin-8 (IL-8 / CXCL8) ↑
- sCD26 (soluble DPPIV) ↕
- Interleukin-1β (IL-1β) ↑
- sCD14 ↑
- Interleukin-6 (IL-6) ↑
- Tumor Necrosis Factor-α (TNF-α) ↑
- Interferon-γ (IFN-γ) ↑
- C-Reactive Protein (CRP) ↑
Full list: Gulf War Illness Biomarker Atlas.
Frequently asked questions
Is Neopterin high or low in Gulf War Illness?
Elevated. Studies summarised in the OSMF atlas report higher Neopterin in Gulf War Illness than in healthy Gulf War veteran controls. Source: Gean et al. 2021.
What symptoms is Neopterin associated with in Gulf War Illness?
The cited literature associates this marker with Cell-mediated immune activation. These are population-level associations and do not mean the marker causes the symptoms.
Which test measures Neopterin?
It is measured as a blood test (serum / plasma / whole blood). The standard laboratory code is LOINC 3254-0. Commercial laboratories such as Quest Diagnostics, LabCorp list an orderable assay.
Is one abnormal Neopterin result diagnostic of Gulf War Illness?
No. No single biomarker is diagnostic of Gulf War Illness. Neopterin 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.