Summary
| Direction in Gulf War Illness | ↑ Elevated — higher than in the comparison group |
|---|---|
| Category | Inflammatory |
| Also described as | Monocyte activation |
| Compared against | HGV (healthy Gulf War veteran controls) |
| Associated symptoms | Innate immune activation |
| Test type | Blood test (serum / plasma / whole blood) |
| LOINC code | 30180-5 |
| Source | Gean et al. 2021 — doi:10.1016/j.lfs.2021.119456 |
| Condition atlas | Gulf War Illness Biomarker Atlas |
Other conditions where sCD14 is reported
- Soluble CD14 (sCD14) in Long COVID — ↑ elevated vs HC, R
- sCD14 in ME/CFS — ↑ elevated vs HC
See the cross-condition hub: sCD14 across conditions.
Trials, interventions and tests
Commercial test availability
Soluble CD14 (sCD14) — specialty laboratory test. Research-oriented marker; limited routine availability.
Links are for reference only; availability, specimen requirements and coverage vary by location.
Related Inflammatory markers in Gulf War Illness
- sCD26 (soluble DPPIV) ↕
- Neopterin ↑
- Interferon-γ (IFN-γ) ↑
- Interleukin-8 (IL-8 / CXCL8) ↑
- Interleukin-1β (IL-1β) ↑
- Interleukin-6 (IL-6) ↑
- Tumor Necrosis Factor-α (TNF-α) ↑
- C-Reactive Protein (CRP) ↑
Full list: Gulf War Illness Biomarker Atlas.
Frequently asked questions
Is sCD14 high or low in Gulf War Illness?
Elevated. Studies summarised in the OSMF atlas report higher sCD14 in Gulf War Illness than in healthy Gulf War veteran controls. Source: Gean et al. 2021.
What symptoms is sCD14 associated with in Gulf War Illness?
The cited literature associates this marker with Innate immune activation. These are population-level associations and do not mean the marker causes the symptoms.
Which test measures sCD14?
It is measured as a blood test (serum / plasma / whole blood). The standard laboratory code is LOINC 30180-5. Commercial laboratories such as Mayo Clinic Laboratories list an orderable assay.
Is one abnormal sCD14 result diagnostic of Gulf War Illness?
No. No single biomarker is diagnostic of Gulf War Illness. sCD14 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.
Is sCD14 specific to Gulf War Illness?
No. The same marker is also reported in Long COVID, ME/CFS in this atlas, so it reflects shared biology (for example inflammation or vascular stress) rather than a condition-specific signature.
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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.