Bioenergetic impairment in Gulf War illness assessed via 31P-MRS
Abstract Time for post-exercise phosphocreatine-recovery (PCr-R), deemed a robust index of mitochondrial function in vivo, was previously reported to be elevated (signifying impaired ATP production) in veterans with Gulf War illness (GWI). Here we sought to replicate the finding and assess the impac...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2024-03-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-57725-4 |
| _version_ | 1797233590239494144 |
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| author | Beatrice Alexandra Golomb Jun Hee Han Alexander Fung Brinton Keith Berg Bruce J. Miller Gavin Hamilton |
| author_facet | Beatrice Alexandra Golomb Jun Hee Han Alexander Fung Brinton Keith Berg Bruce J. Miller Gavin Hamilton |
| author_sort | Beatrice Alexandra Golomb |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Time for post-exercise phosphocreatine-recovery (PCr-R), deemed a robust index of mitochondrial function in vivo, was previously reported to be elevated (signifying impaired ATP production) in veterans with Gulf War illness (GWI). Here we sought to replicate the finding and assess the impact of contravening previous eligibility requirements. The replication sample comprised white males. Cases reported ≥ moderate muscle-weakness to match the organ assessed to an organ affected; controls lacked recent headache or multiple symptoms. The expansion sample added cases without muscle-weakness, controls with recent headache, females, nonwhites. PCr-R, following pedal-depression-exercise, was compared in veterans with GWI versus controls (sample N = 38). In the replication sample, PCr-R results closely matched the prior report: PCr-R veterans with GWI mean(SD) = 47.7(16.5); control mean(SD) = 30.3(9.2), p = 0.017. (Prior-study PCr-R veterans with GWI mean(SD) = 46.1(17.9), control mean(SD) = 29.0(8.7), p = 0.023. Combined replication + prior samples: p = 0.001.) No case–control difference was observed in the expansion sample. In cases, PCr-R related to muscle-weakness: PCr-R = 29.9(7.1), 38.2(8.9), 47.8(15.2) for muscle-weakness rated none/low, intermediate, and high respectively (p for trend = 0.02), validating desirability of matching tissue assessed to tissue affected. In controls, headache/multiple symptoms, sex, and ethnicity each mattered (affecting PCr-R significantly). This study affirms mitochondrial/bioenergetic impairment in veterans with GWI. The importance of careful case/control selection is underscored. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T16:18:35Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5d8541d66c2f49a2828a2de095da11b0 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T16:18:35Z |
| publishDate | 2024-03-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-5d8541d66c2f49a2828a2de095da11b02024-03-31T11:17:43ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222024-03-0114111010.1038/s41598-024-57725-4Bioenergetic impairment in Gulf War illness assessed via 31P-MRSBeatrice Alexandra Golomb0Jun Hee Han1Alexander Fung2Brinton Keith Berg3Bruce J. Miller4Gavin Hamilton5Department of Medicine, University of California, San DiegoDepartment of Medicine, University of California, San DiegoDepartment of Medicine, University of California, San DiegoDepartment of Medicine, University of California, San DiegoDepartment of Medicine, University of California, San DiegoDepartment of Radiology, University of California, San DiegoAbstract Time for post-exercise phosphocreatine-recovery (PCr-R), deemed a robust index of mitochondrial function in vivo, was previously reported to be elevated (signifying impaired ATP production) in veterans with Gulf War illness (GWI). Here we sought to replicate the finding and assess the impact of contravening previous eligibility requirements. The replication sample comprised white males. Cases reported ≥ moderate muscle-weakness to match the organ assessed to an organ affected; controls lacked recent headache or multiple symptoms. The expansion sample added cases without muscle-weakness, controls with recent headache, females, nonwhites. PCr-R, following pedal-depression-exercise, was compared in veterans with GWI versus controls (sample N = 38). In the replication sample, PCr-R results closely matched the prior report: PCr-R veterans with GWI mean(SD) = 47.7(16.5); control mean(SD) = 30.3(9.2), p = 0.017. (Prior-study PCr-R veterans with GWI mean(SD) = 46.1(17.9), control mean(SD) = 29.0(8.7), p = 0.023. Combined replication + prior samples: p = 0.001.) No case–control difference was observed in the expansion sample. In cases, PCr-R related to muscle-weakness: PCr-R = 29.9(7.1), 38.2(8.9), 47.8(15.2) for muscle-weakness rated none/low, intermediate, and high respectively (p for trend = 0.02), validating desirability of matching tissue assessed to tissue affected. In controls, headache/multiple symptoms, sex, and ethnicity each mattered (affecting PCr-R significantly). This study affirms mitochondrial/bioenergetic impairment in veterans with GWI. The importance of careful case/control selection is underscored.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-57725-4Gulf War illnessMitochondrial31P-MRSPhosphocreatineBioenergeticsGender differences |
| spellingShingle | Beatrice Alexandra Golomb Jun Hee Han Alexander Fung Brinton Keith Berg Bruce J. Miller Gavin Hamilton Bioenergetic impairment in Gulf War illness assessed via 31P-MRS Scientific Reports Gulf War illness Mitochondrial 31P-MRS Phosphocreatine Bioenergetics Gender differences |
| title | Bioenergetic impairment in Gulf War illness assessed via 31P-MRS |
| title_full | Bioenergetic impairment in Gulf War illness assessed via 31P-MRS |
| title_fullStr | Bioenergetic impairment in Gulf War illness assessed via 31P-MRS |
| title_full_unstemmed | Bioenergetic impairment in Gulf War illness assessed via 31P-MRS |
| title_short | Bioenergetic impairment in Gulf War illness assessed via 31P-MRS |
| title_sort | bioenergetic impairment in gulf war illness assessed via 31p mrs |
| topic | Gulf War illness Mitochondrial 31P-MRS Phosphocreatine Bioenergetics Gender differences |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-57725-4 |
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