Eligibility to participate
lupus, stroke, psychiatric, schizophrenia,, arthritisAny major inflammatory disease, depression, RA, coronary heart disease, inflammatory bowel, cognitive impairment, vasculitis, infections, bipolar disorder, fatigue, heart failure, hypersensitivity, drug dependence, spondylitis, arthritis, alcohol liver disease
BASAL CELL SKIN CANCER, INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE, DISEASE, VASCULITIS, INFECTIONS, ARTHRITIS, CORONARY HEART DISEASE, CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE, MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS (MS), PSORIATIC ARTHRITIS, PERICARDITIS, GUM DISEASE, HEPATITIS B, HEART FAILURE, HYPERTENSION, HYPERSENSITIVITY, SPONDYLITIS
Inclusion criteria:Scores moderately severe or multiple symptoms in at least 3 out of 6 domains from the Kansas GWI Case Definition questionnaire [Deployed to the Kuwaiti Theater of Operation (August 2, 1990-July 31, 1991) and was honorably dischargedExclusion criteria:Hospitalization anytime since 1990 for alcohol or drug dependence, depression, or PTSDKnown hypersensitivity to prednisoneLiver disease, (active or recent Hepatitis B or C treatment with a completion date within the past 6 months, or alcohol liver disease), or kidney diseaseTreated diabetesFemale who is pregnant or nursingFemale who refuses to use an accepted method of birth controlExclusionary labs: high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) >25 μg/ml, creatinine clearance <30 ml/min, estimated glomerular filtration rate ≤30 ml/min, hemoglobin A1-C >7%, glucose >120 mg/dL, leukocyte count >12x10Inflammatory arthritis (RA, psoriatic arthritis, spondylitis, polyarthritis)Reactive arthritis, or inflammatory bowel disease-associated arthritisAny major inflammatory disease requiring steroid treatment: acute/chronic infections, inflammatory bowel disease, pericarditis, vasculitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or asthmaChronic use of prednisone or other corticosteroids (occasional inhaled use of steroids acceptable)Active gum disease or dental infectionDiagnosed with lupus, stroke, multiple sclerosis (MS), or any other diagnosis that produces symptoms of fatigue, cognitive impairment, or painAny condition that may interfere with the ability to accurately report symptoms (severe psychiatric problems, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, alcohol, or drug dependence requiring hospitalization, or regular illegal drug use)Heart disease (other than hypertension), heart failure or coronary heart disease requiring hospitalization within the past 12 monthsCancer (other than basal cell skin cancer), requiring treatment within the past 12 months, or life expectancy of less than 1 yearHospitalization within the past 3 months