A total of 15 patients from South-East Sweden with previously adequately diagnosed NB with diverse persistent symptoms ≥6months after antibiotic treatment were randomised in a double-blind, crossover fashion to receive either DOX 200 mg or placebo (PBO) once daily for three weeks, followed by a wash-out period of six weeks and a further three-weeks treatment with either DOX 200 mg or PBO once daily for three weeks. The primary outcome measures were improvement of the persistent symptoms and physical and mental health, evaluated using the visual analogue scale (VAS), the 36-item Short-Form General Health Survey (SF-36) and through physical examination with special emphasis on neurologic status at the follow-up visits. Secondary outcome measures were changes in drug-induced antigen-stimulated and unstimulated cytokine responses.