Gulf War and Health Volume 4: Health Effects of Serving in the Gulf War (2006) / Chapter Skim
Currently Skimming:
6 Conclusions and Recommendations
6 Conclusions and Recommendations
Pages 247-260
The Chapter Skim interface presents what we've algorithmically identified as the most significant single chunk of text within every page in the chapter.
Select key terms on the right to highlight them within pages of the chapter.
From page 247... ...
Not surprisingly, given the global excess reporting of symptoms among Gulf Wardeployed veterans, the rates of individual symptoms as well as the rates of chronic multisymptom illnesses were higher among deployed veterans than nondeployed in many studies. Multisymptom-based medical conditions reported to occur more frequently among deployed Gulf War veterans include fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS)
|
From page 248... ...
Obviously such reports are of concern because of the potential for those deficits to have adverse effects on the lives of the veterans. Primary studies found nonsignificant trends of poorer neurobehavioral performance when Gulf War veterans were compared to nondeployed veterans or veterans deployed to Germany.
|
From page 249... ...
In conclusion, primary studies of deployed Gulf War veterans vs non-Gulf War deployed do not demonstrate differences in cognitive and motor measures as determined through neurobehavioral testing. However, returning Gulf War veterans with at least one symptom commonly reported by Gulf War veterans (such as, fatigue, memory loss, confusion, inability to concentrate, mood swings, somnolence, GI distress, muscle and joint pain, or skin or mucous membrane complaints)
|
From page 250... ...
(2005) study, which used the criteria of the American College of Rheumatology for diagnosis of fibromyalgia but which could have been subject to unrecognized selection bias, there is a higher prevalence of fibromyalgia among deployed Gulf War veterans than among nondeployed veterans.
|
From page 251... ...
hospitals or on those who used outpatient facilities might be incomplete. Veterans are understandably concerned about increases in cancer, and the studies reviewed did not demonstrate consistent evidence of increased overall cancer in the Gulf War veterans compared with nondeployed veterans (Kang and Bullman 2001; Macfarlane et al.
|
From page 252... ...
The uniformity of the findings is striking, especially given that the same five studies found that Gulf War deployment status was significantly associated with self-reports of respiratory symptoms among three of the four cohorts. Indeed, the overwhelming majority of studies conducted among Gulf War veterans-whether from the United States (Doebbeling et al.
|
From page 253... ...
Several studies examined respiratory outcomes specifically associated with chemical exposures experienced by Gulf War veterans, whereas the studies discussed above examined respiratory outcomes associated with deployment. The study of Cowan et al.
|
From page 254... ...
With respect to nerve agents at Khamisiyah, no study using valid objective estimates of exposure has found statistically significant associations with pulmonary-function measures or physician-diagnosed respiratory disease. RECOMMENDATIONS The adequacy of the government's response has been both praised and criticized; VA and DOD have expended enormous effort and resources in attempts to address the numerous health issues related to the Gulf War veterans.
|
From page 255... ...
2005. Mortality in US Army Gulf War Veterans Exposed to 1991 Khamisiyah Chemical Munitions Destruction.
|
From page 256... ...
1999. Increased postwar symptoms and psychological morbidity among US Navy Gulf War veterans.
|
From page 257... ...
1998. Symptoms in 18,495 Persian Gulf War veterans.
|
From page 258... ...
2001. Multiple chemical sensitivity and chronic fatigue syndrome in British Gulf War veterans.
|
From page 259... ...
2001. Neuropsychological function in Gulf War veterans: Relationships to self-reported toxicant exposures.
|
Key Terms
This material may be derived from roughly machine-read images, and so is provided only to facilitate research.
More
information on Chapter Skim is available.