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Ten years after the 1991 Persian Gulf War (GW I), a comprehensive evaluation of a national cohort of deployed veterans [DV] demonstrated a higher prevalence of several medical conditions, in comparison to a similarly identified cohort of nondeployed veterans (NDV), The present study determined the prevalence of medical conditions among nonveteran spouses of these GW I DV and NDV. A cohort of 490 spouses of GW I DV and 537 spouses of GW I NDV underwent comprehensive faceto- face examinations. No significant differences in health were detected except that spouses of DV were less likely to have one or more of a group of six common skin conditions. We conclude that, 10 years after GW I, the general physical health of spouses of GW I DV is similar to that of spouses of NDV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Persian Gulf War imposed unique threats and stressors on our military forces. Mobilization included an unprecedented number of women, with more than 33,000 U. S. military women serving in key combat positions throughout the region. Despite their increasing numbers, little is known about the general health effects of combat exposure on women's long-term health. Objective: The aim of the study was to assess whether the prevalence of health problems remained elevated among women deployed to the Gulf at 6 years after deployment. Methods: This comprehensive self-report survey compared the prevalence of physical health problems among 900 Air Force women deployed to the Gulf and 900 Air Force women deployed elsewhere. Results: Findings indicate that significant health problems among women deployed to the theater have persisted for an extended period and the prevalence remains statistically different from that among women deployed elsewhere during the same period of time. Conclusions: Long-term health surveillance is critical for monitoring the health and well-being of our nation's military members. Ultimately, through this program of research, we hope to be able to determine whether there are preventable risks to women that are associated with specific military duties, deployment, occupational exposures, or combinations of these factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many servicemen and women began suffering from a variety of symptoms and illnesses soon after the 1991 Gulf War. Some veterans believe that their illnesses are related to toxic exposures during their service, though scientific research has been largely unable to demonstrate any link. Disputes over the definition, etiology, and treatment of Gulf War -related illnesses (GWRIs) continue. The authors examine the roles of science, policy, and veteran activism in developing an understanding of GWRIs. They argue that the government's stress-based explanation of GWRIs and its insistence on a scientific link between service in the gulf and veteran illnesses forced veterans to shift from pleas for care, treatment, and compensation on moral grounds to engagement in the scientific process and debates over the interpretation of scientific findings. The authors compare the experiences of veterans to those of breast cancer activists to explain the stages of illness contestation in general. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents a study that examined the prevalence of symptoms and identified risk factors for reported symptoms among a group of U.S. Army Gulf War veterans. Determination of the differences between survey respondents and non-respondents; Analysis of rates of health symptoms and multisymptom illness; Evaluation of bivariate relations between multisymptom illness and demographic, psychological and environmental exposures.

Determines clinical health effects of uranium exposure on a group of Gulf War veterans from the United States. Suggestions for the persistence of elevated urine uranium; Use of neurocognitive measurements; Relation of the health effects to the functions of the central nervous system.

Results: Overall, 17.3% (95% confidence interval 15.9 to 18.7) of the respondents believed they had Gulf war syndrome. The belief was associated with the veteran having poor health, not serving in the army when responding to the questionnaire, and having received a high number of vaccinations before deployment to the Gulf. The strongest association was knowing another person who also thought they had Gulf war syndrome. Conclusions: Substantial numbers of British Gulf war veterans believe they have Gulf war syndrome, which is associated with psychological distress, a high number of symptoms, and some reduction in activity levels. A combination of biological, psychological, and sociological factors are associated with the belief, and these factors should be addressed in clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focuses on a study which explored the role of multiple vaccinations as risk factors for ill health in British veterans of the Gulf War. Methodology of the study; Results and discussion; Conclusion.

Presents information on a study about the Gulf War illnesses. Clinical findings of the illnesses; Effects of neurotoxin and pyridostigmine bromide exposure; Psychological and psychophysiological aspects as non-organic origins of symptoms; Documented treatments of the disease.

Background: UK veterans of the Gulf War report more ill health than servicemen who were not deployed to the Gulf War. We investigated whether the pattern of symptom reporting by veterans of the Gulf War differed from that in active servicemen who had not fought in the Gulf War or who had fought in other conflicts. Methods: We used a population-based cross-sectional design. We sent a standardised survey that asked about 50 physical symptoms to three UK military cohorts; men who had served in the Gulf War, those who had served in the Bosnia conflict, and men who had been in active service but not deployed to the Gulf War (Era cohort). We used exploratory factor analysis to identify underlying factors and describe the factor structure of the symptoms reported in the Gulf War cohort. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to test the fit of this factor structure in the Bosnia and Era cohorts. Findings: Three factors in the Gulf War cohort together accounted for about 20% of the common variance. We labelled the factors mood, respiratory system, and peripheral nervous system, according to the symptoms that loaded on to them. In the confirmatory factor analysis, the factor structure identified in the Gulf War cohort fitted reasonably well in the Bosnia and Era cohorts. Interpretation: Although results from complex modelling procedures need to be interpreted with caution, our findings do not support a unique Gulf War syndrome. The mechanisms behind increased self-reporting of symptoms need further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Various symptoms in military personnel in the Persian Gulf War 1990-91 have caused international speculation and concern. We investigated UK servicemen. Methods: We did a cross-sectional postal survey on a random sample of Gulf War veterans (Gulf War cohort, n=4248) and, stratified for age and rank, servicemen deployed to the Bosnia conflict (Bosnia cohort, n=4250) and those serving during the Gulf War but not deployed there (Era cohort, n=4246). We asked about deployment, exposures, symptoms, and illnesses. We analysed men only. Our outcome measures were physical health, functional capacity (SF-36), the general health questionnaire, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) multisymptom criteria for Gulf War illness, and post-traumatic stress reactions. Findings: There were 8195 (65.1%) valid responses. The Gulf War cohort reported symptoms and disorders significantly more frequently than those in the Bosnia and Era cohorts, which were similar. Perception of physical health and ability were significantly worse in the Gulf War cohort than in the other cohorts, even after adjustment for confounders. Gulf War veterans were more likely than the Bosnia cohort to have substantial fatigue (odds ratio 2.2 [95% CI 1.9-2.6]), symptoms of post-traumatic stress (2.6 [1.9-3.4]), and psychological distress (1.6 [1.4-1.8]), and were nearly twice as likely to reach the CDC case definition (2.5 [2.2-2.8]). In the Gulf War, Bosnia, and Era cohorts, respectively, 61.9%, 36.8%, and 36.4% met the CDC criteria, which fell to 25.3%, 11.8%, and 12.2% for severe symptoms. Potentially harmful exposures were reported most frequently by the Gulf War cohort. All exposures showed associations with all of the outcome measures in the three cohorts. Exposures specific to the Gulf were associated with all outcomes. Vaccination against biological warfare and multiple routine vaccinations were associated with the CDC multisymptom syndrome in the Gulf War cohort. Interpretation: Service in the Gulf War was associated with various health problems over and above those associated with deployment to an unfamiliar hostile environment. Since associations of ill health with adverse events and exposures were found in all cohorts, however, they may not be unique and causally implicated in Gulf-War-related illness. A specific mechanism may link vaccination against biological warfare agents and later ill health, but the risks of illness must be considered against the protection of servicemen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Gulf War (GW) veterans report nonspecific symptoms significantly more often than their nondeployed peers. However, no specific disorder has been identified, and the etiologic basis and clinical significance of their symptoms remain unclear.Objectives: To organize symptoms reported by US Air Force GW veterans into a case definition, to characterize clinical features, and to evaluate risk factors.Design: Cross-sectional population survey of individual characteristics and symptoms and clinical evaluation (including a structured interview, the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 36, psychiatric screening, physical examination, clinical laboratory tests, and serologic assays for antibodies against viruses, rickettsia, parasites, and bacteria) conducted in 1995.Participants and Setting: The cross-sectional questionnaire survey included 3723 currently active volunteers, irrespective of health status or GW participation, from 4 air force populations. The cross-sectional clinical evaluation included 158 GW veterans from one unit, irrespective of health status.Main Outcome Measures: Symptom-based case definition; case prevalence rate for GW veterans and nondeployed personnel; clinical and laboratory findings among veterans who met the case definition.Results: We defined a case as having 1 or more chronic symptoms from at least 2 of 3 categories (fatigue, mood-cognition, and musculoskeletal). The prevalence of mild-to-moderate and severe cases was 39% and 6%, respectively, among 1155 GW veterans compared with 14% and 0.7% among 2520 nondeployed personnel. Illness was not associated with time or place of deployment or with duties during the war. Fifty-nine clinically evaluated GW veterans (37%) were noncases, 86 (54%) mild-to-moderate cases, and 13 (8%) severe cases. Although no physical examination, laboratory, or serologic findings identified cases, veterans who met the case definition had significantly diminished functioning and well-being.Conclusions: Among currently active members of 4 Air Force populations, a chronic multisymptom condition was significantly associated with deployment to the GW. The condition was not associated with specific GW exposures and also affected nondeployed personnel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the role of pyridostigmine bromide pills in the long-term subjective health status of a sample of female Reserve Component Gulf War veterans through regression analysis. Tabulation of variables predicting subjective health status from bromide consumption; Number of pills that can be risky with respect to long-term subjective health.

Presents information on a study which conducted researches to find possible treatment to Gulf War veterans' illnesses. Details on the 1993 research done by Persian Gulf Veterans Coordinating Board; Information on the cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and the clinical trial of CBT conducted by the United States Veterans Affairs; Suggestions for future research.

Gulf War veterans will continue to experience an excess burden of Gulf War illness through 2040, found new research from the Department of Defense Center for Deployment Health Research. Presented [...]

Discusses the greater incidence of health issues in British veterans of the 1990-1 Gulf war. No evidence for an increased incidence of cancer but 2-3 times increased likelihood for symptom complexes which include multifocal pain, fatigue, cognitive problems and more; Historical evidence for similar conditions in past wars which suggest a link to stress reaction; Implications for clinicians.

Editorial. Comments on a cross-sectional study by M. Hotopf and colleagues which found that British Gulf War veterans who reported having been given multiple vaccinations were more likely to report illnesses with multiple symptoms. Analyses of the effects of multiple vaccinations; Reasons for the need for a cautious interpretation on the findings; Symptoms of Gulf War syndrome.

Presents summaries of the articles `Mortality among U.S. veterans of the Persian Gulf War,' by H.K. Kang and T.A. Bullman, `The postwar hospitalization experience of U.S. veterans of the Persian Gulf War,' by G.C. Gray, et al and `Disease and suspicion after the Persian Gulf War,' by E.W. Campion,' from the 1996 issue, volume 335 of the `New England Journal of Medicine.'

Focuses on the review of evidence regarding exposure of United States Gulf War soldiers to suspect substances. Conclusion of a US Institute of Medicine (IOM) committee that there is insufficient information about the chronic effects of exposure; Mention of the substances in question, including the nerve gas sarin and pyridostigmine bromide (PB); Suggestion of veterans that links between exposure and symptoms might lie in classified US Department of Defense information.

Reports on news briefs relating to medicine as of June 3, 2000. Brain damage in veterans with Gulf War syndrome; Broad developmental capacity of adult stem cells.

Editorial. States that the aliphatic chlorinated hydrocarbon pesticide known as permethrin has the potential to explain Gulf War syndrome. Findings of studies on the use of permethrin-treated uniforms as a protective agent against insect-borne diseases; Mode of action of dichloro-dyphenyl-triachloroanthane and permethrin; Background information on the Gulf War syndrome.

Reports on the Pentagon's decision to ask the National Academy of Sciences and the Institute of Medicine for a study of the health problems of veterans of the Persian Gulf War. A call for the establishment of a uniform electronic medical record system for Gulf War veterans.

Editorial. Discusses the health and mortality of Persian Gulf War veterans. The publicity about excess disease and unrecognized illness resulting from the war; The work of Kang and Bullman examining mortality among Persian Gulf War veterans; The work of Gray et al. examining the rates of hospitalization among United States military personnel who did not serve in the Persian Gulf.

States that a study shows no increased risk of birth defects in children born to veterans of the Gulf War.