Gulf War Illness 25 Years After Desert Storm

In the 25 years since Desert Storm, about 250,000 of the almost 700,000 involved in the Gulf War 1 theater have suffered from some version of the complex of symptoms now called Gulf War Illness. This illness was discussed in a recent symposium co-hosted by the Brookings Institution and Georgetown University Medical Center. While Desert Storm battle casualties were light, military personnel were exposed to various chemical and biological agents. These included Pyridostigmine Bromide, to prevent the effects of nerve gases which had been used previously by Iraq; organophosphate pesticides (such as DEET) which were embedded in clothing; particulate airborne matter from oil fires; and, possibly sarin exposure from a plume arising from an Iraqi munitions depot at Khamasiyah. Some years after Desert Storm, especially from 2000-2009, veterans began utilizing Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health facilities in higher numbers and complaining of chronic symptoms such as fatigue, joint pain, indigestion, insomnia, dizziness, respiratory disorders, memory problems, and migraine headaches. While the symptoms resembled the known conditions of fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue, and Irritable Bowel Syndrome, they were difficult for physicians to deal with and there were no diagnostic tests or specific treatments. Care for these veterans was bedeviled by a lack of understanding of the nature and causes of Gulf War Illness, and more generally, of the importance of battlefield exposures. There ...
Source: Health Affairs Blog - Category: Health Management Authors: Tags: Featured Organization and Delivery Public Health Quality Department of Defense desert storm Gulf War Illness Research Veterans Veterans Administration Source Type: blogs