Iraq/afghanistan War Lung Injury Is Common

[allan]

To: Veteran Issues by Colonel Dan <VeteranIssues@yahoogroups.com>

Subject: [VeteranIssues] Iraq/Afghanistan War Lung Injury Is Common

Date: Sep 8, 2011 8:22 AM

http://networkedblogs.com/mFgl6

A new report reveals that respiratory illness is common among soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. The study was reported in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine that respiratory symptoms of returning soldiers are high necessitating testing.

The chief medical investigator, Dr. A.M. Szema had previously reported an on-set of asthma in returning soldiers from Iraq and Afghanistan. "Deployment to Iraq was associated with a significantly higher risk of asthma compared with stateside soldiers (6.6% versus 4.3%; with a crude odds ratio, 1.58; 95% CI, 1.18, 2.11)."

The new report states that, "... Twenty-five percent of 7151 troops went to Iraq/Afghanistan and 75% went elsewhere, with more smokers in the Iraq/Afghanistan group (16.1% vs 3.3%). Rates of symptoms and spirometry were 14.5% and 1.8%, for Iraq/Afghanistan, versus troops deployed elsewhere, respectively. Both groups had similar forced expired volume in 1 second/forced vital capacity ratios (78%)." It concluded that, "New-onset Iraq/Afghanistan war lung injury is common and rates of symptoms leading to a diagnosis requiring spirometry are high."

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http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21866049

Respiratory Symptoms Necessitating Spirometry Among Soldiers With Iraq/Afghanistan War Lung Injury.

Szema AM, Salihi W, Savary K, Chen JJ.

Source

From the Allergy Section, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Northport, New York (Drs Szema and Salihi and Mr Savary); and Departments of Medicine (Drs Szema and Salihi) and Preventive Medicine (Dr Chen), and M.D. with Recognition in Research Program (Mr Savary), SUNY Stony Brook School of Medicine, Stony Brook, New York.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

New-onset asthma rates are higher among US soldiers deployed to Iraq/Afghanistan than stateside, but overall respiratory symptom and spirometry rates among soldiers returning from Iraq/Afghanistan have not yet been addressed. We determined these rates in soldiers deployed to Iraq/Afghanistan versus troops stationed elsewhere.

METHODS:

Retrospective review of active-duty soldiers (2004 to 2010) registered at Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Northport, New York, with Long Island/New York City zip codes. Subjects were examined by physicians or physicians' assistants. We counted number of spirometries, which required respiratory symptoms, and the provider was required to submit a diagnosis as part of the request process.

RESULTS:

Twenty-five percent of 7151 troops went to Iraq/Afghanistan (n = 1816) and 75% went elsewhere (n = 5335), with more smokers in the Iraq/Afghanistan group (16.1% vs 3.3%). Rates of symptoms and spirometry were 14.5% and 1.8%, for Iraq/Afghanistan, versus troops deployed elsewhere, respectively (P < 0.001). Both groups had similar forced expired volume in 1 second/forced vital capacity ratios (78%).

CONCLUSIONS:

New-onset Iraq/Afghanistan war lung injury is common and rates of symptoms leading to a diagnosis requiring spirometry are high

__._,_.___ "Keep on, Keepin' on"

Dan Cedusky, Champaign IL "Colonel Dan"

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