Deployment to Military Bases With Open Burn Pits/Respiratory and Cardiovascular Disease

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Deployment to Military Bases With Open Burn Pits and Respiratory and Cardiovascular Disease  April 25, 2024

Question  

Is duration of deployment to military bases with open burn pits associated with an increased risk of diagnosed respiratory and cardiovascular disease?

Findings  

In this cohort study of 459 381 military veterans receiving health care from the Veterans Health Administration, deployment to bases with burn pits was associated with modestly increased odds of asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, hypertension, and ischemic stroke.

Meaning

These findings suggest that prolonged deployment to military bases with open burn pits may increase the risk of developing adverse health outcomes and provide a model for additional studies of the health impact of environmental exposures during military service.

Source: Savitz DA, Woskie SR, Bello A, et al. Deployment to Military Bases With Open Burn Pits and Respiratory and Cardiovascular Disease. JAMA Netw Open. 2024;7(4):e247629. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.7629

David A. Savitz, PhD¹; Susan R. Woskie, PhD²; Anila Bello, ScD²; et al Rachel Gaither, BS¹; Joseph Gasper, PhD³; Lan Jiang, MS⁴; Christopher Rennix, ScD^5,6; Gregory A. Wellenius, ScD⁷; Amal N. Trivedi, MD, MPH^4,8

Author Affiliations Article Information

 

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