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Self-reported exposures and their association with unexplained illness in a population-based case-control study of Gulf War veterans. 2001

P S Spencer, and L A McCauley, and J A Lapidus, and M Lasarev, and S K Joos, and D Storzbach
Center for Research on Occupational and Environmental Toxicology, Oregon Health & Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road, CROET Mailcode L606, Portland, OR 97201, USA. spencer@ohsu.edu

Many factors have been considered as possible causes of the unexplained illness reported by veterans of the Gulf War (GW). In this study, we report an analysis of risk factors and unexplained illness in a population-based sample of GW veterans who underwent clinical evaluation. Multiple risk factors were compared in 241 veterans who met criteria for unexplained illness and 113 healthy controls. Results suggest that GW unexplained illness is most highly associated with combat conditions, heat stress, and having sought medical attention during the GW. When controlling for multiple simultaneous exposures during the GW, interactions around pyridostigmine bromide, insecticides and repellents, and stress were not significant. These results indicate that most unexplained illness in GW veterans cannot be explained by neurotoxic effects of exposures to chemicals that inhibit cholinesterase activity.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007306 Insecticides Pesticides designed to control insects that are harmful to man. The insects may be directly harmful, as those acting as disease vectors, or indirectly harmful, as destroyers of crops, food products, or textile fabrics. Insecticide
D008297 Male Males
D008877 Middle East The region of southwest Asia and northeastern Africa usually considered as extending from Libya on the west to Afghanistan on the east. (From Webster's New Geographical Dictionary, 1988) Gaza Strip,Near East,West Bank,Gaza Strip (Palestine)
D011795 Surveys and Questionnaires Collections of data obtained from voluntary subjects. The information usually takes the form of answers to questions, or suggestions. Community Survey,Nonrespondent,Questionnaire,Questionnaires,Respondent,Survey,Survey Method,Survey Methods,Surveys,Baseline Survey,Community Surveys,Methodology, Survey,Nonrespondents,Questionnaire Design,Randomized Response Technique,Repeated Rounds of Survey,Respondents,Survey Methodology,Baseline Surveys,Design, Questionnaire,Designs, Questionnaire,Methods, Survey,Questionnaire Designs,Questionnaires and Surveys,Randomized Response Techniques,Response Technique, Randomized,Response Techniques, Randomized,Survey, Baseline,Survey, Community,Surveys, Baseline,Surveys, Community,Techniques, Randomized Response
D005260 Female Females
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000328 Adult A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available. Adults
D012307 Risk Factors An aspect of personal behavior or lifestyle, environmental exposure, inborn or inherited characteristic, which, based on epidemiological evidence, is known to be associated with a health-related condition considered important to prevent. Health Correlates,Risk Factor Scores,Risk Scores,Social Risk Factors,Population at Risk,Populations at Risk,Correlates, Health,Factor, Risk,Factor, Social Risk,Factors, Social Risk,Risk Factor,Risk Factor Score,Risk Factor, Social,Risk Factors, Social,Risk Score,Score, Risk,Score, Risk Factor,Social Risk Factor
D012650 Self Disclosure A willingness to reveal information about oneself to others. Disclosure, Self,Disclosures, Self,Self Disclosures
D014481 United States A country in NORTH AMERICA between CANADA and MEXICO.

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