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Subject: THE PERSIAN GULF STUDY   4 THRU 9 NOV 93                        

Unit: VAR. BUMED  

Parent Organization: BUMED       

Box ID: BX303801

Folder Title: VARIOUS BUMED DOCUMENTS FOLDER 8                                                                

Document Number:          1

Folder SEQ  #:         12










          DISCUSSION

               This study is an attempt to gather epidemiological information
          to better understand what is known as the Persian Gulf Mystery
          Illness.    The Reserve Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 24
          represents an ideal population group for this study because of the
          many members and former members who are affected with multiple,
          inexplicable symptoms.

               It is hoped that as this study progresses more explicit
          information will become available to define and characterize PGMI.
          Specific issues of the greatest interest relate to potential
          causative factors, risk factors, and case definitions.

               Because of the small numbers from Asheville, it is impossible
          to determine any strong associations. AS more data is gathered and
          added to the Asheville data, there will be a better opportunity for
          examining the data through statistical tests of association.

               The data from Asheville was arbitrarily divided into two
          groups for comparison, those with a DSM diagnosis and those
          without. The basis for this division was that the group who have
          received a DSM diagnosis since returning from ODSS have experienced
          the most significant medical problems.

               When comparing the frequencies between the two groups, it is
          interesting to note that the mean age of the DSM group was 8 years
          older than the group without a DSM diagnosis. This would suggest
          tha age may be a major risk factor. Also, the large percent of the
          DSM group currently with more than 10 symptoms (80%) compared to
          the NON-DSM group (29.4%), suggest that those with a larger number
          of symptoms may be more likely to have PGMI.      It should also be
          noted that 48% (10/21) of veterans with verified diagnoses since
opathology
          represents a dominant cause, whether primary or secondary, of PGMI.

               The identification and quantification of exposures incurred
          while in Southwest Asia are difficult and, in most cases,
          impossible.   No singular agent has been isolated as a feasible
          culprit for PGMI. The exposure questions on the questionnaire used
          in Asheville were problematic because of a lack of a reasonable
          focus. Recall bias and speculation encouraged by different sources
          further obscured the collection of reliable data. As time goes on
          news reports focusing on putative causes and medical conditions
          attributed to service in ODSS, along with interpersonal disucssion
          among the reservists, is likely to influence recall.







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Document 28 f:/Week-37/BX303801/VARIOUS BUMED DOCUMENTS FOLDER 8/the persian gulf study 4 thru 9 nov 93:1122961638182
Control Fields 17
File Room = sep96_declassified
File Cabinet = Week-37
Box ID = BX303801
Unit = VAR. BUMED
Parent Organization = BUMED
Folder Title = VARIOUS BUMED DOCUMENTS FOLDER 8
Folder Seq # = 12
Subject = THE PERSIAN GULF STUDY 4 THRU 9 NOV 93
Document Seq # = 1
Document Date =
Scan Date =
Queued for Declassification = 01-JAN-1980
Short Term Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Long Term Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Permanent Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Non-Health Related Document = 01-JAN-1980
Declassified = 22-NOV-1996