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This British study surveyed servicemen and compared those
who served in the Gulf War (GWV) to contemporaries who did not deploy
to the Gulf and to others who deployed to the Bosnia conflict. There were
about 4248 servicemen randomly selected from each of the groups. Response
rates were 70%, 62%, and 63% respectively. GWV reported all symptoms and
conditions more frequently than the comparison groups. The five most commonly
reported symptoms in all three groups were unrefreshing sleep, irritability,
headaches, fatigue, and sleeping difficulties. The five most commonly
reported conditions in all three groups were back disorders, hay fever,
dermatitis, sinus disorders, and migraines. Of all conditions, the one
which was most strongly associated with Gulf War service was self-reported
chronic fatigue syndrome, although it was uncommon in all three groups.
Among servicemen in all three groups, perceptions of poorer health were
associated with virtually all potential risk factors or exposures, regardless
of deployment status. Belief in exposure to a chemical warfare agent was
associated with the lowest health perception. There was also an association
of poorer health and receipt of multiple vaccinations, especially among
veterans who recalled experiencing side effects from the vaccines. Patterns
of symptoms were the same in all three groups, suggesting that there is
no specific "Gulf War Syndrome." Limitations: results are based
on self-reports in response to a written questionnaire; disorders which
require a clinical interview or examination for diagnosis could not be
captured; the lack of physical examinations prevents drawing conclusions
about physical disorders which might explain the increased frequency of
reported symptoms. The authors do plan further studies which will include
detailed physical, neurophysiological, and neuropsychological examinations
of symptomatic veterans and controls. |
