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NO UNIQUE GULF WAR SYNDROME
FEENIX
Member Posts: 10,559 ✭✭✭
Washington Post
September 13, 2006
Pg. 10
Panel Discounts Existence Of Unique Gulf War Syndrome
High Rate of Symptoms Is Clear, However
By David Brown, Washington Post Staff Writer
An expert panel reviewing hundreds of studies has concluded that there is no single "Gulf War syndrome" afflicting thousands of veterans of the 1990-91 conflict, although they have suffered vague symptoms at a much higher rate than other veterans.
They have also experienced post-traumatic stress disorder and depression two to three times as frequently as other veterans, the panel found. Less certain is a possibly higher risk for the neurological ailment known as Lou Gehrig's disease, and possibly a rare birth defect in their children.
"We can't identify a Gulf War syndrome," said Lynn R. Goldman, a physician and epidemiologist who headed the 13-member committee appointed by the National Academies' Institute of Medicine (IOM).
Previous blue-ribbon panels, including several convened by the IOM, one by the Defense Department and one by the White House under Bill Clinton, reached the same conclusion.
In preparing the report, Goldman and her colleagues read 850 studies done in the years since soldiers in an Army Reserve unit in Indiana began reporting a constellation of symptoms that included fatigue, joint and muscle pains, difficulty concentrating and memory problems in the months after they returned from the Persian Gulf in 1991. The panel gave more credibility to large, well-designed and controlled studies; it did no original research of its own.
The largest and most representative study found that 29 percent of Gulf War veterans reported physical complaints arising from several body systems, compared with 16 percent of servicemen and women who were not sent to the gulf. This was not just an American phenomenon; British, Canadian, Australian and Danish troops deployed to the gulf also reported more symptoms than their non-deployed counterparts.
The panel concluded that "unexplained illnesses are the most prevalent health outcome of service in the Gulf War."
However, the array and severity of symptoms vary, and many are typical of other conditions (such as fibromyalgia, multiple chemical sensitivity and chronic fatigue syndrome) whose causes are unknown.
"The nature of the symptoms suffered by many Gulf War veterans does not point to an obvious diagnosis, etiology [cause], or standard treatment," the panel wrote.
Three studies examined by the panel found a slightly increased rate of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, in Gulf War veterans. Overall, 107 cases of the fatal disease were found in about 700,000 men and women deployed. Goldman and her colleagues said this trend should be followed with continued surveillance for the disease.
Among the 850 papers examined were several with less certain findings.
One found a slight increase in brain cancer among the 100,000 troops theoretically exposed to sarin gas after rockets containing the nerve agent were unwittingly destroyed in a large ammunition dump in Khamisiyah , Iraq , after the war. That disease remained extremely rare, however, with only a handful of tumors even in the "exposed" group.
That finding is questionable for two reasons, however.
There is no evidence that any service members were exposed to sarin, which causes well-recognized symptoms at very low concentrations. In addition, brain tumors generally grow 10 to 20 years before being found. This study was done nine years after Khamisiyah, suggesting that many of the tumors in the troops had probably formed before the detonation.
Nevertheless, the brain-tumor finding "provides another lead that should be followed" by future studies, Goldman said.
One study also found a slightly increased rate of birth defects, especially of the urinary tract, among children of Gulf War veterans. Another reported five cases of a rare, disfiguring defect called Goldenhar syndrome in babies of Persian Gulf veterans conceived soon after the war, compared with two in non-deployed veterans. The children with Goldenhar were profiled in a Life magazine article that helped popularize the idea that troops had been exposed to persistent toxins during the war.
Because the number of defects was so small, however, these differences could have easily happened by chance.
A big problem with evaluating the source of illness in Gulf War veterans is that little information was gathered on their exposure to pesticides, smoke and battlefield contaminants -- and even to vaccines and drugs administered by the military.
"Even just a few measurements on the ground would have made a huge difference," Goldman said of the Khamisiyah detonations.
The panel advised the military to do a better job of assessing the health of troops immediately before and after deployment -- as is being done in the Iraq war -- and of gathering better toxic-exposure data in future wars.
Steve Robinson, a Gulf War veteran who directs government relations for Veterans for America , supported that suggestion in particular.
"The IOM report confirms that many Gulf War veterans are seriously ill and that they were exposed to many types of poisons, but the link remains unclear because the military failed to collect exposure data in 1991," he said. "Veterans for America believes the military cannot let this mistake happen again. . . . Lessons learned should be lessons followed."
September 13, 2006
Pg. 10
Panel Discounts Existence Of Unique Gulf War Syndrome
High Rate of Symptoms Is Clear, However
By David Brown, Washington Post Staff Writer
An expert panel reviewing hundreds of studies has concluded that there is no single "Gulf War syndrome" afflicting thousands of veterans of the 1990-91 conflict, although they have suffered vague symptoms at a much higher rate than other veterans.
They have also experienced post-traumatic stress disorder and depression two to three times as frequently as other veterans, the panel found. Less certain is a possibly higher risk for the neurological ailment known as Lou Gehrig's disease, and possibly a rare birth defect in their children.
"We can't identify a Gulf War syndrome," said Lynn R. Goldman, a physician and epidemiologist who headed the 13-member committee appointed by the National Academies' Institute of Medicine (IOM).
Previous blue-ribbon panels, including several convened by the IOM, one by the Defense Department and one by the White House under Bill Clinton, reached the same conclusion.
In preparing the report, Goldman and her colleagues read 850 studies done in the years since soldiers in an Army Reserve unit in Indiana began reporting a constellation of symptoms that included fatigue, joint and muscle pains, difficulty concentrating and memory problems in the months after they returned from the Persian Gulf in 1991. The panel gave more credibility to large, well-designed and controlled studies; it did no original research of its own.
The largest and most representative study found that 29 percent of Gulf War veterans reported physical complaints arising from several body systems, compared with 16 percent of servicemen and women who were not sent to the gulf. This was not just an American phenomenon; British, Canadian, Australian and Danish troops deployed to the gulf also reported more symptoms than their non-deployed counterparts.
The panel concluded that "unexplained illnesses are the most prevalent health outcome of service in the Gulf War."
However, the array and severity of symptoms vary, and many are typical of other conditions (such as fibromyalgia, multiple chemical sensitivity and chronic fatigue syndrome) whose causes are unknown.
"The nature of the symptoms suffered by many Gulf War veterans does not point to an obvious diagnosis, etiology [cause], or standard treatment," the panel wrote.
Three studies examined by the panel found a slightly increased rate of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, in Gulf War veterans. Overall, 107 cases of the fatal disease were found in about 700,000 men and women deployed. Goldman and her colleagues said this trend should be followed with continued surveillance for the disease.
Among the 850 papers examined were several with less certain findings.
One found a slight increase in brain cancer among the 100,000 troops theoretically exposed to sarin gas after rockets containing the nerve agent were unwittingly destroyed in a large ammunition dump in Khamisiyah , Iraq , after the war. That disease remained extremely rare, however, with only a handful of tumors even in the "exposed" group.
That finding is questionable for two reasons, however.
There is no evidence that any service members were exposed to sarin, which causes well-recognized symptoms at very low concentrations. In addition, brain tumors generally grow 10 to 20 years before being found. This study was done nine years after Khamisiyah, suggesting that many of the tumors in the troops had probably formed before the detonation.
Nevertheless, the brain-tumor finding "provides another lead that should be followed" by future studies, Goldman said.
One study also found a slightly increased rate of birth defects, especially of the urinary tract, among children of Gulf War veterans. Another reported five cases of a rare, disfiguring defect called Goldenhar syndrome in babies of Persian Gulf veterans conceived soon after the war, compared with two in non-deployed veterans. The children with Goldenhar were profiled in a Life magazine article that helped popularize the idea that troops had been exposed to persistent toxins during the war.
Because the number of defects was so small, however, these differences could have easily happened by chance.
A big problem with evaluating the source of illness in Gulf War veterans is that little information was gathered on their exposure to pesticides, smoke and battlefield contaminants -- and even to vaccines and drugs administered by the military.
"Even just a few measurements on the ground would have made a huge difference," Goldman said of the Khamisiyah detonations.
The panel advised the military to do a better job of assessing the health of troops immediately before and after deployment -- as is being done in the Iraq war -- and of gathering better toxic-exposure data in future wars.
Steve Robinson, a Gulf War veteran who directs government relations for Veterans for America , supported that suggestion in particular.
"The IOM report confirms that many Gulf War veterans are seriously ill and that they were exposed to many types of poisons, but the link remains unclear because the military failed to collect exposure data in 1991," he said. "Veterans for America believes the military cannot let this mistake happen again. . . . Lessons learned should be lessons followed."
Comments
I am listed as having symptoms of Gulf War Illness. And I can tell you it is very real.
Over the years I have dealt with joint pain, stomach problems, skin rashes, tooth loss, short term memory loss, along with many other things that I never had until I was over there.
The VA has recognized that I have these symptoms and has included it in my disability rateing.
I personally know lots of others that are going through the same stuff.
I will tell you the this is very real. And that there are thousands of us Desert Storm Vets suffering from it!
ADDED:
The VA gives rateings for Gulf War Illness, they use the term "Undiagnosed Illnesses" and leave it at that.
Included in my Rateing from the VA (which equals well over 100% if you add up all the stuff, but they only pay 100%) I show 30% for "Undiagnosed Illnesses".
Personally I think the VA knows more about what is going on than they are willing to admit. And after half of us die off they will finally release more. After all isin't that how they did it for Agent Orange?
I was at Khamisiyah when they blew it. In fact I helped haul in the explosives to do it. I got to go down in those bunkers, there was some nasty stuff down in them. Alot of those chemicals were made in the US and were still in our containers (I have pictures of this). In fact we were identifying them by our color banding on the containers.
All in all, I think this is far from being over! There will end up being more released on this in years to come!
Key words were put right in the story.
The FDA did some research on the matter and concluded the Anthrax Vaccine being made ain't been quite up to par.
www.gulfwarvets.com/anthraxmaker_warned.htm
Matter of fact they have caught them mixing recalled batches of vaccine that were contaminated with new batches and shipping them right off to get injected into GI's.
They shut them down for making the vaccine in a contaminated dump and using unapproved methods to make the vaccine a few times.....but each time DOD stepped in and gave Bioport big 'ole grants in the name of Defense....and FORCED GI's to receive the Anthrax Vaccine.
BTW.....The Anthrax Vaccine they have been shooting up GI's with ain't the same brew they been using on Veterinarians since the 70's....it's a whole new brew.
http://www.gulfwarvets.com/vaccine_downplayed.htm
http://www.dailypress.com/news/dp-anthrax-series,0,6168344.storygallery?coll=dp-widget-news
http://www.gulfwarvets.com/anthrax_courtdecision.htm
http://www.gulfwarvets.com/dead3.htm
http://www.gulfwarvets.com/death2.htm
http://www.gulfwarvets.com/recipe.htm