Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans report symptoms consistent with chronic multisymptom illness one year after deployment

Many Veterans returning from service in Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation Enduring Freedom (OIF/OEF) experience chronic pain. What is not known is whether for some OIF/OEF Veterans this pain is part of a larger condition of diffuse multisystem symptoms consistent with chronic multisymptom illness (C...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of rehabilitation research and development 2016, Vol.53 (1), p.59-70
Main Authors: McAndrew, Lisa M, Helmer, Drew A, Phillips, L Alison, Chandler, Helena K, Ray, Kathleen, Quigley, Karen S
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Afghan Campaign 2001
Care and treatment
Chronic Disease - epidemiology
Chronic illnesses
Chronic pain
Complications and side effects
Disease control
Female
Funding
Health aspects
Humans
Incidence
Iraq War, 2003-2011
Male
Mental depression
Military deployment
Military personnel
Pain management
Post-traumatic stress disorder
Prevalence
Retrospective Studies
Risk factors
Studies
United States - epidemiology
Veterans
Veterans Health
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Summary:Many Veterans returning from service in Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation Enduring Freedom (OIF/OEF) experience chronic pain. What is not known is whether for some OIF/OEF Veterans this pain is part of a larger condition of diffuse multisystem symptoms consistent with chronic multisymptom illness (CMI). We use data from a prospective longitudinal study of OIF/OEF Veterans to determine the frequency of CMI. We found that 1 yr after deployment, 49.5% of OIF/OEF Veterans met criteria for mild to moderate CMI and 10.8% met criteria for severe CMI. Over 90% of Veterans with chronic pain met criteria for CMI. CMI was not completely accounted for either by posttraumatic stress disorder or by predeployment levels of physical symptoms. Veterans with symptoms consistent with CMI reported significantly worse physical health function than Veterans who did not report symptoms consistent with CMI. This study suggests that the presence of CMI should be considered in the evaluation of OIF/OEF Veterans. Further, it suggests the pain management for these Veterans may need to be tailored to take CMI into consideration.
ISSN:0748-7711
1938-1352
DOI:10.1682/JRRD.2014.10.0255