Respiratory Symptoms Necessitating Spirometry Among Soldiers With Iraq/Afghanistan War Lung Injury

Objective: New-onset asthma rates are higher among US soldiers deployed to Iraq/Afghanistan than stateside, but overall respiratory symptom and spirometry rates among soldiers returning from Iraq/Afghanistan have not yet been addressed. We determined these rates in soldiers deployed to Iraq/Afghanis...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of occupational and environmental medicine 2011-09, Vol.53 (9), p.961-965
Main Authors: Szema, Anthony M., Salihi, Walid, Savary, Khalil, Chen, John J.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
Afghan Campaign 2001
Asthma - complications
Asthma - epidemiology
Biological and medical sciences
Brain Injuries - complications
Brain Injuries - epidemiology
Female
Forced Expiratory Volume
Humans
Iraq War, 2003-2011
Male
Medical diagnosis
Medical equipment
Medical sciences
Military deployment
Military Personnel
ORIGINAL ARTICLES
Pneumology
Respiratory diseases
Respiratory system : syndromes and miscellaneous diseases
Retrospective Studies
Smoking - epidemiology
Spirometry
Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - complications
Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - epidemiology
United States - epidemiology
Vital Capacity
War
Young Adult
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Summary:Objective: New-onset asthma rates are higher among US soldiers deployed to Iraq/Afghanistan than stateside, but overall respiratory symptom and spirometry rates among soldiers returning from Iraq/Afghanistan have not yet been addressed. We determined these rates in soldiers deployed to Iraq/Afghanistan versus troops stationed elsewhere. Methods: Retrospective review of active-duty soldiers (2004 to 2010) registered at Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Northport, New York, with Long Island/New York City zip codes. Subjects were examined by physicians or physicians' assistants. We counted number of spirometries, which required respiratory symptoms, and the provider was required to submit a diagnosis as part of the request process. Results: Twenty-five percent of 7151 troops went to Iraq/Afghanistan (n = 1816) and 75% went elsewhere (n = 5335), with more smokers in the Iraq/Afghanistan group (16.1% vs 3.3%). Rates of symptoms and spirometry were 14.5% and 1.8%, for Iraq/Afghanistan, versus troops deployed elsewhere, respectively (P < 0.001). Both groups had similar forced expired volume in 1 second/forced vital capacity ratios (78%). Conclusions: Newonset Iraq/Afghanistan war lung injury is common and rates of symptoms leading to a diagnosis requiring spirometry are high.
ISSN:1076-2752
1536-5948
DOI:10.1097/JOM.0b013e31822c9f05