Specific Gulf War Exposures

Outcomes with Objective Measures or Diagnostic Medical Tests

• Among studies that examined pulmonary outcomes in associations with specific exposures in the Gulf War Theater, exacerbation of asthma associated with oil-well fire smoke has been indicated.

• With respect to nerve agents at Khamisiyah, no study using objective estimates of exposure has found associations with pulmonary function measures or physician-diagnosed respiratory disease. Another study indicated that there might be an increase in brain cancer among such veterans, however, the exposure models are highly uncertain.

RECOMMENDATIONS

• Pre- and post-deployment screening of health status

• Assessment of exposures

Surveillance for adverse health outcomes, specifically: cancer, ALS, birth defects, adverse pregnancy outcomes, post-deployment psychiatric outcomes, and mortality.