Global InformationGulf War syndrome information
| Gulf War syndrome | |
|---|---|
| Other names | Chronic multisymptom illness[1][2] |
 | |
| Summary of the Operation Desert Storm offensive ground campaign, February 24–28, 1991, by nationality | |
| Symptoms | Vary somewhat among individuals and include fatigue, headaches, cognitive dysfunction, musculoskeletal pain, insomnia,[3] and respiratory, gastrointestinal, and dermatologic complaints |
| Causes | Toxic exposures during the 1990–91 Persian Gulf War. See Congressional records for testimony about chemical weapon disposal accident. |
| Differential diagnosis | myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS); fibromyalgia; multiple sclerosis (MS) |
| Frequency | 25% to 34% of the 697,000 U.S. troops of the 1990–91 Gulf War |
Gulf War syndrome (GWS) also known as Gulf War Illness or Chronic Multi-symptom Illness, is a chronic and multi-symptomatic disorder affecting military veterans of both sides of the Gulf War (1990–1991).[4][5][6] A wide range of acute and chronic symptoms have been linked to it, including fatigue, muscle pain, cognitive problems, insomnia,[3] rashes and diarrhea.[7] Approximately 250,000[8] of the 697,000 U.S. veterans who served in the Gulf War have enduring chronic multi-symptom illness, a condition with serious consequences.[9] From 1995 to 2005, the health of combat veterans worsened in comparison with nondeployed veterans, with the onset of more new chronic diseases, functional impairment, repeated clinic visits and hospitalizations, Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome-like illness, post-traumatic stress disorder, and greater persistence of adverse health incidents.[10]
The primary cause of Gulf War syndrome is exposure to sub-lethal amounts of organophosphates, particularly sarin.[11][12][13] Exposure to pesticides containing other organophosphates and exposure to pills containing pyridostigmine bromide, used as a pretreatment to protect against nerve agent effects, has been found to be associated with the neurological effects seen in Persian Gulf War syndrome.[14][15] Other causes that have been investigated are cyclosarin and emissions from oil well fires, but their relationship to the illness is not as clear.[14][15] Persian Gulf War syndrome is not the result of combat or other stressors, and Gulf War veterans have lower rates of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) than veterans of other wars.[9][14]
The Royal British Legion said research suggested up to 33,000 UK Gulf War veterans could be living with the syndrome,[16] with 1,300 claiming a war pension for conditions connected to their service.[17] In 2007 the Royal British Legion produced a comprehensive report entitled Legacy of Suspicion,[18] which made recommendations about necessary research and compensation. The Royal British Legion is still campaigning for the UK government to properly address symptoms experienced by veterans of the Gulf War.[19]
According to a 2013 report by the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, veterans of the U.S. wars in Iraq and Afghanistan may also have Gulf War syndrome,[20] though later findings identified causes that would not have been present in those wars.[14][15]
- ^ "Persian Gulf War and Health: Treatment for Chronic Multisymptom Illness". Health and Medicine Division. nationalacademies.org. Archived from the original on 11 May 2017.
- ^ "U.S. Chemical and Biological Warfare-related Dual Use Exports to Iraq and their Possible Impact on the Health Consequences of the Persian Gulf War" (PDF). United States Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. May 25, 1994.
A Report of Chairman Donald W. Riegle Jr., and Ranking Member Alfonse M. D'Amato of the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs with respect to Export Administration – United States Senate
- ^ a b "Persian Gulf War Veterans' Medically Unexplained Illnesses". Veterans Health. Public Health. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
veteranIllnesseswas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Iversen A, Chalder T, Wessely S (October 2007). "Gulf War Illness: lessons from medically unexplained symptoms". Clinical Psychology Review. 27 (7): 842–854. doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2007.07.006. PMID 17707114.
- ^ Gronseth GS (May 2005). "Gulf war syndrome: a toxic exposure? A systematic review". Neurologic Clinics. 23 (2): 523–540. doi:10.1016/j.ncl.2004.12.011. PMID 15757795.
- ^ "Gulf War Syndrome". University of Virginia. Archived from the original on 14 July 2004.
- ^ Stencel C (9 April 2010). "Gulf War service linked to post-traumatic stress disorder, multisymptom illness, other health problems, but causes are unclear". National Academy of Sciences. Archived from the original on 14 March 2012. Retrieved 9 May 2012.
- ^ a b Research Advisory Committee on Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses (1 November 2008). "Gulf War Illness and the Health of Persian Gulf War Veterans: Scientific Findings and Recommendations" (PDF). U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 November 2013. Retrieved 9 May 2012.
- ^ Li B, Mahan CM, Kang HK, Eisen SA, Engel CC (October 2011). "Longitudinal health study of US 1991 Gulf War veterans: changes in health status at 10-year follow-up". American Journal of Epidemiology. 174 (7): 761–768. doi:10.1093/aje/kwr154. PMID 21795757.
- ^ Cruz-Hernandez A, Roney A, Goswami DG, Tewari-Singh N, Brown JM (November 2022). "A review of chemical warfare agents linked to respiratory and neurological effects experienced in Gulf War Illness". Inhalation Toxicology. 34 (13–14): 412–432. Bibcode:2022InhTx..34..412C. doi:10.1080/08958378.2022.2147257. PMC 9832991. PMID 36394251.
- ^ Weisskopf MG, Sullivan KA (May 2022). "Invited Perspective: Causal Implications of Gene by Environment Studies Applied to Gulf War Illness". Environmental Health Perspectives. 130 (5): 51301. doi:10.1289/EHP11057. PMC 9093160. PMID 35543506.
- ^ "UTSW genetic study confirms sarin nerve gas as cause of Gulf War illness". UT Southwestern Medical Center. May 11, 2022.
- ^ a b c d Gulf War Illness and the Health of Persian Gulf War Veterans: Research Update and Recommendations, 2009–2013: Updated Scientific Findings and Recommendations (PDF). Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. May 2014. pp. 3, 9–10, 20.
- ^ a b c White RF, Steele L, O'Callaghan JP, Sullivan K, Binns JH, Golomb BA, et al. (January 2016). "Recent research on Gulf War illness and other health problems in veterans of the 1991 Gulf War: Effects of toxicant exposures during deployment". Cortex; A Journal Devoted to the Study of the Nervous System and Behavior. What's your poison? Neurobehavioural consequences of exposure to industrial, agricultural and environmental chemicals. 74: 449–475. doi:10.1016/j.cortex.2015.08.022. PMC 4724528. PMID 26493934.
- ^ "What is Persian Gulf War Illness?". Royal British Legion. 20 February 2020. Retrieved 25 May 2021.
- ^ "Gulf War syndrome 'not caused by depleted uranium'". BBC News. 18 February 2021. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
- ^ "Gulf War: a legacy of suspicion" (PDF). Royal British Legion. Retrieved 25 May 2021.
- ^ "Gulf War illnesses". Royal British Legion. 8 February 2019. Retrieved 25 May 2021.
- ^ Kennedy, Kelly (23 January 2013). "Report: New vets show Gulf War illness symptoms". Army Times. USA Today. Retrieved 28 January 2013.[dead link]