Respiratory health status of Australian veterans of the 1991 Gulf War and the effects of exposure to oil fire smoke and dust storms

• DOI: 10.1136/thx.2003.017103
• Publication Date: 2004-09-28T17:33:11Z
• Authors: H L Kelsall
• Keywords: Chronic bronchitis

Since the 1991 Gulf War concerns have been raised about effects on veterans' health of exposures to Kuwaiti oil fire smoke and dust storms.A cross sectional study compared 1456 Australian veterans with a randomly sampled military comparison group (n = 1588). A postal questionnaire asked respiratory conditions, exposures, medications, tobacco use, demographic characteristics, service details. During medical assessment, spirometric tests physical examination were performed was administered.The response rate for veteran 80.5% 56.8%. had higher than expected prevalence symptoms conditions suggesting asthma (OR 1.4; 95% CI 1.1 1.9) bronchitis first diagnosed since 1.9; 1.2 3.1) but did not poorer lung function or more ventilatory abnormalities group. Veterans who reported exposure slightly forced vital capacity (difference between means -0.10 l; -0.18 -0.03) those exposed storms better peak expiratory flow 12.0 l/min; 0.6 23.4) report exposure. in at after start fires 1.7; 1.0 2.9) completed their deployment before this time.Increased self-reporting symptoms, asthma, by reflected function. The findings do suggest major long term sequelae storms.