BACKGROUND During the 1990-1991 Gulf War, approximately 700,000 U.S. troops were deployed to the Persian Gulf theater of operations. Of that number, approximately 100,000 have presented medical complaints through various registry and examination programs. OBJECTIVES Widespread symptomatic illness without defining physical features has been reported among veterans of the 1991 Gulf War. We asce...

'Gulf War syndrome' is a phrase coined after the 1991 Gulf War to group together disparate, unexplained health symptoms in Gulf veterans. This paper examines the many hypotheses that have been put forward about the origins of the concept and gives an overview of the studies that have attempted to explain the lasting health effects associated with Gulf service. Our review finds that although in ...

One central health question remains unanswered 7 years after the war with Iraq: Is there a "Gulf War syndrome"? Within a few months of returning home in 1991, some of the 750,000 Gulf War veterans from the United States, Great Britain, and Canada began complaining of fatigue, headaches, joint pains, sleep disturbances, cognitive difficulties, and other physical (somatic) symptoms (1). Approxima...

BACKGROUND Veterans of the 1991 Gulf War have an increased risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), but the etiology is unknown. OBJECTIVES This study sought to identify geographic areas with elevated risk for the later development of ALS among military personnel who served in the first Gulf War. METHODS A unified geographic information system (GIS) was constructed to allow analysis of ...

Pyridostigmine bromide (PB) is a drug, often given as a tablet, that has been approved since 1955 by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for treatment of myasthenia gravis, a disease characterized by weakness and fatigability of the muscles. During the Persian Gulf War (PGW), PB was used as an “investigational new drug” (IND) by the U.S. military and some other allied forces as a pretreatment...

OBJECTIVE To assess the prevalence of and risk factors for self-reported symptoms suggestive of multiple chemical sensitivities/idiopathic environmental intolerance (MCS/IEI) in Persian Gulf War (PGW) veterans from Iowa and a comparison group of PGW-era military personnel. METHODS A population-based sample of Iowa military personnel was surveyed using a cross-sectional telephone interview. St...

BACKGROUND Complaints of poor memory and concentration are common in veterans of the 1991 Persian Gulf War as are other symptoms. Despite a large research effort, such symptoms remain largely unexplained. METHOD A comprehensive battery of neuropsychological tests and rating scales was administered to 341 UK servicemen who were returnees from the Gulf War and peace keeping duties in Bosnia, pl...

There is significant support for exposure therapy as an effective treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) across a variety of populations, including veterans; however, there is little empirical information regarding how veterans of different war theaters respond to exposure therapy. Accordingly, questions remain regarding therapy effectiveness for treatment of PTSD for veterans of di...

polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (pahs) are a class of complex substances that are produced during incomplete combustion of fossil fuels. pahs are known to be persistent pollutants which can remain in nature for years. in 1991 during the first persian gulf war south west part of iran was contaminated heavily. this study was undertaken to see if the pahs can be traceable in animal tissues many y...