Military deployment to the Gulf War as a risk factor for psychiatric illness among US troops

BackgroundSeveral studies document an excess of psychiatric symptoms among veterans of the 1991 Gulf War. However, little is known about the prevalence of psychiatric disorders in those who were deployed to that conflict.AimsTo compare the 12-month prevalence and associated risk factors for DSM Axis I psychiatric diagnoses between random samples of Gulf War-deployed veterans and veterans of the same era notdeployed to the Persian Gulf (era veterans).MethodInterview data from 967 Gulf War veterans and 784 era veterans were examined to determine current health status, medical conditions, symptoms and Axis I psychiatric disorders. Logistic regression models evaluated risk factors for psychiatric disorder.ResultsGulf War veterans had a significantly higher prevalence of psychiatric diagnoses, with twice the prevalence of anxiety disorders and depression. Lower rank, female gender and divorced or single marital status were significant independent predictors of psychiatric disorder.ConclusionsDeployment to the Gulf War is associated with a range of mental health outcomes more than 10 years after deployment.

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Risk factors for upper and lower functional gastrointestinal disorders in Persian Gulf War Veterans during and post‐deployment

Neurogastroenterology & Motility ◽

10.1111/nmo.13533 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 31 (3) ◽

pp. e13533 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Ashok K. Tuteja ◽

Nicholas J. Talley ◽

Gregory J. Stoddard ◽

Matthew H. Samore ◽

G. Nicholas Verne

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Persian Gulf ◽

Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders ◽

Gulf War ◽

Persian Gulf War ◽

Gastrointestinal Disorders ◽

War Veterans ◽

Gulf War Veterans ◽

Persian Gulf War Veterans

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Risk factors for continued illness among Gulf War veterans: a cohort study

Psychological Medicine ◽

10.1017/s0033291703001016 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 34 (4) ◽

pp. 747-754 ◽

Cited By ~ 20

Author(s):

M. HOTOPF ◽

A. DAVID ◽

L. HULL ◽

V. NIKALAOU ◽

C. UNWIN ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Cohort Study ◽

Psychological Distress ◽

Physical Functioning ◽

Gulf War ◽

Gulf War Syndrome ◽

War Veterans ◽

Gulf War Veterans ◽

Initial Symptoms

Background. There are no prospective cohort studies of prognostic factors on the outcome of Gulf War veterans. We aimed to test the hypotheses that Gulf War veterans who were older; had more severe symptoms; had more exposures during deployment; had increased psychological distress and believed they had ‘Gulf War syndrome’ would experience greater fatigue and poorer physical functioning at follow-up.Method. Gulf War veterans who responded to an earlier retrospective cohort study were followed with a postal survey. More symptomatic individuals were oversampled. Outcome was measured on the Chalder fatigue questionnaire, the General Health Questionnaire and the Medical Outcome Study Short-Form 36.Results. Of those surveyed, 73·8% responded. We found some evidence for four of the five hypotheses. More self-reported exposures at baseline were not associated with poorer outcome, but older people, those with more severe symptoms at baseline, those with psychological distress and who believed they were suffering from ‘Gulf War syndrome’ had more fatigue at follow-up. Officer status was associated with a better outcome. A similar lack of association was found for exposures and physical functioning and GHQ-12 score. ‘Gulf War syndrome’ attribution was associated with a worse outcome for GHQ-12 and physical functioning even after controlling for severity of symptoms at baseline.Conclusions. This study suggests that while multiple vaccination and military exposures are important risk factors for the onset of symptoms in Gulf War veterans, these are not important risk factors for persistence of such symptoms. Instead the severity of the initial symptoms; psychological distress and attributions may be more important determinants of outcome.

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Psychiatric diagnoses in Gulf War veterans with fatiguing illness

Psychiatry Research ◽

10.1016/s0165-1781(99)00095-5 ◽

1999 ◽

Vol 89 (1) ◽

pp. 39-48 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Gudrun Lange ◽

Lana Tiersky ◽

John DeLuca ◽

Arnold Peckerman ◽

Claudia Pollet ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Gulf War ◽

Psychiatric Diagnoses ◽

War Veterans ◽

Gulf War Veterans

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Gulf War Veterans with Psychiatric Symptoms (Anxiety, Depression, and PTSD) Significantly Improve on a Low Glutamate Diet

Current Developments in Nutrition ◽

10.1093/cdn/nzaa057_008 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (Supplement_2) ◽

pp. 1192-1192

Author(s):

Elizabeth Brandley ◽

Anna Kirkland ◽

Kathleen Holton

Keyword(s):

Dietary Intervention ◽

Psychiatric Symptoms ◽

Gulf War ◽

Control Group ◽

Gulf War Illness ◽

War Veterans ◽

Double Blind ◽

Double Blind Placebo ◽

Gulf War Veterans ◽

Anxiety Depression

Abstract Objectives The objective of this study was to assess the effects of a low glutamate dietary intervention on measures of anxiety, depression, and PTSD in veterans with Gulf War Illness (GWI). Methods Forty Gulf War veterans were recruited from across the U.S. for a clinical trial examining the effects of a low glutamate diet on symptoms of GWI. During baseline testing, subjects completed the GAD-7 anxiety measure, the PCL-C PTSD scale, and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), and then were randomized to immediate dietary intervention or a wait-listed control group. All participants received intensive dietary training before starting the diet. After one month on the diet, post-diet testing was completed, then subjects were randomized into a double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover challenge with MSG/placebo to test for a return of symptoms. The challenge data has not yet been un-blinded; therefore, it will not be discussed in this abstract. Pre-post diet change scores were analyzed using the Wilcoxon Signed Rank tests via SPSS®v26. Results Results demonstrate highly significant improvements in psychiatric symptoms associated with GWI after one-month on a low glutamate diet. Scores were reduced from a median (IQ range) of 9(13) to 4(8), P = 0.001 for anxiety; from 27(15) to 19(10), P < 0.001 for depression; and from 57(32) to 39(32), P < 0.001 for PTSD. Conclusions These results suggest that a low glutamate diet may improve depression, anxiety, and PTSD in veterans with GWI. Future analysis of the double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover challenge data will provide a better understanding of whether challenge with glutamate can significantly increase anxiety, depression and PTSD relative to placebo. Funding Sources The US Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity, 820 Chandler St, Fort Detrick MD 21,702–5014 is the awarding and administering acquisition office. This work is supported by the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs through the Gulf War Illness Research Program. Opinions, interpretations, conclusions and recommendations are those of the author and are not necessarily endorsed by the Department of Defense.

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Psychiatric disorder in veterans of the Persian Gulf War of 1991

The British Journal of Psychiatry ◽

10.1192/bjp.182.5.391 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 182 (5) ◽

pp. 391-403 ◽

Cited By ~ 60

Author(s):

Nicola J. Stimpson ◽

Hollie V. Thomas ◽

Alison L. Weightman ◽

Frank Dunstan ◽

Glyn Lewis

Keyword(s):

Psychiatric Disorder ◽

Mental Disorder ◽

Persian Gulf ◽

Comparison Group ◽

Common Mental Disorder ◽

Gulf War ◽

Persian Gulf War ◽

War Veterans ◽

Gulf War Veterans ◽

The Persian Gulf

BackgroundVeterans of the Persian Gulf War of 1991 have reported symptoms attributed to their military service.AimsTo review all studies comparing the prevalence of psychiatric disorders in Gulf War veterans and in a comparison group of service personnel not deployed to the Gulf War.MethodStudies of military personnel deployed to the Gulf published between 1990 and 2001 were identified from electronic databases. Reference lists and websites were searched and key researchers were contacted for information. Atotal of 2296 abstracts and 409 complete articles were reviewed and data were extracted independently by two members of the research team.ResultsThe prevalence of psychiatric disorder in 20 studies of Gulf War veterans was compared with the prevalence in the comparison group. Prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and common mental disorder were higher in the Gulf War veterans. Heterogeneity between studies was significant, but all reported this increased prevalence.ConclusionsVeterans of the Persian Gulf War reported an increased prevalence of PTSD and common mental disorder compared with other active service personnel not deployed to the Gulf. These findings are attributable to the increase in psychologically traumatic events in wartime.

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