Iraq War Vets Return With Lung Disease

[Barrett808]

Source: WebMD

Some U.S. soldiers returning from the war in Iraq are bringing lung disease home with them.

A new study shows a large group of Iraq War veterans has been diagnosed with bronchiolitis, a type of lung disease that affects the small airways of the lung. It causes shortness of breath and/or rapid and labored breathing.

"All of the soldiers evaluated were physically fit at the time of deployment. On return, none of those diagnosed with bronchiolitis met physical training standards. In almost every case they were declared unfit for duty and were medically boarded with a service connected disability," says researcher Robert Miller, MD, assistant professor of pulmonary and critical care medicine at Vanderbilt University, in a news release.

Bronchiolitis is associated with many conditions, such as toxic inhalation, infection, and rheumatoid arthritis.

But researchers say these results suggest that exposure to toxins during the Iraq War may also need to be considered as a risk factor for unexplained breathing problems.

"Bronchiolitis needs to be considered in Iraq War veterans presenting with unexplained shortness of breath on exertion," says researcher Matthew King, MD, of Vanderbilt.

Read more: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/05/21/health/webmd/main4114714.shtml

[PDJane]

1. Like.........I don't know.......

maybe DU dust, microbes in the water (Halliburton does such a good job), mouldy tents, contaminated sand, chemicals floating around from the first Gulf war, when the US blew up chemical stockpiles in place?

Stuff like that?

Makes one wonder what the incidence of similar illnesses is among the Iraqis.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

2. This is fairly new... but even if it weren't, I doubt these poor soldiers

would be made aware of it. I wish someone close to them knew of it... and then acted responsibly. Please tell the three sweepers that this was not done in a petri dish.


http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18036807?ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum
1: Respir Med. 2008 Mar;102(3):443-8. Epub 2007 Nov 26.Click here to read Links
Therapeutics effect of N-acetyl cysteine on mustard gas exposed patients: evaluating clinical aspect in patients with impaired pulmonary function test.
Shohrati M, Aslani J, Eshraghi M, Alaedini F, Ghanei M.

Research Center of Chemical Injuries, Baqyatallah Medical Sciences University, Mollasadra Street, P.O. Box: 19945-546, Tehran, Iran.

AIMS: Long-term prescription of N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) may be effective in diseases caused by active radicals of oxygen species. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of 2- and 4-month administration of NAC (1800 mg daily) on mustard induced bronchiolitis obliterans.

METHODS AND MATERIALS: In a double blind clinical trial, 144 patients with bronchiolitis obliterans due to sulfur mustard in bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS) classes 1 and 2, randomly entered Group 1 (n=72, NAC) and Group 2 (n=72, placebo). Dyspnea, wake-up dyspnea, cough, and sputum were measured after 4 months. Spirometric findings were measured at the beginning of the trial, 2 months after and after 4 months of prescription of 1800 mg/day in three doses of NAC or placebo.

RESULTS: Dyspnea, cough, sputum, and wake-up dyspnea improved after 4 months of NAC compared to the control group.

After 4 months, spirometric components were significantly improved in NAC group compared to placebo group. CONCLUSION: Fourth months administration of NAC (1800 mg daily) can improve clinical conditions and spirometric findings in mustard exposed in BOS class 1 or 2.

PMID: 18036807

[Maraya1969]

7. N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) Get it at our health food store

(I just wanted to add that to make it clearer that people can get the stuff on their own. It's not cheap though)

[truedelphi]

8. I know for me that N-acetyl cysteine

helps my reaction to the dreaded RoundUp. I simply cannot tolerate the Formaldehyde in RoundUp.
And since in the spring everyone in America sprays it with impunity, I have to either load up on it, or take glutathione (N-acetyl cysteine is the precursor to glutathione.)

[indepat]

3. How many, oh how many hundreds of thousands of veterans of this fray might be returning

with severe medical conditions and/or mental disorders not given proper treatment/adequate disability compensation? If it were only one, that alone would be a national disgrace imo :shrug:

[L0oniX]

4. That and Depleted Uranium poisoning.

Google Depleted Uranium and see what is in store for our soldiers and their families.

[dixiegrrrrl]

5. may I add to that..

not only our soldiers, their families, born and unborn children, but also anyone living in Iraq, as well as Bosnia, born and unborn.
the USA has been using DU weapons in Europe, under Clinton, in Iraq, under the regimes of both Bushes.
Millions of people are contaminated now.
and hardly anything is being discussed in public.
One Iraqi Dr. who had been studying this was banned by Bush henchmen from entering the US to present his findings at a symposium.

[L0oniX]

6. Yes ...sadly Iraq will never be a place where people can live normal lives ever again.

[truedelphi]

9. Do you have that Doctor's name? I would love to contact him

We in the alternative "free" media have been doing our best to cover depleted uranium.

This article of mine focuses quite a but on the local stuff, but tries to explain the basic facets of the DU issue.

http://www.coastalpost.com/04/08/01.htm

[Politicalboi]

10. Amerikin Democrazy

Love it or LOVE IT. We bring cancer everywhere we go. I saw a video of a woman soldier of the first Gulf War and she at times couldn't feel anything below her waste and had loose stool. They told her she just needed to adjust being back home. See how simple that is :sarcasm:
Worked then should work now.

[FREEWILL56]

11. I wonder if any of those so called doctors ever thought that they

were breathing in too much silicon dust creating a condition called silicosus.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silicosis
Parents---That sand box for your kids is harmful when the sand is thrown into the air and breathed or if they were to imitate an ostrich.
All in favor of sending bush some play sand say aye.:evilgrin:

[orleans]

12. k&r n/t

[lovuian]

13. Sulfur from Mosul Mine

our ground troops took higher causalties it looks like than we thought

so sad

I wish this would end