RE: [CPEO-MEF] Military ready for outbreak of Gulf War Syndrome II

[loc@icx.net]

This publication will be of interest to anyone concerned about Gulf War
Syndromes I or II (to be).

"War Syndromes and their Evaluation:  From the U.S. Civil War to the
Persian Gulf War", Kenneth C. Hyams, MD, MPH; F. Stephen Wignall, MD,
and Robert Roswell, MD, Annals of Internal Medicine, 125:398-405; Sept.
1, 1996.  On the Internet at:
http://www.gulflink.osd.mil/medical/med_syndrome.htm

_From the abstract:

Poorly understood war syndromes have been associated with armed
conflicts at least since the U.S. Civil War. Although these syndromes
have been characterized by similar symptoms (fatigue, shortness of
breath, headache, sleep disturbance, forgetfulness, and impaired
concentration), no single recurring illness that is unrelated to
psychological stress is apparent. However, many types of illness were
found among evaluated veterans, including well-defined medical and
psychiatric conditions, acute combat stress reaction, post-traumatic
stress disorder, and possibly the chronic fatigue syndrome. No single
disease is apparent, but one unifying factor stands out: A unique
population was intensely scrutinized after experiencing an exceptional,
life-threatening set of exposures. As a result, research efforts to date
have been unable to conclusively show causality, have been subject to
reporting bias, and have lacked similar control populations. In addition
to research limitations, war syndromes have involved fundamental,
unanswered questions about the importance of chronic somatic symptoms
and the factors that create a personal sense of ill health.

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Susan L. Gawarecki, Ph.D., Executive Director
Oak Ridge Reservation Local Oversight Committee
102 Robertsville Road, Suite B, Oak Ridge, TN 37830
Toll free 888-770-3073 ~ www.local-oversight.org
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