New Onset of Chronic Diseases and Changes in Lifestyle Risk Factors Among Gulf War Veterans: A Longitudinal Comparison of High and Low Symptom Reporters.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to compare new chronic diseases onset and longitudinal changes in lifestyle risk factors between Gulf War veterans with different symptom reporting. Data were collected from Gulf War veterans over two periods, and participants were grouped according to baseline symptom reporting. Logistic, nominal, and ordinal regressions were used for between-group comparisons. The veterans comprised low, moderate, and high symptom reporters. New onset of sleep apnea [odds ratio (OR) = 9.49; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 3.48 to 25.86], musculoskeletal (OR = 8.70; 95% CI = 4.17 to 18.17), psychological (OR = 5.36; 95% CI = 2.46 to 11.70), and cardiovascular (OR = 3.86; 95% CI = 1.33 to 11.23) conditions was elevated in high versus low symptom reporters. Although odds of obesity and alcohol use increased over time and smoking halved, the changes were similar across groups. These findings show increasing obesity and alcohol use, and indicate that high symptomatology among veterans may predict future disease onset.