Longitudinal Changes in Lung Function Following Post-9/11 Military Deployment in Symptomatic Veterans

Details

• Personal Author:
  Krefft SD ; Rose CS ; Strand M ; Zell-Baran LM
• Description:
  Rationale: Exposure to burn pit smoke, desert and combat dust, and diesel exhaust during military deployment to Southwest Asia and Afghanistan (SWA) can cause deployment-related respiratory diseases (DRRDs) and may confer risk for worsening lung function after return. Methods: Study subjects were SWA-deployed veterans who underwent occupational lung disease evaluation (n = 219). We assessed differences in lung function by deployment exposures and DRRD diagnoses. We used linear mixed models to assess changes in lung function over time. Results: Most symptomatic veterans reported high intensity deployment exposure to diesel exhaust and burn pit particulates but had normal post-deployment spirometry. The most common DRRDs were deployment-related distal lung disease involving small airways (DDLD, 41%), deployment-related asthma (DRA, 13%), or both DRA/DDLD (24%). Those with both DDLD/DRA had the lowest estimated mean spirometry measurements five years following first deployment. Among those with DDLD alone, spirometry measurements declined annually, adjusting for age, sex, height, weight, family history of lung disease, and smoking. In this group, the forced expiratory volume in the first second/forced vital capacity (FEV1/FVC) ratio declined 0.2% per year. Those with more intense inhalational exposure had more abnormal lung function. We found significantly lower estimated FVC and total lung capacity five years following deployment among active duty participants (n = 173) compared to those in the reserves (n = 26). Conclusions: More intense inhalational exposures were linked with lower post-deployment lung function. Those with distal lung disease (DDLD) experienced significant longitudinal decline in FEV1/FVC ratio, but other DRRD diagnosis groups did not. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Asthma Asthma, Occupational Dust Lung Occupational Health Particulate Matter Respiratory Function Tests Respiratory System Respiratory Tract Diseases Safety
• Keywords:
  Author Keywords: Deployment-related Respiratory Diseases Bronchiolitis Burn Pits Dust Exposure Longitudinal Pulmonary Function Longitudinal Study Lung Function Military Personnel Particulates Respiratory Diseases Smoke Inhalation Spirometry

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• ISSN:
  0954-6111
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Colorado ; OSHA Region 8
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  227
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20069647
• Citation:
  Respir Med 2024 Jun; 227:107638
• Contact Point Address:
  Lauren M. Zell-Baran, National Jewish Health, Denver, CO Division of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, USA
• Email:
  zellbaranl@njhealth.org
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2024
• Performing Organization:
  University of Colorado, Denver
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20070701
• Source Full Name:
  Respiratory Medicine
• End Date:
  20250630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:2ca4fefeb39d17b83f29fe3131bef53ecf328bea9a64de456211ea3fd654e0841157803ac696989182c0e1501188f736f14a1320e91434115368ba915ff3f225
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/208034/cdc_208034_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 2.24 MB ]