title: Hodgkin's disease and Vietnam service.
abstract: Earlier studies that showed an association between exposure to phenoxy herbicides and the risk of malignant lymphomas have sparked concerns among Vietnam veterans over Agent Orange exposure. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) undertook a hospital-based case-control study to examine the association between military service in Vietnam and several histologic types of malignant lymphomas. This is a report of 283 Vietnam-era veteran patients who were treated in one of 172 VA hospitals from 1969 to 1985 with a diagnosis of Hodgkin's Disease (HD). Four hundred and four Vietnam-era veteran patients with diagnosis other than malignant lymphoma served as a comparison group. Military service in Vietnam was not associated with any significant increase in the risk of HD (adjusted odds ratio = 1.28; 95% confidence interval = 0.94, 1.76). Surrogate measures of potential Agent Orange exposure such as service in a specific military branch, in a certain region within Vietnam, in a combat role, or extended Vietnam service time were not associated with any significant increased risk of HD.
authors.affiliation: Environmental Epidemiology Service (EES), Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Washington, DC 20036-3406, USA.
authors.forename: N A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Dalager
authors.forename: H K
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: V L
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: Burt
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Weatherbee
mesh_terms: D015085:2,4,5-Trichlorophenoxyacetic Acid / Q000009:adverse effects; D015084:2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic Acid / Q000009:adverse effects; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000075182:Agent Orange; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003678:Defoliants, Chemical / Q000009:adverse effects; D006689:Hodgkin Disease / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006787:Hospitals, Veterans; D006801:Humans; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000453:epidemiology; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000453:epidemiology; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010351:Patient Discharge; D000072317:Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins / Q000009:adverse effects; D012307:Risk Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014493:United States Department of Veterans Affairs; D014728:Veterans / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014744:Vietnam
chemical_list: D003678:Defoliants, Chemical; D000072317:Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins; D015084:2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic Acid; D000075182:Agent Orange; D015085:2,4,5-Trichlorophenoxyacetic Acid