Evidence for a deployment-related Gulf War syndrome by factor analysis.
To identify a syndrome unique to Gulf War veterans, the authors applied an exploratory factor analysis to the 47-symptom correlation matrix of 10,423 Gulf War and 8,960 non-Gulf War veteran respondents. A separate factor analysis was performed for Gulf War and non-Gulf War veterans, and the resulting 6 factors were compared between the 2 groups. Five of the factors were very similar in the 2 groups; however, 1 of the factors in the Gulf War group, but not the non-Gulf War group, contained a cluster of symptoms consistent with neurological impairment. Symptoms specific to this factor were blurred vision, loss of balance/dizziness, tremors/shaking, and speech difficulty. The Gulf War veterans who had all of the aforementioned symptoms (n = 277) also reported exposures to several putative risk factors at a rate 3 or more times higher than other Gulf War veterans. This finding suggests a possible syndrome related to Gulf War deployment, which requires objective supporting clinical evidence.
Kang
Han K
HK
Veterans Health Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs, Washington, DC 20036-3406, USA.
Mahan
Clare M
CM
Lee
Kyung Y
KY
Murphy
Frances M
FM
Simmens
Samuel J
SJ
Young
Heather A
HA
Levine
Paul H
PH
D000328:Adult; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008887:Military Medicine; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D018923:Persian Gulf Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014728:Veterans