title: Diabetes mellitus and 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin elimination in veterans of Operation Ranch Hand.
abstract: Using multivariate statistical models, no significant relationship was found between the rate of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin ( TCDD) elimination and the occurrence or time to onset of diabetes in 343 veterans of Operation Ranch Hand, the unit responsible for the aerial spraying of Agent Orange and other TCDD-contaminated herbicides during the Vietnam War. Without adjustment for age, body mass index, family history of diabetes, and smoking history, the time to onset of diabetes decreased and the risk of diabetes increased with a diminished elimination rate. However, after adjustment, diabetes time to onset and occurrence were not significantly associated with TCDD elimination. Analyses of covariance found no significant difference between the average elimination rates of diabetic and nondiabetic veterans, without or with adjustment for risk factors. To our knowledge, this is the only study to date to examine TCDD elimination and diabetes.
authors.affiliation: Air Force Research Laboratory, Brooks Air Force Base, Texas 78235-5137, USA. joel.michalek@brooks.af.mil
authors.forename: Joel E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Michalek
authors.forename: Norma S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Ketchum
authors.forename: Ram C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Tripathi
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D006540:Herbicides / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D000072317:Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D014728:Veterans; D014744:Vietnam; D014857:Warfare
chemical_list: D006540:Herbicides; D000072317:Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins