title: The impact of post-infectious functional gastrointestinal disorders and symptoms on the health-related quality of life of US military personnel returning from deployment to the Middle East.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Mental and physical health-related quality of life (HRQOL) are important health impact measures following military deployment. While conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are known to adversely affect QOL, little is known about the effect of post-infectious functional gastrointestinal disorders (PI-FGID). Our aim was to evaluate the risk of PI-FGID and its impact on HRQOL among military personnel returning from deployment.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional cohort of active-duty military deployed to Egypt or Turkey between 2004 and 2005 was asked to complete a questionnaire (Rome II and SF-36 instruments) on travelers' diarrhea (TD) during deployment and FGID symptoms and HRQOL 6 months after returning from deployment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 121 military personnel returning from Egypt (n = 33) and Turkey (n = 88) completed the post-deployment questionnaire. Nearly half (48.3%) met the definition for an FGID at the time of the survey, and 53% of individuals reporting one or more episodes of TD during deployment developed an FGID, compared to 33% of those not reporting TD (odds ratio [OR] 2.2, P = 0.08). Compared to those not meeting the FGID criteria, those with post-deployment FGID had lower mean mental HRQOL scores (-13.4%, P < 0.0001) and lower physical HRQOL scores (-7.2%, P = 0.004).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There was a high prevalence of FGID symptoms in military personnel returning from deployment, and TD was a noted risk factor. FGID and symptoms decreased QOL, with mental HRQOL being affected more than physical HRQOL. These findings require further research in order to assess the long-term impact of these and other post-infectious sequela related to TD during deployments among returning veterans.
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology, University of California, Irvine, Orange, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Kashyap H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Trivedi
authors.forename: Carey D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Schlett
authors.forename: David R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Tribble
authors.forename: Marshall R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Monteville
authors.forename: John W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Sanders
authors.forename: Mark S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Riddle
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004534:Egypt / Q000208:ethnology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007239:Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008889:Military Personnel; D015995:Prevalence; D011788:Quality of Life; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D014195:Travel; D014421:Turkey / Q000208:ethnology; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult