title: Surveillance for long-term health effects associated with depleted uranium exposure and retained embedded fragments in US veterans.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To ensure that all veterans with retained embedded fragments are properly monitored for potential health effects of embedded materials.
  
  
  METHODS
  Urine biomonitoring and health surveillance programs were developed to gather information about health risks associated with chemicals released from embedded fragments.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Elevated systemic exposure to depleted uranium (DU) that continues to occur in veterans with DU fragments remains a concern, although no clinically significant DU-related health effects have been observed to date. Other metals and local tissue reactions to embedded fragments are also of concern.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Knowledge gained from these programs will help to develop guidelines for surgical removal of tissue-embedded fragments.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA.
authors.forename: Katherine S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Squibb
authors.forename: Joanna M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Gaitens
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Engelhardt
authors.forename: Jose A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Centeno
authors.forename: Hanna
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gray
authors.forename: Melissa A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: McDiarmid
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D055826:Afghan Campaign 2001-; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D015386:Hazardous Substances / Q000633:toxicity / Q000652:urine; D006306:Health Surveys / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D054542:Iraq War, 2003-2011; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000652:urine; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods*; D013995:Time; D014501:Uranium / Q000633:toxicity* / Q000652:urine*; D014728:Veterans / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014948:Wounds, Gunshot / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000652:urine
chemical_list: D015386:Hazardous Substances; D014501:Uranium