title: Newly reported lupus and rheumatoid arthritis in relation to deployment within proximity to a documented open-air burn pit in Iraq.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the relationship between possible exposure to smoke from documented open-air burn pits and newly reported lupus and rheumatoid arthritis among Millennium Cohort participants who have deployed in support of operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospectively assessed self-reported lupus and rheumatoid arthritis among deployers who completed both 2004-2006 and 2007-2008 questionnaires.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After exclusions, more than 18,000 participants were deployed, including more than 3000 participants deployed within a 3-mile radius of a documented burn pit. After adjustment, proximity within 3 miles of a burn pit was not significantly associated with rheumatoid arthritis or lupus in general; however, one location was associated with lupus, although few cases were at this site (n = 2).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results indicate deployers potentially exposed to documented burn pits in the combined three-camp analysis were not at an elevated risk of lupus or rheumatoid arthritis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Deployment Health Research, Naval Health Research Center, 140 Sylvester Road, San Diego, CA 92106, USA. kelly.jones@med.navy.mil
authors.forename: Kelly A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Besa
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Nisara S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Granado
authors.forename: Edward J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Boyko
authors.forename: Gary D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Gackstetter
authors.forename: Margaret A K
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Ryan
authors.forename: Christopher J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Phillips
authors.forename: Tyler C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D055826:Afghan Campaign 2001-; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D054542:Iraq War, 2003-2011; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008889:Military Personnel; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects; D015995:Prevalence; D057566:Self Report; D012906:Smoke / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014728:Veterans / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
chemical_list: D012906:Smoke