title: The impact of combat deployment on asthma diagnosis and severity.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Environmental exposures during military deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan may lead to higher rates of respiratory complaints and diagnoses. This study investigates whether there is a relationship between rates of asthma diagnosis and severity associated with military deployment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective review of active duty Army personnel underwent fitness for duty evaluation (Medical Evaluation Board) for asthma. The electronic medical record was reviewed for onset of diagnosis (pre- or post-deployment), disease severity, screening spirometry, bronchodilator response and bronchoprovocation testing. We compared patients with and without a history of combat deployment to Operations Iraqi Freedom/Enduring Freedom.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Four hundred consecutive Army personnel with a clinical diagnosis of asthma were evaluated. Equal numbers of patients had deployed (48.5%) versus never deployed (51.5%). Of those who deployed, 98 (24.5%) were diagnosed post-deployment. The diagnosis of asthma was objectively confirmed in 74.8% of patients by obstructive screening spirometry, bronchodilator response, and/or methacholine challenge testing. There were no significant differences in spirometry between deployers and non-deployers or based on pre- and post-deployment diagnosis. Similarly, asthma severity classification did not differ between deployed and non-deployed service members, or by pre- and post-deployment diagnosis status.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Among active duty military personnel with career limiting asthma, there is no significant relationship between rates of diagnosis or severity based on history of deployment to Southwest Asia.
authors.affiliation: Pulmonary/Critical Care Service, Womack Army Medical Center , Fort Bragg, NC , USA .
authors.forename: Sally P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: DelVecchio
authors.forename: Jacob F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Collen
authors.forename: Lisa L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Zacher
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Morris
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D055826:Afghan Campaign 2001-; D000346:Afghanistan; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001985:Bronchial Provocation Tests; D057286:Electronic Health Records; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007493:Iraq; D054542:Iraq War, 2003-2011; D008297:Male; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Asthma; deployment; military personnel; pulmonary function testing