Isolated diffusing capacity reduction is a common clinical presentation in deployed Iraq and Afghanistan veterans with deployment-related environmental exposures.
Following deployment to Iraq and Afghanistan ("post-9/11"), a spectrum of respiratory conditions has been reported; however, there are few published reports of objective physiologic data or later experience of symptoms and function. To better understand the post-deployment clinical presentation, we conducted a retrospective review of pulmonary function testing in 143 veterans referred to our tertiary care clinic for post-deployment health concerns. More than 75% of our sample had normal lung volumes and spirometry on pulmonary function testing; however, an isolated reduction in lung diffusing capacity (DLCO) was observed in 30% of our sample of post-9/11 veterans. An isolated reduction in DLCO is a rare pattern in primary-care seeking dyspneic patients, but is commonly associated with underlying pulmonary disease. Post-9/11 veterans with respiratory complaints and an isolated reduction in DLCO should undergo further evaluation.
Department of Veterans Affairs New Jersey Health Care System, Airborne Hazards Center of Excellence - War Related Illness and Injury Study Center, East Orange, NJ, USA.|Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences - New Jersey, Medical School, Newark, NJ, USA.
Michael J
MJ
Falvo
Department of Veterans Affairs New Jersey Health Care System, Airborne Hazards Center of Excellence - War Related Illness and Injury Study Center, East Orange, NJ, USA.|Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences - New Jersey, Medical School, Newark, NJ, USA.
Drew A
DA
Helmer
Department of Veterans Affairs New Jersey Health Care System, Airborne Hazards Center of Excellence - War Related Illness and Injury Study Center, East Orange, NJ, USA.
Jacquelyn C
JC
Klein
Department of Veterans Affairs New Jersey Health Care System, Airborne Hazards Center of Excellence - War Related Illness and Injury Study Center, East Orange, NJ, USA.|Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences -, School of Public Health, Piscataway, NJ, USA.
Omowunmi Y
OY
Osinubi
Department of Veterans Affairs New Jersey Health Care System, Airborne Hazards Center of Excellence - War Related Illness and Injury Study Center, East Orange, NJ, USA.
Duncan
D
Ndirangu
Department of Veterans Affairs New Jersey Health Care System, Airborne Hazards Center of Excellence - War Related Illness and Injury Study Center, East Orange, NJ, USA.
Lydia A
LA
Patrick-DeLuca
Department of Veterans Affairs New Jersey Health Care System, Airborne Hazards Center of Excellence - War Related Illness and Injury Study Center, East Orange, NJ, USA.
Anays M
AM
Sotolongo
D000328:Adult; D055826:Afghan Campaign 2001-; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D054542:Iraq War, 2003-2011; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008889:Military Personnel; D011379:Prognosis; D011653:Pulmonary Diffusing Capacity; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013147:Spirometry; D013997:Time Factors; D014728:Veterans; D055815:Young Adult
air pollution; particulate matter; pulmonary diffusing capacity; respiratory function tests; veterans health