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Toxicant Exposures and Health Symptoms in Military Pesticide Applicators From the 1991 Gulf War
Maxine Krengel1, Kimberly Sullivan, Clara G Zundel
1VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, Massachusetts (M.K., C.G.Z., L.O.); Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts (M.K., R.F.W.); Department of Environmental Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts (K.S., D.K., L.O., R.F.W.); Behavioral Neurosciences Program, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts (C.G.Z., R.F.W.); Parsons Corporation (formerly), Syracuse, New York (W.B.); Reliant Medical Group, Worcester, Massachusetts (C.S.); Ibis Reproductive Health, Cambridge, Massachusetts (T.-A.T.); and Department of Biostatistics, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts (T.H.).
Objective:
The chronic impact of acetylcholinesterase inhibitors and other toxicants on Gulf War (GW) veterans' health symptoms is unclear.
Methods:
Building on reports of adverse neuropsychological outcomes in GW pesticide applicators exposed to pesticides and pyridostigmine bromide, we now report on health symptoms in this group.
Results:
In adjusted analyses, applicators with high exposures/impact to pesticides reported significantly more symptoms (18/34 symptoms) than applicators with lower exposures/impact and were more likely to meet modified Kansas and CDC Gulf War Illness criteria. The high pyridostigmine bromide exposure/impact group was 3 times more likely to report irregular heart rates. With regard to specific pesticide types, fly baits, pest strips, and delousers were the most associated with increased health symptom reporting.
Conclusions:
These results suggest that GW veterans with high acetylcholinesterase inhibitor and organochlorine exposures are most at risk for chronic health symptoms.
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