Vet News: Study: Gulf War Vets Have Higher Rate Of ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease)

WASHINGTON, DC - In a large epidemiological study, researchers supported by both the VA and the Department of Defense have found preliminary evidence that Veterans who served in Desert Shield-Desert Storm are nearly twice as likely as their non-deployed counterparts to develop amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), commonly known as Lou Gehrig's Disease.

Nearly 2.5 million Veterans were studied as part of this investigation.

"I am pleased that VA is once again making a major contribution that will benefit Veterans and, in fact, all Americans," said VA Secretary Anthony J. Principi. "I am committed to doing research that provides a better understanding of diseases that affect Veterans and providing disability compensation as early as possible."

"This research is a product of a significant investment by DoD and VA over the past several years and reflects our commitment to investigate the medical problems and health concerns of Gulf War Veterans," said Dr. Bill Winkenwerder, Jr., the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs. "Scientific research helps answer Veterans' questions and holds the promise for better protection of the health of our men and women during future deployments."

This study, begun in March 2000, involved nearly 700,000 service members deployed to Southwest Asia, and 1.8 million who were not deployed to the Gulf during the period August 2, 1990 to July 31, 1991.

The study found 40 cases of ALS among deployed Veterans. Although the researchers found the risk of ALS to be twice as high for deployed Veterans, it is a rare disease and the number of affected individuals is small. Scientists would expect to find 33 cases in a similar-sized population over the same time period.

Though the overall risk was twice as high among those deployed, it was not consistent across the services, the New York Times reported. Air Force Veterans were 2.7 times more likely to develop ALS than those not deployed. Army soldiers faced twice the risk. But Navy and Marine Corps Veterans did not show rates of disease that were statistically higher than those not deployed.

More than 100,000 American service members who served in the Persian Gulf area of operations in 1990 and 1991 have reported a range of maladies, including fatigue, muscle pain, memory loss, and sleep disorders. While several studies could identify no definitive links, several have suggested that these ailments may stem from to chemical exposure, stress, or prophylactic medicines given to soldiers.

Further Study

"These findings are of great concern and warrant further study," Principi said. "I intend to make certain that VA's medical resources and research capabilities are fully focused on this issue."

He said he would also explore VA's options for compensating Veterans who served in the Gulf and who subsequently develop ALS. ALS is a fatal neurological disease that destroys the nerve cells that control muscle movement. Neither a cause nor an effective treatment for ALS is known.

Some scientists said the decision might be premature because the findings, conducted during research at a VA medical center in Durham, North Carolina, had occurred by chance and had not been subjected to the analysis of peer review, according to the New York Times. An epidemiologic analysis tracks the patterns of disease, the Times reported, and does not prove that Gulf War service was the cause of the disorder.

The investigation, jointly funded by the VA and the Defense Department for $1.3 million, included case reviews, examinations, and at-home interviews of the participants.

SOURCE: VA press release