Gulf War Illnesses Study
E6 to O3
Ailing Gulf War veterans urged to take part in study
By GRACE HOBSON
The Kansas City Star
Persian Gulf War veterans who have symptoms of illnesses associated
with the conflict are wanted for a study that could help soldiers fighting
in the current war on terrorism, researchers say.
Johns Hopkins University researchers are looking for about 20 veterans
who served in ground forces during Operation Desert Shield or Operation
Desert Storm, who are persistently tired and who have two other symptoms
that began during or after the war. Veterans must be no older than 50.
Researchers think current veterans could benefit from the research
because studies have shown that veterans of every U.S. war dating to the
Civil War have shown symptoms similar to those experienced by Gulf War
veterans, said Katie Lucas, co-investigator of the study. She is a doctoral
candidate writing her dissertation on the illnesses.
"It's feasible then to think there are people deployed now in
Afghanistan who may come back and have health problems," Lucas said.
Lucas and the team of researchers are trying to find out why the
illnesses occur and whether the veterans share a common set of health
problems.
Johns Hopkins has been conducting the Gulf War Illnesses Study since
1990, Lucas said. The U.S. Defense Department is financing the study.
Researchers are testing for two treatable conditions: neurally
mediated hypotension and postural tachycardia syndrome.
The conditions relate to the body's regulation of blood pressure or
heart rate when sitting or standing upright. Symptoms include fatigue,
lightheadedness, headaches, difficulty sleeping and pain, among others. Not
all the symptoms must be present to have one of the two conditions.
The conditions often aren't diagnosed in routine exams, Lucas said.
Veterans who participate in the study will travel to Baltimore and
undergo a tilt-table test. Patients lie on a table that tilts to 70 degrees,
and their blood pressure is taken every five minutes while lying and
standing at the 70-degree angle.
Johns Hopkins will pay travel expenses and will pay civilians $100.
The participants arrive in Baltimore the night before and go to Johns
Hopkins Hospital the next morning. The tests take about 41/2 hours.
Each veteran can bring a companion, whose travel expenses also will be
paid.
The study also is testing healthy veterans who served in the Gulf War
for comparison purposes. The Defense Manpower Data Center matches healthy
veterans who are similar in age, race, gender and military experience to
sick veterans who are participating in the study.
To reach Grace Hobson, call (816) 234-7744 or send e-mail to
gho...@kcstar.com.
For information
Call 1-(877) 800-9516 or visit the Web site www.med.jhu.edu/gws.
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