Gulf War Veterans Show Illness Is Real in Airway Studies

Ill Gulf War Veterans Show Sleep Disorder Breathing

A new study of Gulf War illness has been reported. The study shows sleep disordered breathing for ill gulf war veterans. Eighteen ill gulf war veterans and eleven non-ill gulf war veterans were used. The results showed increased frequency of arousals related to apneas, hypopneas, and mild inspiratory airflow limitation results. So more studies are showing this is a real problem not just psychological!

Abstract
Purpose
To determine whether veterans with Gulf War Illness (GWI) are distinguished by sleep-disordered breathing, we compared inspiratory airflow dynamics during sleep between veterans with GWI and asymptomatic veterans of the first Gulf War.
Methods
We recruited 18 male veterans with GWI and 11 asymptomatic male veterans of the first Gulf War by advertisement. The two samples were matched for age and body mass index. Each participant underwent a first full-night polysomnogram (PSG) while sleeping supine using standard clinical monitoring of sleep and breathing. A second PSG was performed measuring airflow with a pneumotachograph in series with a nasal mask and respiratory effort with a supraglottic pressure (Psg) catheter to assess the presence of inspiratory airflow limitation during supine N2 sleep. We determined the prevalence of flow-limited breaths by sampling continuous N2 sleep and plotting inspiratory flow against Psg for each breath in the sample. We expressed the prevalence of flow-limited breaths as their percentage in the sample.
Results
Compared to controls, veterans with GWI had an increased frequency of arousals related to apneas, hypopneas, and mild inspiratory airflow limitation. During supine N2 sleep, veterans with GWI had 96 ± 5% (mean ± SD) of their breaths flow-limited while controls had 36 ± 25% of their breaths flow limited (p < 0.0001).
Conclusions
Veterans with GWI experience sleep-disordered breathing that may distinguish them from asymptomatic veterans of the first Gulf War.