Veterans Post - 8/18/11

What Was in the Air?

“Inhalation injury” they call it, when simple breathing is dangerous because there’s some unknown toxin in the air. The New England Journal of Medicine recently reported on a study of veterans developing breathing problems after serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“Exertional dyspnea” is medical lingo for shortness of breath, which is why 80 soldiers from Fort Campbell, Ky., were sent to Vanderbilt University Medical Center: They were no longer able to run 2 miles in the allotted time.

After testing, half the group was diagnosed with constrictive bronchiolitis, narrowing of the airway, which is rare in healthy adults. The age range was 23 to 44, and all were fit. Some had been exposed to dust storms and burn-pit smoke. Eleven of them, however, did not have any exposure whatsoever. “The results of physical examination of the chest were normal in all the soldiers,” says the report.

Until doctors got the lung biopsy samples, that is. All manner of gunk and goop (including “lacy black pigment”) were found that did not show up on scans and physical examination, with tests negative for bacteria and fungus.

The study says that, yes, those who were exposed to the sulfur mine fire smoke could be expected to have the problem. But what of those who had no exposure but who still have this condition? The concern, according to the researchers, is that whatever it was that caused the condition was also present for everyone else.

Since the study officially ended, nine more in the group were diagnosed with constrictive bronchiolitis.

The study concludes: “Additional studies are needed to evaluate the particulate matter observed in many biopsy samples obtained from these soldiers.”

To read the whole study, go to http://www.nejm.org and search for Constrictive Bronchiolitis in Soldiers Returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.

Write to Freddy Groves in care of King Features Weekly Service, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475, or send e-mail to columnreply@gmail.com

(c) 2011 King Features Synd., Inc.