Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis in Veterans: Review of the Scientific Literature
Source: National Academies Press
From press release:
A limited body of evidence suggests an association between military service and later development of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a rare but fatal neurodegenerative disorder, says a new report from the Institute of Medicine. Further research is needed to confirm this link given that only five studies have been conducted on the relationship between military service and ALS.
Three studies indicate that Gulf War veterans’ chances of developing ALS — commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease — are as much as two times higher than those of the general population or of veterans who served during the same era but were not deployed to the Persian Gulf during the 1990-1991 conflict. Another study reported that military service prior to the Gulf War is associated with a 1.5-fold increased risk of developing the disorder. The fifth study did not find an association between military service and ALS.
ALS affects roughly 0.01 percent of the U.S. population — 20,000 to 30,000 people — at any given time. People with the rare disorder experience a progressive breakdown of nerve cells that control the muscles, which eventually results in paralysis and usually death.
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on Monday, November 13th, 2006 at 11:12 am and is filed under Diseases and conditions, Health and healthcare, Veterans.
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