Study of active duty military for pulmonary disease related to environmental deployment exposures (STAMPEDE).

Rationale: Because of increased levels of airborne particulate matter in Southwest Asia, deployed military personnel are at risk for developing acute and chronic lung diseases. Increased respiratory symptoms are reported, but limited data exist on reported lung diseases.

Objectives: To evaluate new respiratory complaints in military personnel returning from Southwest Asia to determine potential etiologies for symptoms.

Increased airway hyperreactivity with the M40 protective mask in exercise-induced bronchospasm.

Objective: Exercise-induced bronchospasm (EIB) has a prevalence of 6% to 7% in United States Army personnel and 3% to 13% in professional athletes. There are reported concerns that military personnel with EIB will have increased airway hyperreactivity or significant dyspnea while wearing the standard military M40 protective mask. The objective of this study is to determine whether the M40 protective gas mask increases airway hyperreactivity in military personnel with exertional dyspnea and the diagnosis of EIB.