Thirty years of surveillance of depleted uranium-exposed Gulf War veterans demonstrate continued effects to bone health.

During the spring of 2024, 33 members of a group of Gulf War I veterans wounded in depleted uranium (DU) friendly-fire incidents were seen at the Baltimore VA Medical Center for surveillance related to their combat exposure. The cohort was assessed with a protocol which includes exposure monitoring for total and isotopic uranium (U) concentrations in urine and a comprehensive assessment of health outcomes including measures of bone metabolism and bone mineral density (BMD). An audiometry examination of the cohort was added to assess for acoustic trauma and toxic metal effects in this surveillance episode marking over 30 years since this exposure event.

Performance of Impulse Oscillometry in Identifying Restrictive Lung Defects in a Veteran Cohort.

Background: Impulse oscillometry (IOs) is a technique used to evaluate lung function that uses sound waves imposed over tidal breathing to characterize the airways and lung parenchyma. IOs has been particularly useful in the identification of obstructive lung defects. The present analysis seeks to explore the use of IOs in the identification of restrictive lung physiology among a group of Gulf War I veterans exposed to depleted uranium (DU).

Occupational Health Providers' Perceptions of Employee Vaccine Hesitancy.

Objective: This study examined the perspectives of occupational health providers (OHPs) on the most frequently encountered clinically relevant reasons for employee vaccine hesitancy.

Methods: We conducted an anonymous, online, cross-sectional survey of US OHPs ( N = 217). The survey asked OHPs about the major reasons that employees cite for being unwilling to receive the following three categories of vaccines: COVID-19, annual influenza, and others relevant to the workplace.

Surveillance of Depleted Uranium-exposed Gulf War Veterans: More Evidence for Bone Effects.

Gulf War I veterans who were victims of depleted uranium (DU) "friendly-fire" incidents have undergone longitudinal health surveillance since 1994. During the spring of 2019, 36 members of the cohort were evaluated with a monitoring protocol including exposure assessment for total and isotopic uranium concentrations in urine and a comprehensive review of health outcomes, including measures of bone metabolism and bone mineral density (BMD) determination. Elevated urine U concentrations were observed in cohort members with retained depleted uranium (DU) shrapnel fragments.