Aims: Gulf War Illness (GWI) remains a significant health concern for many veterans. The relation of pre-war health conditions and symptoms to GWI could aid in developing a more accurate case definition of GWI. The objective of this study was to investigate pre-war predictors of GWI in a population-based sample of Gulf War veterans using two definitions of GWI.
Main Methods: Data come from the 1995-1997 National Health Survey of Persian Gulf War Era Veterans, a survey of a representative sample of deployed and non-deployed US veterans. Using two definitions of GWI (CDC/Kansas and a newly developed 3-domain definition), we conducted a series of multivariable logistic regression analyses to assess the associations of demographic, lifestyle factors, and pre-war medical conditions and symptoms to subsequent GWI.
Key Findings: All pre-war symptom predictor domains were significantly and positively associated with GWI using a new 3-domain definition with aORs for individual domains ranging from 2.17 (95% CI = 1.99-2.38) for dermatologic conditions to 3.06 (95% CI = 2.78-3.37) for neurological conditions. All symptom predictor domains were associated with significantly increased likelihood of GWI using the CDC/Kansas definition, with aORs ranging from 2.54 (95% CI = 2.31-2.81) for inflammatory conditions to 3.22 (95% CI = 2.94-3.55) for neurological conditions. These estimates were attenuated but remained significant after inclusion of all significant symptom predictor domains.
Significance: Results from this study suggest that demographic/lifestyle factors and pre-war medical conditions are strong predictors of GWI. Additional research is needed to confirm these findings, and to clarify the unique characteristics of this common, but still poorly understood illness.
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