Gulf war syndrome

Abstract

After the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990, the United States launched Operation Desert Shield, in which a coalition of armies gathered in the desert of Saudi Arabia bordering Iraq and Kuwait. The war Desert Storm was launched when the troops moved into Iraq and Kuwait from Saudi Arabia. When the Iraqi army attempted to leave Kuwait, tens of thousands of Iraqis died during air strikes by the coalition armies. The total death count for US troops reached 372. Tragically, many of the deaths can be attributed to human error: 148 died in combat, 184 from accidents (primarily related to training and motor vehicles, in addition to WHAT), and 40 from illnesses.1 By the end of the Gulf War in February 1991, the number of military personnel in the Gulf zone included 697,000 Americans, 53,000 British, and 4,500 Canadians, in addition to a few thousands from other allied Arab countries. The war created a need for extensive medical support to meet the expected large number of casualties.2,3 In fact, morbidity and mortality rates were lower in comparison with those in previous wars.4 Desert Storm was not a war that involved direct confrontation. Instead, the war mainly involved the use of artillery, rockets, and missiles launched from air, sea, and ground, which led to fewer casualties. After American personnel deployed to the Gulf War returned to civilian life, thousands of veterans have sought medical care for symptoms that they perceive to be related to their wartime service. Many complaints have remained unexplained, despite extensive evaluations.5 During Desert Storm, many military personnel experienced war injuries, but more were exposed to a wide variety of hazardous substances. This exposure resulted in significant morbidity and played a role in the development of some skin disorders.6 Geography, Climate, and Environment of the Gulf Zone and Their Hazards