Concato John, Aslan Mihaela, Palmisano Margaret M, Doebbeling Caroline Carney, Peduzzi Peter, Ofek Keren, Soreq Hermona, Doebbeling Bradley
VA Connecticut Healthcare System, Clinical Epidemiology Research Center, West Haven, CT 06516, USA.
J Investig Med. 2007 Nov;55(7):360-7. doi: 10.2310/6650.2007.00016.
Factors affecting acetylcholine-mediated neurotransmission have been proposed as possible explanations for physical and mental health symptoms among veterans of the 1990-1991 Gulf War. This study was designed to examine relationships of deployment to the Gulf, as well as symptoms after military service, with postdeployment activity of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and related enzymes.
The patient population included 488 veterans, originally from Iowa at enlistment, who served in the US military during August 1990 to July 1991. Demographic, military, and clinical characteristics were obtained from a population-based cohort study (in 1995-1996) and from a nested case-control study (in 1999-2002). Stored serum samples (from the 1999-2002 assessment) were analyzed for activity of AChE and related enzymes. These two data sources were merged, and multiple linear regression models estimated the association of deployment, stress (anxiety) or mood disorders, and symptoms compatible with Gulf War veterans' illnesses (GWVIs), with enzyme activity.
Seventy-four percent (n = 361) of veterans had been deployed to the Gulf. At the time of evaluation, 23% (n = 113) of participants reported anxiety and 15% (n = 71) reported mood disorders; 49% (n = 171 of 347 eligible veterans) had symptoms of GWVIs, and the median AChE activity was 839 units. AChE activity was similar for compared groups across all categories, including an adjusted difference of -27 units (p = .50) for deployed versus nondeployed veterans and 87 units (p = .13) for veterans with versus without symptoms of GWVIs.
Neither deployment to the Gulf nor symptoms compatible with GWVIs are associated with long-term serum AChE activity.
影响乙酰胆碱介导的神经传递的因素已被提出，作为1990 - 1991年海湾战争退伍军人身心健康症状的可能解释。本研究旨在探讨海湾地区部署情况以及服役后症状与乙酰胆碱酯酶（AChE）及相关酶的部署后活性之间的关系。
患者群体包括488名退伍军人，入伍时来自爱荷华州，于1990年8月至1991年7月在美国军队服役。人口统计学、军事和临床特征数据来自一项基于人群的队列研究（1995 - 1996年）和一项巢式病例对照研究（1999 - 2002年）。对储存的血清样本（来自1999 - 2002年评估）进行AChE及相关酶活性分析。将这两个数据源合并，多元线性回归模型估计部署、应激（焦虑）或情绪障碍以及与海湾战争退伍军人疾病（GWVIs）相符的症状与酶活性之间的关联。
74%（n = 361）的退伍军人曾被部署到海湾地区。在评估时，23%（n = 113）的参与者报告有焦虑，15%（n = 71）报告有情绪障碍；49%（347名符合条件的退伍军人中有171名）有GWVIs症状，AChE活性中位数为839单位。在所有类别中，比较组的AChE活性相似，包括部署与未部署退伍军人之间的调整差异为 -27单位（p = 0.50），有与无GWVIs症状的退伍军人之间为87单位（p = 0.13）。
海湾地区部署以及与GWVIs相符的症状均与血清AChE长期活性无关。
