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Biologic monitoring and surveillance results for the department of veterans affairs' depleted uranium cohort: Lessons learned from sustained exposure over two decades

2015; Wiley; Volume: 58; Issue: 6 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1002/ajim.22435

1097-0274

Melissa A. McDiarmid, Joanna M. Gaitens, Stella E. Hines, Marian Condon, Tracy Roth, Marc Oliver, Patricia Gucer, Lawrence M. Brown, José A. Centeno, Elizabeth A. Streeten, Katherine S. Squibb,

Climate Change and Health Impacts

Background A small group of Gulf War I veterans wounded in depleted uranium (DU) friendly fire incidents have been monitored in a clinical surveillance program at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Baltimore since 1994. Methods An in‐patient clinical surveillance protocol was performed on 35 members of the cohort, including exposure monitoring for total and isotopic uranium concentrations in urine and a comprehensive assessment of health outcomes. Results Although urine U concentrations continue to be elevated in this group, illustrating on‐going in situ mobilization of U from embedded fragments, no consistent U‐related health effects have been observed. Conclusions Now more than 20 years since first exposure to DU, an aging cohort of military veterans continues to show no U‐related health effects in known target organs of U toxicity. As tissue concentrations continue to accrue with exposure duration, critical tissue‐specific U concentration thresholds may be reached, thus recommending on‐going surveillance of this veteran cohort. Am. J. Ind. Med. 58:583–594, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.