Characterization of Fibromylagia Syndrome in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom Soldiers Treated at Brooke Army Medical Center Subsequent to Post-deployment Examination
Date
2007-08
Authors
Bagwell, Brandi Rae
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Abstract
This study’s purpose was to characterize fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) within a military population; specifically the Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) cohort treated post-deployment at Brooke Army Medical Center (BAMC) during fiscal years 2004-2006. Retrospective and anonymous data were retrieved from BAMC’s database for Global War On Terrorism (GWOT) for all OIF/OEF military personnel treated at BAMC for any diagnosis during the fiscal years of 2004-2006. Frequencies were analyzed for the following diagnoses: FMS, PTSD, adjustment disorders, collapsed variables including PTSD collapsed with stress disorders and brief/acute PTSD, and FMS collapsed with soft-tissue disorders, certain physical disorders including infectious and parasitic disease, musculoskeletal disorders, autoimmune or systemic disorders, burn, cervicalgia, and soft-tissue disorders. Results suggest that increased rates of FMS exist within military populations, along with a high rate of musculoskeletal disorders, as well as inflated rates of PTSD, burn, infectious disease, soft-tissue disorder, and adjustment disorders. Based on these results, services within the military such as combat exposure may play a role in the development of diagnoses that are associated with FMS and have been implicated as précipitants or potential etiologies in the development of FMS.
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Keywords
fibromyalgia, Iraq War, war on terrorism, soft tissue injuries, medical care
Citation
Bagwell, B. B. (2007). Characterization of fibromylagia syndrome in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom soldiers treated at Brooke Army Medical Center subsequent to post-deployment examination (Unpublished thesis). Texas State University-San Marcos, San Marcos, Texas.