Army Chemical Corps Vietnam-Era Veterans Health
The Army Chemical Corps Vietnam-Era Veterans Health Study (2012-2013) was designed to learn if high blood pressure (hypertension) and some chronic respiratory diseases, namely chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), are related to herbicide exposure during the Vietnam War.
Background
The 2012-2013 study followed a request in 2009 by former Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki for VA to conduct research on the association between herbicide exposure and high blood pressure (hypertension), as a basis for understanding if hypertension is related to military service in Vietnam. VA was also interested in learning more about the relationship between herbicide exposure and COPD.
The 2012-2013 study was a follow-up to an earlier health study of the same cohorts of Army Chemical Corps Veterans that was conducted in 1999-2000. The 1999-2000 study was administered using a computer-assisted telephone interview (CATI) during which information about Veterans’ military and civilian exposures, chronic health conditions, and functional impairment was collected. In addition, military personnel records and medical records were collected to validate self-reported information. Blood specimens were also collected on a smaller number of Veterans to gain information about dioxin exposure.
Goals
Researchers had two questions:
- Is the risk of high blood pressure (hypertension) related to herbicide exposure during service in Vietnam?
- Is the risk of COPD, which includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema, related to herbicide exposure during service in Vietnam?
Participants
In 2012-2013, researchers asked approximately 4,000 Veterans who served in the U.S. Army Chemical Corps during the Vietnam era (1965-1973) to participate in this three phase study. Army Chemical Corps personnel were responsible for the maintenance and distribution or application of chemicals for military operations. Army Chemical Corps personnel who served in Vietnam during the Vietnam War constitute one of the largest groups of Vietnam Veterans who were thought to have had the greatest potential exposure to herbicides.
Methods
The 2012-2013 study had three phases. In phase one, researchers surveyed participating Veterans nationwide by mail or telephone to collect information on their health and health-related behaviors. In phase two, medical records were collected and abstracted. In phase three, medical technicians measured Veterans' blood pressure and lung function during in-home physical examinations. Lung function was tested using spirometry, which is which is a simple and commonly used test to measure the amount and speed of air that a person can breathe in and out.
Publications
Cypel Y, Hines SE, Davey VJ, Eber SM, Schneiderman AI. Spirometric pulmonary restriction in herbicide-exposed U.S. Vietnam War Veterans. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019; 16: 3131.
Cypel Y, Hines SE, Davey VJ, Eber SM, Schneiderman AI. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and herbicide exposure in Vietnam-Era U.S. Army Chemical Corps Veterans. Ann Am Thorac Soc 2018; 15: S132.
Cypel YS, Hines SE, Davey VJ, Eber SM, Schneiderman AI. Self-reported physician-diagnosed chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and spirometry patterns in Vietnam Era US Army Chemical Corps Veterans: A retrospective cohort study. Am J Ind Med 2018; 61: 802-814.
Cypel YS, Kress AM, Eber SM, Schneiderman AI, Davey VJ. Herbicide exposure, Vietnam service, and hypertension risk in Army Chemical Corps Veterans. J Occup Environ Med 2016; 58: 1127-1136.
Related Publications
Cypel Y, Kang H. Mortality patterns of Army Chemical Corps Veterans who were occupationally exposed to herbicides in Vietnam. Ann Epidemiol 2010;20:339-346.
Kang HK, Dalager NA, Needham LL, Patterson DG Jr., Lees PSJ, Yates K, Matanoski GM. Health status of Army Chemical Corps Vietnam Veterans who sprayed defoliant in Vietnam. Am J Ind Med 2006;49:875-884.
Kang HK, Dalager NA, Needham LL, Patterson DG Jr., Matanoski GM, Kanchanaraksa S, Lees PS. U.S. Army Chemical Corps Vietnam Veterans health study: Preliminary results. Chemosphere 2001; 43:943-949.
Dalager NA, Kang HK. Mortality among Army Chemical Corps Vietnam Veterans. Am J Ind Med 1997;31:719–726.
Thomas TL, Kang HK. Mortality and morbidity among Army Chemical Corps Vietnam Veterans: A preliminary report. Am J Ind Med 1990;18:665–673.
