Veterans exposed to high-level explosive blasts face higher rates of emphysema, chronic bronchitis, and stroke years after service, according to a study.
RT’s Three Key Takeaways:
- Systemic Health Risks: Veterans with a history of high-level blast exposure have an increased likelihood of developing long-term conditions, including chronic bronchitis, emphysema, stroke, and seizures.
- Elevated Neurological Incidence: Adjusted study data revealed that veterans exposed to high-level blasts were 79% more likely to receive a seizure diagnosis, 38% more likely to develop neuropathy, and 35% more likely to experience a stroke compared to unexposed peers.
- Long-Term Monitoring Needs: Healthcare providers should evaluate a patient’s blast exposure history to better identify long-term pulmonary, neurological, and metabolic health risks over time.
Exposure to high-level blasts from incoming explosive devices or land mines among military veterans is associated with an increased risk of several conditions years later, including chronic lung diseases, stroke, and seizures, according to a study published in Neurology.
The study involved 36,641 veterans who received care at the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) for at least two years after leaving military service. Participants completed an initial survey detailing their blast exposure history and were followed for up to 10 years. While the findings demonstrate a significant association, the researchers noted that the observational study does not prove that blast exposure directly causes these chronic illnesses.
“Blast exposure is often viewed through the lens of acute injury and brain health, but our findings reinforce that blast exposure is a whole-body problem with health implications that extend well beyond the time of exposure,” said study author Sarah L Martindale, PhD, of the Salisbury VA Healthcare System in North Carolina. “In this study, veterans with a history of high-level blast exposure were more likely to be diagnosed with a range of neurological, respiratory, cardiovascular, and metabolic conditions years later.”
Whole-Body Impact and Respiratory Diagnoses
Of the study cohort, 11% reported exposure to at least one high-level blast, 17% served in an occupation carrying a high risk of low-level blast exposure from outgoing munitions such as heavy artillery or shoulder-fired weapons, and approximately 5% experienced both types of exposure.
Researchers found that high-level blast exposure was associated with an increased likelihood of several systemic and pulmonary disorders, including the lung diseases chronic bronchitis and emphysema, as well as hepatitis B and C, diabetes, and high cholesterol.
Neurological conditions also showed marked differences between groups:
- Seizures: Diagnosed in 3.92% of veterans with high-level blast exposure compared to 1.88% of those with no blast exposure.
- Neuropathy: Reported in 11.41% of exposed veterans compared to 7.75% of unexposed peers.
- Stroke: Documented in 2.03% of high-level blast-exposed participants compared to 1.62% without blast exposure.
After adjusting for confounding variables including age, sex, and total number of days deployed, the investigators determined that veterans with high-level blast exposure were 79% more likely to receive a seizure diagnosis, 38% more likely to be diagnosed with neuropathy, and 35% more likely to have a stroke diagnosis.
Low-Level Blasts and Clinical Considerations
In contrast, service members with low-level blast exposure were found to be less likely to be diagnosed with conditions such as diabetes, high cholesterol, and Crohn’s disease. However, the authors emphasized that these findings may reflect the relatively young age of participants at the baseline survey or a follow-up window insufficient for slower-progressing diseases to manifest. The absence of elevated risk from low-level blasts in this dataset should not be regarded as proof that low-level exposures carry no long-term physical health consequences, according to the research team.
“Understanding a veteran’s history of blast exposure may give us another piece of the puzzle when considering their long-term health risks and how those risks should be monitored over time,” said Martindale, study author from the Salisbury VA Healthcare System.
The authors acknowledged several study limitations, noting that blast exposure was self-reported without objective metrics regarding blast intensity, injury severity, or initial treatments. In addition, medical diagnoses were limited to those captured within the VA healthcare system following the initial survey, excluding any diagnoses rendered prior to the study or managed through private healthcare providers.
