Military Deployment Raises Respiratory Disease Risk

Individuals who served in Iraq or Afghanistan had significantly higher rates of new-onset respiratory diseases after deployment compared to non-deployed control peers, based on data from more than 48,000 veterans. The findings were presented at the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (ACAAI) 2025 Annual Meeting.

“Veterans deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan were often exposed to airborne hazards such as burn pits and dust storms,” said Patrick Gleeson, MD, an allergist at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, in a press release. 

“We found that these exposures may have long-term health impacts, particularly for respiratory diseases that can affect quality of life for years after service,” said Gleeson, who presented the results at the meeting.

Gleeson and colleagues used data from the Veterans Affairs Corporate Data Warehouse and Observational Medical Outcomes Partnership to identify veterans with a single deployment as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom. Participants had at least one outpatient visit prior to deployment with no baseline history of asthma, chronic rhinitis, chronic rhinosinusitis, or nasal polyposis. The mean age of the participants at deployment was 26.7 years, 84% were male, 75% were White, and 11% were Hispanic or Latino. Each was matched with a similar non-deployed veteran control.

The primary outcome was outpatient diagnoses or problem list entries for asthma, chronic rhinitis, chronic rhinosinusitis, or nasal polyposis.

Compared to non-deployed peers, deployed veterans had a 55% increased risk of asthma, a 48% increased risk of nasal polyposis, a 41% increased risk of chronic rhinitis, and a 27% increased risk of chronic rhinosinusitis, based on Cox proportional hazards models (P < .0005 for all).

The findings were limited by the retrospective design. However, “Recognizing the link between deployment and respiratory disease can help guide medical support, policy, and preventive strategies for those affected,” Gleeson said in the press release. 

The study received no outside funding. The researchers disclosed no financial conflicts of interest.

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

Individuals who served in Iraq or Afghanistan had significantly higher rates of new-onset respiratory diseases after deployment compared to non-deployed control peers, based on data from more than 48,000 veterans. The findings were presented at the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (ACAAI) 2025 Annual Meeting.

“Veterans deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan were often exposed to airborne hazards such as burn pits and dust storms,” said Patrick Gleeson, MD, an allergist at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, in a press release. 

“We found that these exposures may have long-term health impacts, particularly for respiratory diseases that can affect quality of life for years after service,” said Gleeson, who presented the results at the meeting.

Gleeson and colleagues used data from the Veterans Affairs Corporate Data Warehouse and Observational Medical Outcomes Partnership to identify veterans with a single deployment as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom. Participants had at least one outpatient visit prior to deployment with no baseline history of asthma, chronic rhinitis, chronic rhinosinusitis, or nasal polyposis. The mean age of the participants at deployment was 26.7 years, 84% were male, 75% were White, and 11% were Hispanic or Latino. Each was matched with a similar non-deployed veteran control.

The primary outcome was outpatient diagnoses or problem list entries for asthma, chronic rhinitis, chronic rhinosinusitis, or nasal polyposis.

Compared to non-deployed peers, deployed veterans had a 55% increased risk of asthma, a 48% increased risk of nasal polyposis, a 41% increased risk of chronic rhinitis, and a 27% increased risk of chronic rhinosinusitis, based on Cox proportional hazards models (P < .0005 for all).

The findings were limited by the retrospective design. However, “Recognizing the link between deployment and respiratory disease can help guide medical support, policy, and preventive strategies for those affected,” Gleeson said in the press release. 

The study received no outside funding. The researchers disclosed no financial conflicts of interest.

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

Individuals who served in Iraq or Afghanistan had significantly higher rates of new-onset respiratory diseases after deployment compared to non-deployed control peers, based on data from more than 48,000 veterans. The findings were presented at the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (ACAAI) 2025 Annual Meeting.

“Veterans deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan were often exposed to airborne hazards such as burn pits and dust storms,” said Patrick Gleeson, MD, an allergist at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, in a press release. 

“We found that these exposures may have long-term health impacts, particularly for respiratory diseases that can affect quality of life for years after service,” said Gleeson, who presented the results at the meeting.

Gleeson and colleagues used data from the Veterans Affairs Corporate Data Warehouse and Observational Medical Outcomes Partnership to identify veterans with a single deployment as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom. Participants had at least one outpatient visit prior to deployment with no baseline history of asthma, chronic rhinitis, chronic rhinosinusitis, or nasal polyposis. The mean age of the participants at deployment was 26.7 years, 84% were male, 75% were White, and 11% were Hispanic or Latino. Each was matched with a similar non-deployed veteran control.

The primary outcome was outpatient diagnoses or problem list entries for asthma, chronic rhinitis, chronic rhinosinusitis, or nasal polyposis.

Compared to non-deployed peers, deployed veterans had a 55% increased risk of asthma, a 48% increased risk of nasal polyposis, a 41% increased risk of chronic rhinitis, and a 27% increased risk of chronic rhinosinusitis, based on Cox proportional hazards models (P < .0005 for all).

The findings were limited by the retrospective design. However, “Recognizing the link between deployment and respiratory disease can help guide medical support, policy, and preventive strategies for those affected,” Gleeson said in the press release. 

The study received no outside funding. The researchers disclosed no financial conflicts of interest.

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.