An updated research review has found that veterans of the Gulf War are more than twice as likely to have medically unexplained symptoms known as "multisymptom illness" (MSI), compared to Iraq/Afghanistan War veterans. Multisymptom illness refers to chronic, unexplained symptoms affecting several body systems, such as fatigue, mood or cognitive (thinking) problems, and joint and muscle pain. Although estimates varied widely, MSI prevalence was substantially higher in Gulf War veterans: 26 to 65 percent, compared with 12 to 37 percent in Iraq/Afghanistan War veterans. The odds of MSI were 2.5 times higher in Gulf War veterans versus other military groups. The study will appear in the July Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (JOEM) when it is posted on the JOEM website.
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