Military service, deployments, and exposures in relation to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis etiology and survival.

ABSTRACT: Rates of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) have been reported to be higher among US military veterans, who currently number more than 21 million, but the causal factor(s) has not been identified. We conducted a review to examine the weight of evidence for associations between military service, deployments, and exposures and ALS etiology and survival. Thirty articles or abstracts published through 2013 were reviewed. Although the current evidence suggests a positive association with ALS etiology, it is too limited to draw firm conclusions regarding associations between military service and ALS etiology or survival. Some evidence suggests that deployment to the 1990-1991 Persian Gulf War may be associated with ALS etiology, but there is currently no strong evidence that any particular mili

SUBMITTER: Beard JD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4325667 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature