ABSTRACT – Investigations

were undertaken on veterans of the Gulf conflict of 1990/91 at the Gulf Veterans ’ Medical Assessment Programme (GVMAP), to determine whether routine investi-gations should be carried out on these veterans. Blood investigations were analysed of a 10% random sample of veterans and also of two vet-eran groups – one group was well (asymptomatic) and the other unwell (post-traumatic stress disorder). Neurological investigations were carried out as well as 1,000 ultrasound studies and 3,000 ECGs. Almost all blood tests proved normal. The only significant differences found between the two groups were for the alanine/ aspartate transaminase and gamma glutamyl transaminase values, where there were more abnormal findings in the unwell group. Abnormal, but expected, neurological investigations were found in those referred for these tests. Ultrasound abnormalities were related to known established clinical diagnoses, apart from three cases. ECG abnormalities were only present in those with known clinical diagnoses. It was con-cluded that reducing the number of investiga-tions would not only be cost effective but should help to lessen veterans ’ anxieties. KEY WORDS: Gulf War veterans 1990/91, implications, results, routine investigations, way forward A short time after their return from the Gulf War of 1990/1, some veterans began to complain of symp-toms of ill health, which became popularly known as ‘Gulf War Syndrome’. There have been unsubstanti-ated claims in the media and by some veterans’ activist groups that Gulf War service is linked to increased rates of mortality, birth defects, pregnancy problems and other more specific illnesses. Elsewhere claims of specific illnesses or unique syndromes have been made1,2 and carefully reviewed,3,4 finding little, if any, evidence of these links. In the UK, in response to these symptoms, the Ministry of Defence estab-lished in October 1993 the Gulf Veterans ’ Medical Assessment Programme (GVMAP), which was muc