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Objectives. We investigated whether US Army Gulf War veterans who were potentially exposed to nerve agents during the March 1991 weapons demolitions at Khamisiyah, Iraq, are at increased risk of cause-specific mortality. Methods. The cause-specific mortality of 100487 exposed US Army Gulf War veterans was compared with that of 224980 unexposed US Army Gulf War veterans. Exposure was determined with the Department of Defense 2000 plume model. Relative risk estimates were derived from Cox proportional hazards models. Results. The risks of most disease-related mortality were similar for exposed and unexposed veterans. However, exposed veterans had an increased risk of brain cancer deaths (relative risk [RR] = 1.94; 95% confidence interval [Cl] = 1.12, 3.34). The risk of brain cancer death was larger among those exposed 2 or more days than those exposed 1 day when both were compared separately to all unexposed veterans (RR =3.26; 95% Cl = 1.33, 7.96; RR = 1.72; 95% Cl = 0.95, 3.10, respectively). Conclusions. Exposure to chemical munitions at Khamisiyah may be associated with an increased risk of brain cancer death. Additional research is required to confirm this finding. (doi:10.2105/AJPH.2004.045799)

Background. A key element in the quality of later life is the prevalence of age-related functional impairments, The objective of this study was to quantify the genetic and environmental influences on age-related functional impairment in a population of white male twin elders who were fit in young adulthood when entering military service. The extent of genetic influence on functioning in later life affects the role of public health, personal initiative, and service interventions. Methods. Indicators of functional impairment were determined by telephone survey and by twin pair responses to 10 indicators of basic, instrumental, and social activities, and mobility. Responses were analyzed using structural equation modeling. Prevalence and concordances were determined by zygosity status. Covariance was partitioned between twins in a pair into components attributable to additive genetics, common environment, and unique environment. Results. Data from 2721 twin pairs (1384 monozygotic and 1337 dizygotic) were analyzed for the 10 dichotomous indicators of functional impairment and for a subscale of 8 of these indicators. For the subscale, additive genes accounted for approximately 21% of covariance in liability for a higher score, whereas unique environment accounted lot approximately 78% of variance, with age accounting for a very small proportion. In two indicators there were nontrivial effects of common environment. Conclusions. Within the expressed limits on generalization, the study findings suggest a major potential role for interventions aimed at a person's unique environment to maintain good functioning in aging and to lengthen the period of active life. Genetic effects play a modest but also important role in age-related functional impairment.

A study of 4739 male Caucasian twins born between 1917 and 1927 revealed no evidence of any link between lower cognitive scores and long-term moderate alcohol consumption. Diagnosed alcoholics exhibited lower education- and age-adjusted cognitive scores, however. On the basis of questionnaire data, the subjects were divided into nondrinkers and five groups of drinkers defined by number of drinks consumed weekly.