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Newly Reported Lupus and Rheumatoid Arthritis in Relation to Deployment Within Proximity to a Documented Open-Air Burn Pit in Iraq
Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 06/14/2012
Jones KA et al. – Results indicate deployers potentially exposed to documented burn pits in the combined three–camp analysis were not at an elevated risk of lupus or rheumatoid arthritis.
Methods- Prospectively assessed self–reported lupus and rheumatoid arthritis among deployers who completed both 2004–2006 and 2007–2008 questionnaires.
- After exclusions, more than 18,000 participants were deployed, including more than 3000 participants deployed within a 3–mile radius of a documented burn pit.
- After adjustment, proximity within 3 miles of a burn pit was not significantly associated with rheumatoid arthritis or lupus in general; however, one location was associated with lupus, although few cases were at this site (n = 2).
