Longitudinal Changes in Spirometry in Deployed Air Force Firefighters

There has been debate in recent years whether deployment is associated with increased occurrence rates of pulmonary disease. We analyzed data from 302 firefighters, and concluded that there does not appear to be evidence that deployment causes a significant change in lung function as measured by spirometry. Introduction: Inhalational exposures are common among service members who deploy to southwest Asia. The objective of this study is to determine if deployed Air Force firefighters have any decline in spirometry related to deployment. Methods: This study is a retrospective chart review. Results: The database search identified 302 firefighters with documentation of two separate spirometry examinations. For deployed firefighters, mean change in forced expiratory volume at 1 second (FEV1) percent predicted was –1.01 ± 7.86, forced vital capacity (FVC) was –0.46 ± 10.26 predicted, and mid-expiratory flow (FEF25–75) was –0.13 ± 12.97. For firefighters who had never deployed, mean change in FEV1 percent predicted was +0.08 ± 7.09, FVC was +0.72 ± 7.75, and FEF25–75 was –0.66 ± 16.17. Conclusion: There does not appear to be evidence that deployment causes a significant change in lung function as measured by spirometry.

[1]  Timothy M Mallon,et al.  Respiratory Health after Military Service in Southwest Asia and Afghanistan. An Official American Thoracic Society Workshop Report , 2019, Annals of the American Thoracic Society.

[2]  J. Aden,et al.  Study of Active Duty Military Personnel for Environmental Deployment Exposures: Pre- and Post-Deployment Spirometry (STAMPEDE II) , 2019, Respiratory Care.

[3]  A. Crockett,et al.  The long-term rate of change in lung function in urban professional firefighters: a systematic review , 2018, BMC Pulmonary Medicine.

[4]  Rudolph P. Rull,et al.  New-Onset Asthma and Combat Deployment: Findings From the Millennium Cohort Study , 2018, American journal of epidemiology.

[5]  J. Lospinoso,et al.  Pulmonary Function and Respiratory Health of Military Personnel Before Southwest Asia Deployment , 2017, Respiratory care.

[6]  M. Webber,et al.  Lung Function Trajectories in World Trade Center-Exposed New York City Firefighters Over 13 Years: The Roles of Smoking and Smoking Cessation. , 2016, Chest.

[7]  J. Collen,et al.  The impact of combat deployment on asthma diagnosis and severity , 2015, The Journal of asthma : official journal of the Association for the Care of Asthma.

[8]  Jessica M Sharkey,et al.  Trends in rates of chronic obstructive respiratory conditions among US military personnel, 2001-2013. , 2014, U.S. Army Medical Department journal.

[9]  M. Morris,et al.  Study of active duty military for pulmonary disease related to environmental deployment exposures (STAMPEDE). , 2014, American journal of respiratory and critical care medicine.

[10]  J. Hankinson,et al.  Official American Thoracic Society technical standards: spirometry in the occupational setting. , 2014, American journal of respiratory and critical care medicine.

[11]  M. Webber,et al.  Longitudinal pulmonary function in newly hired, non-World Trade Center-exposed fire department City of New York firefighters: the first 5 years. , 2013, Chest.

[12]  Joey Tianyi Zhou,et al.  Does Deployment to Iraq and Afghanistan Affect Respiratory Health of US Military Personnel? , 2012, Journal of occupational and environmental medicine.

[13]  F. Harrell,et al.  Constrictive bronchiolitis in soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. , 2011, The New England journal of medicine.

[14]  Charlene A. Wong,et al.  Newly reported respiratory symptoms and conditions among military personnel deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan: a prospective population-based study. , 2009, American journal of epidemiology.

[15]  Bruce P. Bernard,et al.  Symptoms, respirator use, and pulmonary function changes among New York City firefighters responding to the World Trade Center disaster. , 2004, Chest.

[16]  James E. Johnson,et al.  Evaluation of exertional dyspnea in the active duty patient: the diagnostic approach and the utility of clinical testing. , 2002, Military medicine.

[17]  D. Wegman,et al.  Lung function in fire fighters, II: a five year follow-up fo retirees. , 1977, American journal of public health.

[18]  C. Weese,et al.  Potential health implications associated with particulate matter exposure in deployed settings in southwest Asia. , 2009, Inhalation toxicology.

[19]  M. Townsend.  ACOEM position statement. Spirometry in the occupational setting. American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. , 2000, Journal of occupational and environmental medicine.