Landmark ICD Code Assigned to Gulf War Illness, Offering Hope for Veterans and Advancing Research
A significant milestone has been reached for veterans suffering from gulf War Illness (GWI) with the recent assignment of a dedicated international Classification of Diseases (ICD) code by federal health authorities. This new code, a long-sought goal for advocates and researchers, promises to improve veteran access to care, streamline research efforts, and validate the reality of this complex condition.
For decades, veterans returning from the 1991 Gulf War have reported a cluster of debilitating symptoms - fatigue, cognitive difficulties, headaches, gastrointestinal problems, and more – collectively known as Gulf War Illness. However, the lack of a specific diagnostic code has hindered both diagnosis and treatment. Previously, veterans ofen had to be diagnosed with related conditions like fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome to receive care, with GWI only implied as a potential underlying cause.
“Having an ICD code is vital because it validates Gulf War illness as a medical disorder, which we hope will help Gulf War veterans get the help they need,” explained dr. Kimberly Sullivan of Boston University School of Public Health, who leads the Boston Biorepository, Recruitment and Integrative Network for GWI.The code will help educate healthcare providers unfamiliar with GWI, leading to more accurate diagnoses.
The impact extends beyond individual care. Dr. Nancy Klimas of Nova southeastern University, leading the Gulf War illness Clinical Trials and Interventions Consortia, highlighted the research benefits: “this code will help speed research by allowing us to identify patients through medical record searches rather than relying on social media and word-of-mouth.”
Veterans themselves are celebrating the validation. Anthony Hardie, national chair and director of Veterans for Common Sense, believes the code will enable “better monitoring of health problems, tracking effective treatments and identifying related conditions.” Ronald brown, a Gulf War veteran and toxic wounds consultant for Vietnam Veterans of America, powerfully stated, “The single most important thing for me about this new code is validation of an illness that has impacted me for 34 years.”
The ICD code will also facilitate public health surveillance and allow researchers to investigate the potential links between GWI and other conditions, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), brain cancer, lung and heart diseases, infections, gastroesophageal reflux disease, and sleep apnea.
Denise nichols, a Gulf War veteran, nurse, and veterans advocate, called the growth ”a big step forward for medicine, research and the health of our military community.”
The achievement is a testament to the decades-long collaborative effort of scientists, clinicians, and advocates.Boe Marshall, a veteran living with GWI, acknowledged the “small army of doctors, researchers and veterans” who have persistently worked to bring GWI into the mainstream of medical recognition.
Source: University of California – San diego: https://today.ucsd.edu/story/new-diagnostic-code-for-gulf-war-illness-marks-major-step-forward-for-veteran-care-and-research
Journal Reference: Golomb, B. A., et al. (2023).mitochondrial impairment but not peripheral inflammation predicts greater Gulf War illness severity. Scientific Reports. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-35896-w