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Noncardiac chest pain during war.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  20842022     Owner:  NLM     Status:  In-Process    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
OBJECTIVES: Noncardiac chest pain (NCCP) has emerged as one of the biggest challenges facing military healthcare providers. The objectives of this study are to determine disease burden and diagnostic breakdown of NCCP, and to identify factors associated with return-to-duty (RTD).
METHODS: Data were prospectively collected from the Deployed Warrior Medical Management Center in Germany on 1935 service and nonservice members medically evacuated out of Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom for a primary diagnosis of NCCP between 2004 and 2007. Electronic medical records were reviewed to examine the effect myriad factors had on RTD.
RESULTS: One thousand nine hundred thirty-five personnel were medically evacuated with a diagnosis of NCCP, of whom 92% were men, 70% were in the Army, and 79% sustained their injury in Iraq. Fifty-eight percent returned to duty. The most common causes were musculoskeletal (23.4%), unknown (23%), cardiac (21%), pulmonary (13.9%), and gastrointestinal (11.9%). Factors associated with a positive outcome were being a commissioned officer [adjusted odds ratio (OR) 1.87, P=0.009]; serving in the navy (OR 2.25, P=0.051); having a noncardiac etiology, including gastrointestinal (adjusted OR 5.65, P<0.001), musculoskeletal (OR 4.19, P<0.001), pulmonary (OR 1.80, P=0.018), psychiatric (OR 2.11, P=0.040), or neuropathic (OR 5.05, P=0.040) causes; smoking history (OR 1.54, P=0.005); and receiving no treatment for chest pain (OR 2.17, P=0.006). Covariates associated with a decreased likelihood of RTD were service in Iraq (OR 0.68, P=0.029) and treatment with opioids (OR 0.59, P=0.006) or adjuvants (OR 0.61, P=0.026).
CONCLUSIONS: NCCP represents a significant cause of soldier attrition during combat operations, but is associated with the highest RTD rate among any diagnostic category. Among various causes, gastrointestinal is associated with the highest RTD rate.
Authors:
Steven P Cohen; Shruti G Kapoor; Victoria C Anderson-Barnes; Marie McHenry; Conner Nguyen; Dinesh Rao; Anthony Plunkett
Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.    
Journal Detail:
Title:  The Clinical journal of pain     Volume:  27     ISSN:  1536-5409     ISO Abbreviation:  Clin J Pain     Publication Date:  2011 Jan 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2010-12-14     Completed Date:  -     Revised Date:  -    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  8507389     Medline TA:  Clin J Pain     Country:  United States    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  19-26     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Department of Anesthesiology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, 550 N. Broadway, Baltimore, MD 21029, USA. scohen40@jhmi.edu
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