@2024 Afarand., IRAN
ISSN: 2008-2630 Iranian Journal of War & Public Health 2015;7(2):115-121
ISSN: 2008-2630 Iranian Journal of War & Public Health 2015;7(2):115-121
Human Costs of Iraq's Chemical War against Iran; an Epidemiological Study
ARTICLE INFO
Article Type
Descriptive & Survey StudyAuthors
Taebi Gh. (1 )Soroush M.R. (1 )
Modirian E. (2 )
Khateri S. (1 )
Mousavi B. (1 )
Ganjparvar Z. (1)
Momtazmanesh K. (1 )
Sedighi Moghadam M.R. (* )
(* ) Janbazan Medical and Engineering Research Center (JMERC), Tehran, Iran
(1 ) Janbazan Medical and Engineering Research Center (JMERC), Tehran, Iran
(2 ) Emergency Department, Medical Faculty, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran
Correspondence
Address: No. 17, Farokh Street, Moghadas Ardabili Street, Yaman Street, Chamran Highway, Tehran, IranPhone: +982122418180
Fax: +982122418180
moghadam_office@yahoo.com
Article History
Received: October 27, 2014Accepted: March 15, 2015
ePublished: April 20, 2015
ABSTRACT
Aims
So far, different statistics of the number of victims suffering from chemical damages have been reported on Iranian side during the Iran-Iraq war (1980-88). The purpose of this study was to investigate the epidemiological situation of the Iranian chemical victims, on the basis of information contained in the Veterans and Martyr Affair Organization (VMAO).
Materials & Methods The present descriptive study was carried out in 2014. The data of the chemically injured veterans have been proved and coded by Medical Commission of VMAO included demographic information and chronic complications of lung, eye and skin lesions due to chemical exposure. SPSS 20 software was used for statistical analysis.
Findings The number of registered chemical warfare agents was 63417 cases (11.4%) with mean age of 51.11±5.73 years included 62149 males (98%). 34340 of the chemical veterans’ (54.1%) disability rate was less than 25% and 3175 cases (5.0%) had 50% or more. The total number of chemical injuries registered in the data bank was 151770 cases; 147685 mild cases (97.3%), 3318 moderate cases (2.2%) and 767 severe cases (0.5%). Lungs (39.1%; n=59373 cases), eyes (30.8%; n=46782 cases) and skin (30.1%; n=45615 cases) were the most commonly affected organs in survivors of chemical warfare.
Conclusion The number of detected Iranian chemical warfare victims has increased up to double over time comparing former studies. 97.3% of chemical injuries are mild and are reported in order of priority in lungs, eyes and skin.
Materials & Methods The present descriptive study was carried out in 2014. The data of the chemically injured veterans have been proved and coded by Medical Commission of VMAO included demographic information and chronic complications of lung, eye and skin lesions due to chemical exposure. SPSS 20 software was used for statistical analysis.
Findings The number of registered chemical warfare agents was 63417 cases (11.4%) with mean age of 51.11±5.73 years included 62149 males (98%). 34340 of the chemical veterans’ (54.1%) disability rate was less than 25% and 3175 cases (5.0%) had 50% or more. The total number of chemical injuries registered in the data bank was 151770 cases; 147685 mild cases (97.3%), 3318 moderate cases (2.2%) and 767 severe cases (0.5%). Lungs (39.1%; n=59373 cases), eyes (30.8%; n=46782 cases) and skin (30.1%; n=45615 cases) were the most commonly affected organs in survivors of chemical warfare.
Conclusion The number of detected Iranian chemical warfare victims has increased up to double over time comparing former studies. 97.3% of chemical injuries are mild and are reported in order of priority in lungs, eyes and skin.
CITATION LINKS
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[16]Requena L1, Requena C, Sánchez M, Jaqueti G, Aguilar A, Sánchez-Yus E, et al. Chemical warfare. Cutaneous lesions from mustard gas. J Am Acad Dermatol. 1988;19(3):529-36.
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[19]Ghasemi H, Ghazanfari T, Ghassemi-Broumand M, Javadi MA, Babaei M, Soroush MR, et al. Long-term ocular consequences of sulfur mustard in seriously eye-injured war veterans. Cutan Ocul Toxicol. 2009;28(2):71-7.
[20]Lagali N, Fagerholm P. Delayed mustard gas keratitis: Clinical course and in vivo confocal microscopy findings. Cornea. 2009;28(4):458-62.
[21]Andreassi L. Chemical warfare and the skin. Int J Dermatol. 1991;30(4):252-3.
[22]Hefazi M, Maleki M, Mahmoudi M, Tabatabaee A, Balali-Mood M. Delayed complications of sulfur mustard poisoning in the skin and the immune system of Iranian veterans 16-20 years after exposure. Int J Dermatol. 2006;45(9):1025-31.
[23]Momeni AZ, Enshaeih S, Meghdadi M, Amindjavaheri M. Skin manifestations of mustard gas. A clinical study of 535 patients exposed to mustard gas. Arch Dermatol. 1992;128(6):775-80.
[24]Devereaux A, Amundson DE, Parrish JS, Lazarus AA. Vesicants and nerve agents in chemical warfare. Decontamination and treatment strategies for a changed world. Postgrad Med. 2002;112(4):90-6.
[25]Hashemian F1, Khoshnood K, Desai MM, Falahati F, Kasl S, Southwick S. Anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress in Iranian survivors of chemical warfare. J Am Med Assoc. 2006;296(5):560-6.
[26]Modirian E, Eskandari A. Veterans’ satisfaction analysis of disability rating commission. Iran J War Public Health. 2010;2(2):16-21. [Persian]
[27]The United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC). Iraq’s storage, handling and deployment of chemical and biological munitions. UN document S/2004/693. August 2004; Appendix I:7.
[2]Levy BS, Sidel VW. War & public health in the twenty-first century. New England J Public Policy. 2003;19(1):167-78.
[3]Kibong K, Tsay OG, Atwood DA, Churchill DG. Destruction and detection of chemical warfare agents. Chem Rev. 2011;111(9):5345-5403.
[4]Mangerich A, Esser C. Chemical warfare in the First World War: reflections 100 years later. Arch Toxicol. 2014;88(11):1909-11.
[5]Szinicz L. History of chemical and biological warfare agents. Toxicology. 2005;214(3):167-81.
[6]Qaderi Kangavar R. regional and trans-regional financial and arms assistance to Iraq during the imposed war against Iran. Negin Iran. 2010;8(32):51-70. [Persian]
[7]Razavi SM, Razavi MS, Pirhosseinloo M, Salamati P. Iraq-Iran chemical war: Calendar, mortality and morbidity. Chin J Traumatol. 2014;17(3):165-9.
[8]Balali-Mood M, Shariat M. Treatment of organophosphate poisoning. Experience of nerve agents and acute pesticide poisoning on the effects of oximes. J Physiol Paris. 1998;92(5):375-8.
[9]Khateri S, Ghanei M, Keshavarz S, Soroush M, Haines D. Incidence of lung, eye, and skin lesions as late complications in 34,000 Iranians with wartime exposure to mustard agent. J Occup Environ Med. 2003;45(11):1136-43.
[10]Khateri Sh. Casualties of chemical warfare in Iran: Response of Iranian civil society to the tragedy. Meiji Gakuin Univ Institut Reposit. 2011;10(34):9-19.
[11]Zargar M, Araghizadeh H, Soroush MR, Khaji A. Iranian casualties during the eight years of Iraq-Iran conflict. Rev Saúde Pública. 2007;41(6):1065-6.
[12]Ghazanfari T, Faghihzadeh S, Aragizadeh H, Soroush MR, Yaraee R, Mohammad Hassan Z, et al. Sardasht-Iran cohort study of chemical warfare victims: Design and methods. Arch Iran Med. 2009;12(1):5-14.
[13]Khateri Sh, Janati Moheb A. Iraqs use of chemical weapons against Iran: UN documents 1984-1988. Tehran: Foundation of Preservation of Works and Dissemination of the Values of Holy Defense; 2010. pp. 26-37.
[14]United Nations Security Council. Report of the Specialists Appointed by the Secretary General to Investigate Allegations by the Islamic Republic of Iran Concerning the Use of Chemical Weapons (Document S16433). New York, USA: United Nations Security Council; 1984, March 26.
[15]Iraq’s Chemical Warfare Program [Internet]. Washington, D.C.: Central Intelligence Agency; 2007-04 [Updated 2007 Apr, 23]. Available from: https://www.cia.gov/library/reports/general-reports-1/iraq_wmd_2004/chap5.html.
[16]Requena L1, Requena C, Sánchez M, Jaqueti G, Aguilar A, Sánchez-Yus E, et al. Chemical warfare. Cutaneous lesions from mustard gas. J Am Acad Dermatol. 1988;19(3):529-36.
[17]Smith KJ, Hurst CG, Moeller RB, Skelton HG, Sidell FR. Sulfur mustard: Its continuing threat as a chemical warfare agent, the cutaneous lesions induced, progress in understanding its mechanism of action, its long-term health effects, and new developments for protection and therapy. J Am Acad Dermatol. 1995;32(5Pt1):765-76.
[18]Sohrabpour H. Clinical manifestations of chemical agents on Iranian combatants during Iran-Iraq conflict. Arch Belg. 1984;Suppl:291-7.
[19]Ghasemi H, Ghazanfari T, Ghassemi-Broumand M, Javadi MA, Babaei M, Soroush MR, et al. Long-term ocular consequences of sulfur mustard in seriously eye-injured war veterans. Cutan Ocul Toxicol. 2009;28(2):71-7.
[20]Lagali N, Fagerholm P. Delayed mustard gas keratitis: Clinical course and in vivo confocal microscopy findings. Cornea. 2009;28(4):458-62.
[21]Andreassi L. Chemical warfare and the skin. Int J Dermatol. 1991;30(4):252-3.
[22]Hefazi M, Maleki M, Mahmoudi M, Tabatabaee A, Balali-Mood M. Delayed complications of sulfur mustard poisoning in the skin and the immune system of Iranian veterans 16-20 years after exposure. Int J Dermatol. 2006;45(9):1025-31.
[23]Momeni AZ, Enshaeih S, Meghdadi M, Amindjavaheri M. Skin manifestations of mustard gas. A clinical study of 535 patients exposed to mustard gas. Arch Dermatol. 1992;128(6):775-80.
[24]Devereaux A, Amundson DE, Parrish JS, Lazarus AA. Vesicants and nerve agents in chemical warfare. Decontamination and treatment strategies for a changed world. Postgrad Med. 2002;112(4):90-6.
[25]Hashemian F1, Khoshnood K, Desai MM, Falahati F, Kasl S, Southwick S. Anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress in Iranian survivors of chemical warfare. J Am Med Assoc. 2006;296(5):560-6.
[26]Modirian E, Eskandari A. Veterans’ satisfaction analysis of disability rating commission. Iran J War Public Health. 2010;2(2):16-21. [Persian]
[27]The United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC). Iraq’s storage, handling and deployment of chemical and biological munitions. UN document S/2004/693. August 2004; Appendix I:7.