Clinical, Biomarker, and Research Tests Among US Government Personnel and Their Family Members Involved in Anomalous Health Incidents
Author:
Chan Leighton12, Hallett Mark3, Zalewski Chris K.4, Brewer Carmen C.4, Zampieri Cris1, Hoa Michael4, Lippa Sara M.56, Fitzgibbon Edmond7, French Louis M.56, Moses Anita D.28, van der Merwe André J.28, Pierpaoli Carlo9, Turtzo L. Christine3, Yonter Simge1, Shahim Pashtun12, , Moore Brian28, Stamps Lauren28, Flynn Spencer1, Fontana Julia1, Tata Swathi1, Lo Jessica1, Fernandez Mirella A.1, Joseph Annie-Lori1, Matsubara Jesse1, Goldberg Julie1, Nguyen Thuy-Tien D.1, Sasson Noa1, Lely Justine1, Smith Bryan3, King Kelly A.4, Chisholm Jennifer4, Christensen Julie4, Magone M. Teresa7, Cousineau-Krieger Chantal7, Hafiz Rakibul9, Nayak Amritha289, Irfanoglu Okan9, Attaripour Sanaz3, Lai Chen68, Smith Wendy B.10
Affiliation:
1. Rehabilitation Medicine Department, Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 2. The Military Traumatic Brain Injury Initiative, Bethesda, Maryland 3. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 4. National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 5. National Intrepid Center of Excellence Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland 6. Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland 7. National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 8. Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine Inc, Bethesda, Maryland 9. Laboratory on Quantitative Medical Imaging, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, Bethesda, Maryland 10. Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
Abstract
ImportanceSince 2015, US government and related personnel have reported dizziness, pain, visual problems, and cognitive dysfunction after experiencing intrusive sounds and head pressure. The US government has labeled these anomalous health incidents (AHIs).ObjectiveTo assess whether participants with AHIs differ significantly from US government control participants with respect to clinical, research, and biomarker assessments.Design, Setting, and ParticipantsExploratory study conducted between June 2018 and July 2022 at the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, involving 86 US government staff and family members with AHIs from Cuba, Austria, China, and other locations as well as 30 US government control participants.ExposuresAHIs.Main Outcomes and MeasuresParticipants were assessed with extensive clinical, auditory, vestibular, balance, visual, neuropsychological, and blood biomarkers (glial fibrillary acidic protein and neurofilament light) testing. The patients were analyzed based on the risk characteristics of the AHI identifying concerning cases as well as geographic location.ResultsEighty-six participants with AHIs (42 women and 44 men; mean [SD] age, 42.1 [9.1] years) and 30 vocationally matched government control participants (11 women and 19 men; mean [SD] age, 43.8 [10.1] years) were included in the analyses. Participants with AHIs were evaluated a median of 76 days (IQR, 30-537) from the most recent incident. In general, there were no significant differences between participants with AHIs and control participants in most tests of auditory, vestibular, cognitive, or visual function as well as levels of the blood biomarkers. Participants with AHIs had significantly increased fatigue, depression, posttraumatic stress, imbalance, and neurobehavioral symptoms compared with the control participants. There were no differences in these findings based on the risk characteristics of the incident or geographic location of the AHIs. Twenty-four patients (28%) with AHI presented with functional neurological disorders.Conclusions and RelevanceIn this exploratory study, there were no significant differences between individuals reporting AHIs and matched control participants with respect to most clinical, research, and biomarker measures, except for objective and self-reported measures of imbalance and symptoms of fatigue, posttraumatic stress, and depression. This study did not replicate the findings of previous studies, although differences in the populations included and the timing of assessments limit direct comparisons.
Publisher
American Medical Association (AMA)
Cited by
3 articles.
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