Korean J Dermatol.  2002 Jun;40(6):634-638.

A Study about the Skin and General Disease Pattern of the Vietnam Veterans Exposed to Dioxin

• Mo HJ
• Park HJ
• Kim JH
• Lee JY
• Cho BK

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Vietnam veterans have suffered from a number of skin and general diseases. But in Korea, there are few reports about the relationship between dioxin and skin disease and dermatologists need more information about it.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the skin and general disease pattern of Koreans who have a history of exposure to dioxin in Vietnam.
METHODS
332 Vietnam veterans who visited St. Mary's hospital between July, 2001 and September, 2001. We perfomed a clinical evaluation, physical examination, medical history, serum and urine chemistry, electrocardiogram, electrodiagnostic study, and a roentgenographic study. For dermatologic evaluation, pathologic examination, KOH mount, fungus culture, and phototest were performed.
RESULTS
1. Among the 332 participating soldiers in the Vietnam war, the mean age of patient was 56.9 years old (the youngest-53 years, the oldest-61 years old). 2. The prevalence of hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes mellitus, liver disease, and peripheral neuropathy of subjects was 12.0%, 6.9%, 5.7%, 4.5%, and 1.2%. 3. The prevalence of xerotic eczema, seborrheic dermatitis, psoriasis vulgaris, photoallergic dermatitis, and chronic urticaria of subjects was 3.9%, 3.9%, 0.9%, 0.6%, and 0.3%.
CONCLUSION
The prevalence of general diseases was not significant between Vietnam veterans and controls.

Keyword

Dioxin; Vietnam veterans; Skin diseases

MeSH Terms

Chemistry
Dermatitis, Photoallergic
Dermatitis, Seborrheic
Diabetes Mellitus
Eczema
Electrocardiography
Fungi
Humans
Hyperlipidemias
Hypertension
Korea
Liver Diseases
Military Personnel
Peripheral Nervous System Diseases
Physical Examination
Prevalence
Psoriasis
Skin Diseases
Skin*
Urticaria
Veterans*
Vietnam*