Gastrointestinal morbidity among World War II prisoners of war: 40 years on

Med J Aust. 1985 Jul 8;143(1):6-10. doi: 10.5694/j.1326-5377.1985.tb122757.x.

Abstract

A study of Australian male World War II veterans was conducted to assess clinically the gastrointestinal ill-effects which were present 40 years after the stress of internment as prisoners of war of the Japanese. A random sample of 170 surviving members of the captured Eighth Army Division resident in Sydney in 1983 (ex-POW) was compared with a similar sample of veterans who fought in Southeast Asia during the War, but were not imprisoned (non-POW). Duodenal ulcers and strongyloidiasis were more prevalent in the ex-POW group than in the non-POW group. The increased rate of duodenal ulcer (24.7%, compared with 10.5%; P = 0.0005) was confirmed by a higher proportion of ex-POWs currently taking cimetidine (9.0%, compared with 2.3%; P = 0.008). Strongyloidiasis had been found in 9.7% of all veterans, but in 15% of ex-POWs and in 19% of those who had worked on the Burma-Thailand railway. No other significant differences in gastrointestinal disease were found.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Alcohol Drinking
  • Australia
  • Duodenal Ulcer / epidemiology
  • Gastrointestinal Diseases / epidemiology*
  • Humans
  • Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / epidemiology
  • Japan
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Military Medicine
  • Prisoners*
  • Sigmoidoscopy
  • Smoking
  • Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / complications
  • Strongyloidiasis / epidemiology
  • Time Factors
  • Veterans
  • Warfare*