Wilhite, Daniel P.; VA Airborne Hazards and Burn Pits Center of Excellence, East Orange, NJ.
Alexander, Thomas; Klein-Adams, Jacquelyn C.; Falvo, Michael J.

Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise; (Baltimore, Maryland) 2025Supplement; v.57, 116-116. (1p)

he article focuses on a study comparing cardiorespiratory fitness and dyspnea on exertion (DOE) between deployed Veterans from post-9/11 conflicts and non-deployed controls. The study involved 25 deployed Veterans and 11 non-deployed controls who underwent cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) using the Bruce treadmill protocol. Results indicated that deployed Veterans experienced significantly higher perceived breathlessness at peak exercise compared to controls, despite no significant differences in peak oxygen consumption (V̇O2peak). The findings suggest that DOE in deployed Veterans may not be solely due to deconditioning, highlighting the need for further research to explore underlying factors contributing to respiratory issues.