Unexpected high prevalence of metabolic disorders and chronic disease among young male draftees--the Swiss Army XXI experience

Swiss Medical Weekly
Boris E SchleiffenbaumEdgar Wegmüller

Abstract

What are the benefits of laboratory screening examinations entailed in the new army recruitment concept (Swiss Army XXI)? PRINCIPLES/METHODS: Between January 1 and June 30, 2004, a total of 7714 of 11,322 (68%) draftees from 6 Swiss army recruitment centres underwent clinical examination and laboratory testing. In 1.7% of the draftees we found elevated levels of the C-reactive protein (CRP) as evidence of infection or inflammation. Although we found no case of acute hepatitis, 16 draftees had active hepatitis B and 1 patient had active hepatitis C. Diseases, which were found by laboratory screening, and which forbid service in the army, included Crohn's disease, terminal renal insufficiency and essential thrombocytosis. In conditions such as anaemia (0.1%) or latent iron deficiency (7.2%), the cause may have to be elucidated before the start of military training. In other draftees (9.8%), we found elevated alanine-amino-transferase (ALAT) levels as a hint to possible alcohol abuse, which might impair the ability to serve in special units of the army. Finally, elevated levels of ferritin (0.1%), glucose (0.4%), and cholesterol (1.4%) may indicate iron overload/haemochromatosis, impaired glucose tolerance or even overt diabetes m...Continue Reading

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