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Background
Blast injury is a clinically and mechanistically distinct form of acute acoustic trauma. We aimed to compare the auditory effects of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) with systemic glucocorticoids in blast-injured patients versus those exposed to gunfire.

Methods
Original, peer-reviewed studies published between January 1990 and March 2025 reporting gunshot or blast injuries in humans were included if they provided quantitative auditory outcomes, including pure-tone averages (PTA) and high- frequency pure-tone averages (hPTA), before and after therapy. Exposure definitions were harmonized: gunfire was defined as acute acoustic trauma from small arms fire (impulse noise), and blast injury as exposure to high-explosive detonations (e.g., IEDs, mortar, artillery) characterized by complex pressure waves. Qualitative studies, animal models, and studies lacking a sufficiently described exposure history were excluded. Studies reporting generic “acoustic trauma” or pooling blast and gunfire cohorts without extractable subgroup data were also excluded to prevent mechanism misclassification.

Results
Nine studies were included, five of which described blast-injured patients. Following completion of HBOT with steroids, PTA improvement was slightly greater in blast- injured patients (pooled Md 4.3 dB, 95% CI [1.6–7.0]) compared with gunfire-injured patients (pooled Md 3.75 dB, 95% CI [1.2–6.3]; p = 0.019). Improvement in hPTA was significantly greater in the gunfire group (19.3 dB, 95% CI [14.3–24.3]) than in the blast group (pooled Md 7.03 dB, 95% CI [3.1–10.9]; p = 0.004).

Conclusions
Neurotologic blast injuries demonstrate distinct patterns of damage and response to HBOT compared with gunfire-induced acute acoustic trauma, including greater low- frequency involvement and a more limited response at higher frequencies.

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Introduction: In recent years, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has expanded combat opportunities for female recruits. This process has proceeded cautiously, given established physiological differences between males and females that may influence performance in physically demanding roles. A pilot program integrating female soldiers into an infantry unit was therefore closely monitored. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effects of infantry basic training on health indices and physical performance in female recruits, in comparison with their male counterparts.

Methods: Twenty-nine female and twenty-eight male recruits undergoing the same basic training program were followed prospectively. Anthropometric indices, aerobic fitness, muscular strength, and self-reported questionnaires addressing nutritional habits and motivation were collected at the beginning, midpoint, and conclusion of basic training. Changes over time and sex-based differences were analyzed.

Results: At entry into basic training, significant sex- based differences were observed in anthropometric variables and physical performance. Over the training period, female recruits increased lean body mass by approximately 2%, reduced body fat by approximately 4%, and improved indices of muscular strength and aerobic performance by approximately 12%. Despite these improvements, female recruits did not meet the physical performance standards required to complete the infantry training program.

Conclusions: The present findings demonstrate that persistent physiological and performance gaps between male and female recruits pose substantial challenges to full integration into infantry combat roles. In this pilot program, female participants were not successfully integrated into an infantry unit. These results indicate that future integration efforts may benefit from rigorous pre-recruitment preparation, careful medical and physiological monitoring, modified training progressions, and critical re-evaluation of physical entry standards.

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Background: The October 7, 2023, war significantly impacted Israeli mental health therapists, particularly those exposed to soldiers’ military trauma. Identifying risk and resilience factors is critical for preventing the development of post-traumatic stress symptoms among therapists treating soldiers with military trauma.

Methods: An anonymous online survey was conducted among 33 therapists serving as reservists in the IDF Combat Stress Reaction Unit and treating soldiers (including reservists) who participated in the war. The survey included four self-report questionnaires, measuring the therapists’ exposure to soldiers’ description of their military trauma (Exposure to Combat Scale), post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSD Checklist – PCL 5), self-efficacy (Generalized Self-Efficacy Scale), and resilience (Brief Resilience Scale). Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and generalized linear models.

Results: Thirty-three therapists participated in the study (51.5% male and 48.5% female), 46.4% with 11-34 years of professional experience. Over 90% were exposed to soldiers’ description of their military trauma (e.g., events of hand-to-hand combat, exposure to bodies or human remains, acquaintance with someone killed or seriously injured), and 30.3% reported post-traumatic symptoms (PTSS) — primarily arousal and reactivity, and intrusive thoughts. No significant association was found between the degree of exposure to the soldiers’ trauma and therapists’ PTSS. However, the risk of PTSS increased 71-fold in therapists who are parents to soldiers who participated in the war (12% of the sample). High resilience levels were a significant protective factor.

Conclusions: Therapists exposed to soldiers’ traumatic combat experiences need professional support, particularly those with children who were soldiers in the October 7 war.

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Objective: To investigate trends in new onset of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) among Israel Defense Forces (IDF) volunteers exposed to service during the October 7 conflict.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study included 3,477 Israel Defense Forces soldiers who enlisted between 2000 and 2024, had standard medical profiles, developed disqualifying chronic conditions during service, and elected to continue volunteering. Physician-assigned IBD diagnoses were tracked from enlistment through discharge. Hierarchical logistic regression and Cox proportional hazards models assessed the correlation between service during wartime and incident IBD.

Results: Out of 3,477 soldiers, 589 (16.9%) were diagnosed with IBD during service. Multivariable logistic regression revealed that service at wartime (OR = 1.71, 95% CI [1.39–2.10], p < .001), female gender (OR = 1.28, 95% CI [1.07–1.54], p = .009), and higher educational attainment (OR = 3.44, 95% CI [1.07–11.04], p = .038) were independently associated with increased odds of incident IBD. Similarly, in the Cox proportional hazards analysis, wartime service was associated with an earlier IBD diagnosis (HR = 1.65, 95% CI [1.37–1.98], p < .001), indicating a higher rate of onset among those serving during these periods.

Conclusion: Within this selected cohort of IDF volunteers, service during October 7 was associated with higher odds of incident IBD and earlier diagnosis; however, these preliminary results are hypothesis- generating and do not estimate IBD incidence or prevalence among all soldiers. They may relate to the potential role of acute stress and psychosocial factors during military service.

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Background: Dental emergencies present significant operational challenges in military settings, where access to care is limited, and disruptions compromise combat readiness. The Israel Defense Forces Medical Corps (IDFMC) offers a unique model of preemptive dental care for combat-designated soldiers. This study examines the efficacy of this model during the 2023 Iron Swords War, a conflict characterized by the rapid mobilization of reservists without prior dental screening.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective comparative study analyzing 80,991 dental records and 420,109 treatments performed between January 1 and November 11, 2024. Emergency dental appointment rates among mobilized reservists (without preemptive care) were compared to those of enlisted and career soldiers, with access to IDFMC's proactive dental intervention. Risk-based stratification and emergency rates within each category were also analyzed.

Results: Emergency dental appointments were required in 10.6% of reservists versus 5.4% of enlisted and career soldiers (p < 0.05). Among combat-designated soldiers, 7.1% of reservists required emergency dental care compared to 4.8% of enlisted soldiers (p < 0.05). Within the proactive care group, 4.7% of low-risk and 5.6% of high- risk individuals required emergency appointments (p < 0.05).

Conclusion: The preemptive dental care model significantly reduced emergency dental needs, improved combat readiness, and validated the value of systematic, risk- based interventions in military health systems.