MCS Studien sollen Umweltkranke zerschellen
Verfasst: Mittwoch 25. Juni 2008, 18:42Am heutigen Tag wurden über Medline Alert fünf deutsche „MCS Studien" herausgegeben (siehe Anhang). Alle Studien weisen, schon aus dem Abstract ersichtlich, erhebliche Mängel im Studiendesign auf und sind darauf ausgerichtet, MCS als rein psychisches Problem darzustellen.
MCS wird in der Hälfte dieser Studien mit „IEI" gleichgesetzt, obwohl dies von der WHO so dezidiert nicht vorgegeben wird und kein gemeinsamer ICD Code, sowie, ganz abgesehen davon, auch keine gemeinsame Falldefinition besteht.
In der vergangenen Woche wurde, wie Ihr sicher bereits wisst, die mittlerweile schon recht betagte und ebenfalls mit erheblichen Studienmängeln behaftete RKI MCS Studie mit „neuem Deckblatt 2008" über Medline verbreitet.
Diese seit geraumer Zeit mit Nachdruck forcierten Tendenzen der deutschen universitären Umweltmedizin werden im Ausland sehr genau und mit großem Argwohn beobachtet. Die eindeutigen Tendenzen lassen die deutsche Umweltmedizin in Gesamtheit gesehen nicht gerade als kompetent erscheinen und werfen ständig neue unangenehme Fragen auf.
http://www.csn-deutschland.de/blog/2008/02/14/auslaendische-wissenschaftler-in-der-medizin-fragen-whats-up-in-germany/
Wir haben daher die umweltmedizinischen Fachverbände und Umweltmediziner heute angeschrieben und darum gebeten, dass diese sich mit den besagten Studien auseinandersetzen und aktiv werden.
Lasst den Kopf nicht hängen, ich bin sicher man tritt für uns ein.
Eure
Silvia
Anhang:
Odor annoyance of environmental chemicals: sensory and cognitive
influences
van Thriel C, Kiesswetter E, Schäper M, Juran SA, Blaszkewicz M,
Kleinbeck S.
Leibniz Research Center for Working Environment and Human Factors,
University of Dortmund, Dortmund, Germany. thriel@ifado.de
J Toxicol Environ Health A. 2008;71(11-12):776-85.
In low concentrations, environment pollutants like volatile organic
compounds (VOCs) may be perceived via olfaction. Modulators of odor-
mediated health effects include age, gender, or personality traits
related to chemical sensitivity. Severe multi-organ symptoms in
response to odors also characterize a syndrome referred to as
idiopathic environmental intolerance (IEI). One prominent feature of
IEI is self-reported odor hypersensitivity that is usually not
accompanied by enhanced olfactory functioning. The impact of
interindividual differences in olfactory functioning on chemosensory
perceptions is sparsely investigated, and therefore this study
addressed the influences of different types of modulators, including
olfactory functioning. In a psychophysical scaling experiment, an age-
stratified sample of 44 males and females was examined. After
controlled application of nine concentrations of six chemicals by
flow-olfactometry, the participants rated four olfactory and nine
trigeminal perceptions. Weak effects were found for gender and age,
as well as some modulating effects of self-reported chemical
sensitivity and odor discrimination ability. For chemical
sensitivity, the results were as expected: Subjects with higher
sensitivity reported stronger perceptions. The individual odor
threshold (n-butanol) exerted no influence on the subjects' ratings
of olfactory and trigeminal perceptions. Surprisingly, above-average
odor discrimination ability was associated with lower ratings of odor
intensity and nausea. This particular aspect of olfactory functioning
might be a reflection of a more objective odor evaluation model
buffering emotional responses to environmental odors.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18569576?dopt=AbstractPlus
PMID: 18569576 [PubMed - in process]
---------------
Evidence for a specific link between the personality trait of
absorption and idiopathic environmental intolerance
Witthöft M, Rist F, Bailer J.
Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Johannes
Gutenberg University of Mainz, Mainz, Germany. witthoef@uni-mainz.de
J Toxicol Environ Health A. 2008;71(11-12):795-802.
Absorption as a personality trait refers to the predisposition to get
deeply immersed in sensory (e.g., smells, sounds, pictures) or
mystical experiences, that is, to experience altered states of
consciousness. Absorption is markedly related to constructs openness
to experiences, hypnotic suggestibility, imagination, and
dissociation. Although absorption was hypothesized to be a risk
factor for medically unexplained symptoms (MUS), the construct has
yet not been investigated in individually suffering from idiopathic
environmental intolerance (IEI), formerly better known as multiple
chemical sensitivity (MCS). IEI is a complex condition marked by MUS,
which patients attribute to various chemical substances that are
typically detectable by their odor (e.g., exhaust emissions,
cigarette smoke). The current study investigated whether IEI was
related to the personality trait of absorption. In a longitudinal
study, 54 subjects with IEI were compared to 44 subjects with a
somatoform disorder (SFD), but without IEI, and 54 subjects with
neither SFD nor IEI (control group, CG). Self-report measures of
somatic symptoms, severity of IEI, and level of absorption were
collected both at a first examination and 32 mo later. On both
assessments, subjects with IEI and individuals with SFD reported
similar highly elevated levels of MUS, compared to CG. In contrast to
SFD, IEI was specifically related to elevated absorption scores. IEI
was specifically associated with a tendency to experience self-
altering states of consciousness. Since absorption is related to both
openness to unusual experiences and elevated imaginative involvement,
absorption might contribute to IEI via two routes by (1) enhancing
the susceptibility for IEI-specific convictions and (2) fostering
classical conditioning processes of MUS via enhanced cognitive-
imaginative representations of assumed IEI triggers.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18569578?dopt=AbstractPlus
PMID: 18569578 [PubMed - in process]
---------------
Psychological predictors of short- and medium term outcome in
individuals with idiopathic environmental intolerance (IEI) and
individuals with somatoform disorders
Bailer J, Witthöft M, Rist F.
Department of Clinical Psychology, Central Institute of Mental
Health, Mannheim, Germany. josef.bailer@zi-mannheim.de
J Toxicol Environ Health A. 2008;71(11-12):766-75.
Idiopathic environmental intolerance (IEI), also known as multiple
chemical sensitivity (MCS), is defined as a chronic polysymptomatic
condition that cannot be explained by an organic disease. Previous
studies suggest that IEI may be a variant of somatoform disorders
(SFD), because both disorders overlap with respect to symptoms and
psychological features of somatization. However, little is known
about the short- and medium-term outcome of IEI and psychological
outcome predictors. Two clinical groups (IEI and SFD) and a
comparison group (CG) were followed through 32 mo to assess both the
outcome, and the extent to which trait anxiety and somatic symptom
attribution (assessed at first examination) predict outcome presented
12 and 32 mo later. Outcome measures were the number of self-reported
IEI symptoms, IEI triggers, IEI-associated functional impairments,
and the number of somatoform symptoms. In addition, the course of the
2 syndromes over the 32-mo follow-up period was investigated with
standardized screening scales. The 3 diagnostic groups consisted of
46 subjects with IEI, 38 subjects with SFD but without IEI, and 46
subjects (CG) with neither IEI nor SFD. Syndrome stability was high
over the 32-mo follow-up period, and at both follow-ups IEI and non-
IEI subjects differed on all IEI outcome measures (symptoms,
triggers, functional impairments). Both trait anxiety and somatic
attribution (the tendency to attribute common somatic complaints to
an illness) predicted outcome. In addition, somatic attribution was
found to partially mediate the effect of trait anxiety on outcome in
the IEI group. In conclusion, these results suggest that IEI is a
chronic and disabling condition and that trait anxiety contributes to
the maintenance of the disorder via somatic attributions.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18569575?dopt=AbstractPlus
PMID: 18569575 [PubMed - in process]
----------------
Sequence variations in subjects with self-reported multiple chemical sensitivity (sMCS): a case-control study
Wiesmüller GA, Niggemann H, Weissbach W, Riley F, Maarouf Z, Dott W, Kunert HJ, Zerres K, Eggermann T, Blömeke B.
Institute of Hygiene and Environmental Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany. GA.Wiesmueller@uni-muenster.de
J Toxicol Environ Health A. 2008;71(11-12):786-94.
Polymorphisms in several genes contribute to interindividual differences in the metabolism of xenobiotics, and may lead to toxicity and disease. The balance between activation and/or detoxification processes may influence an individual's susceptibility to disease. One postulated mechanism underlying multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) is based on increased metabolism of xenobiotics. The aim of the present study was to determine such polymorphisms in cases with self-reported MCS (sMCS) and controls. sMCS cases (14 men, 45 women, mean age: 48 yr) and controls (14 men, 26 women, mean age: 44 yr) of the same anthroposphere were characterized using the MCS-questionnaire from Huppe and coworkers (2000) and a standardized questionnaire for living conditions and living factors. Allelic frequencies of genomic variations for 5HTT, NAT1, NAT2, PON1, PON2, and SOD2 were determined. The MCS questionnaire from Huppe et al. (2000) differentiated between cases and controls with 87.5% sensitivity and 90% specificity. Compared to controls the sMCS cases had lower exposures, especially to odorous factors, and worse social conditions. No significant differences of the allelic distribution of genetic polymorphisms in the genes for 5HTT, NAT1, NAT2, PON1, PON2, and SOD2 were found between cases and controls. The results are in contrast to the study of McKeown-Eyssen and coworkers (2004) but in accordance with the German MCS multicenter study. Although the MCS questionnaire from Huppe et al. (2000) allowed us to differentiate sMCS cases and controls, it was not strong enough for a discrimination based on sequence variations in genes for enzymes involved in xenobiotic metabolism. Therefore, further research needs to focus on a unique phenomenological characterization of MCS.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18569577?dopt=AbstractPlus
PMID: 18569577 [PubMed - in process]
-------------
Double-blind placebo-controlled provocation study in patients with subjective Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) and matched control subjects
Bornschein S, Hausteiner C, Römmelt H, Nowak D, Förstl H, Zilker T.
Department of Toxicology, Technical University of Munich, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Muenchen, Germany. s.bornschein@lrz.tum.de
Clin Toxicol (Phila). 2008 Jun;46(5):443-9.
INTRODUCTION: Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) is an acquired disorder with recurrent symptoms referable to multiple organ systems. No widely accepted test of physiologic function correlates with symptoms and it has not been recognized as a distinct entity by the scientific community. Few double-blind placebo-controlled studies have been done. The objectives of this study were to test two hypotheses: that patients with MCS can distinguish reliably between solvents and placebo, and that there are significant differences in objective biological and neuropsychological parameters between solvent and placebo exposures.
METHODS: Twenty patients with MCS and 17 controls underwent six exposure sessions (solvent mixture and clean air in random order, double-blind) in a challenge chamber. Positive reactions were defined as subjective perception of being exposed to solvents, blood pressure or heart rate change of > or = 10%, rash or clinical signs of hypoxia, or symptom severity rise after exposure.
RESULTS: No differences between the groups with regard to sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were found. Cognitive performance was not influenced by solvent exposure, and did not differ between the groups. There was no difference between the groups in serum cortisol levels measured before and after exposures.
CONCLUSION: The hypotheses were not confirmed.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18568800?dopt=AbstractPlus
PMID: 18568800 [PubMed - in process]
---------------
The German Multicentre Study on Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS)
Eis D, Helm D, Mühlinghaus T, Birkner N, Dietel A, Eikmann T, Gieler
U, Herr C, Lacour M, Nowak D, Pedrosa Gil F, Podoll K, Renner B,
Andreas Wiesmüller G, Worm M.
Robert Koch Institute (RKI), Berlin, Germany; Charité-RKI Research
Network "Clinical Environmental Medicine", Berlin, Germany.
Int J Hyg Environ Health. 2008 May 23.
In this multicentre study on multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) 291
consecutive environmental medicine (EM) outpatients were examined in
several environmental medicine outpatient centres/units throughout
Germany in 2000/2003. Of the EM outpatients, 89 were male (30.6%) and
202 were female (69.4%), aged 22-80 (mean 48 years, S.D.=12 years).
The sample was representative for university-based environmental
outpatient departments and represented a cross-sectional study design
with an integrated clinical-based case-control comparison (MCS vs.
non-MCS). Three classifications of MCS were used: self-reported MCS
(sMCS), clinically diagnosed MCS (cMCS), and formalised computer-
assisted MCS with two variants (f1MCS, f2MCS). Data were collected by
means of an environmental medicine questionnaire, psychosocial
questionnaires, the German version of the Composite International
Diagnostic Interview (CIDI), and a medical baseline documentation, as
well as special examinations in partial projects on olfaction and
genetic susceptibility markers. The hypothesis guided evaluation of
the project showed that the patients' heterogenic health complaints
did not indicate a characteristic set of symptoms for MCS. No
systematic connection could be observed between complaints and the
triggers implicated, nor was there any evidence for a genetic
predisposition, or obvious disturbances of the olfactory system. The
standardised psychiatric diagnostics applying CIDI demonstrated that
the EM patients in general and the subgroup with MCS in particular
suffered more often from mental disorders compared to an age and
gender matched sample of the general population and that in most
patients these disorders commenced many years before environment-
related health complaints. Our results do not support the assumption
of a toxicogenic-somatic basis of the MCS phenomenon. In contrast,
numerous indicators for the relevance of behavioural accentuations,
psychic alterations or psychosomatic impairments were found in the
group of EM-outpatients with subjective "environmental illness".
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18502687?dopt=AbstractPlus
PMID: 18502687 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
MCS wird in der Hälfte dieser Studien mit „IEI" gleichgesetzt, obwohl dies von der WHO so dezidiert nicht vorgegeben wird und kein gemeinsamer ICD Code, sowie, ganz abgesehen davon, auch keine gemeinsame Falldefinition besteht.
In der vergangenen Woche wurde, wie Ihr sicher bereits wisst, die mittlerweile schon recht betagte und ebenfalls mit erheblichen Studienmängeln behaftete RKI MCS Studie mit „neuem Deckblatt 2008" über Medline verbreitet.
Diese seit geraumer Zeit mit Nachdruck forcierten Tendenzen der deutschen universitären Umweltmedizin werden im Ausland sehr genau und mit großem Argwohn beobachtet. Die eindeutigen Tendenzen lassen die deutsche Umweltmedizin in Gesamtheit gesehen nicht gerade als kompetent erscheinen und werfen ständig neue unangenehme Fragen auf.
http://www.csn-deutschland.de/blog/2008/02/14/auslaendische-wissenschaftler-in-der-medizin-fragen-whats-up-in-germany/
Wir haben daher die umweltmedizinischen Fachverbände und Umweltmediziner heute angeschrieben und darum gebeten, dass diese sich mit den besagten Studien auseinandersetzen und aktiv werden.
Lasst den Kopf nicht hängen, ich bin sicher man tritt für uns ein.
Eure
Silvia
Anhang:
Odor annoyance of environmental chemicals: sensory and cognitive
influences
van Thriel C, Kiesswetter E, Schäper M, Juran SA, Blaszkewicz M,
Kleinbeck S.
Leibniz Research Center for Working Environment and Human Factors,
University of Dortmund, Dortmund, Germany. thriel@ifado.de
J Toxicol Environ Health A. 2008;71(11-12):776-85.
In low concentrations, environment pollutants like volatile organic
compounds (VOCs) may be perceived via olfaction. Modulators of odor-
mediated health effects include age, gender, or personality traits
related to chemical sensitivity. Severe multi-organ symptoms in
response to odors also characterize a syndrome referred to as
idiopathic environmental intolerance (IEI). One prominent feature of
IEI is self-reported odor hypersensitivity that is usually not
accompanied by enhanced olfactory functioning. The impact of
interindividual differences in olfactory functioning on chemosensory
perceptions is sparsely investigated, and therefore this study
addressed the influences of different types of modulators, including
olfactory functioning. In a psychophysical scaling experiment, an age-
stratified sample of 44 males and females was examined. After
controlled application of nine concentrations of six chemicals by
flow-olfactometry, the participants rated four olfactory and nine
trigeminal perceptions. Weak effects were found for gender and age,
as well as some modulating effects of self-reported chemical
sensitivity and odor discrimination ability. For chemical
sensitivity, the results were as expected: Subjects with higher
sensitivity reported stronger perceptions. The individual odor
threshold (n-butanol) exerted no influence on the subjects' ratings
of olfactory and trigeminal perceptions. Surprisingly, above-average
odor discrimination ability was associated with lower ratings of odor
intensity and nausea. This particular aspect of olfactory functioning
might be a reflection of a more objective odor evaluation model
buffering emotional responses to environmental odors.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18569576?dopt=AbstractPlus
PMID: 18569576 [PubMed - in process]
---------------
Evidence for a specific link between the personality trait of
absorption and idiopathic environmental intolerance
Witthöft M, Rist F, Bailer J.
Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Johannes
Gutenberg University of Mainz, Mainz, Germany. witthoef@uni-mainz.de
J Toxicol Environ Health A. 2008;71(11-12):795-802.
Absorption as a personality trait refers to the predisposition to get
deeply immersed in sensory (e.g., smells, sounds, pictures) or
mystical experiences, that is, to experience altered states of
consciousness. Absorption is markedly related to constructs openness
to experiences, hypnotic suggestibility, imagination, and
dissociation. Although absorption was hypothesized to be a risk
factor for medically unexplained symptoms (MUS), the construct has
yet not been investigated in individually suffering from idiopathic
environmental intolerance (IEI), formerly better known as multiple
chemical sensitivity (MCS). IEI is a complex condition marked by MUS,
which patients attribute to various chemical substances that are
typically detectable by their odor (e.g., exhaust emissions,
cigarette smoke). The current study investigated whether IEI was
related to the personality trait of absorption. In a longitudinal
study, 54 subjects with IEI were compared to 44 subjects with a
somatoform disorder (SFD), but without IEI, and 54 subjects with
neither SFD nor IEI (control group, CG). Self-report measures of
somatic symptoms, severity of IEI, and level of absorption were
collected both at a first examination and 32 mo later. On both
assessments, subjects with IEI and individuals with SFD reported
similar highly elevated levels of MUS, compared to CG. In contrast to
SFD, IEI was specifically related to elevated absorption scores. IEI
was specifically associated with a tendency to experience self-
altering states of consciousness. Since absorption is related to both
openness to unusual experiences and elevated imaginative involvement,
absorption might contribute to IEI via two routes by (1) enhancing
the susceptibility for IEI-specific convictions and (2) fostering
classical conditioning processes of MUS via enhanced cognitive-
imaginative representations of assumed IEI triggers.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18569578?dopt=AbstractPlus
PMID: 18569578 [PubMed - in process]
---------------
Psychological predictors of short- and medium term outcome in
individuals with idiopathic environmental intolerance (IEI) and
individuals with somatoform disorders
Bailer J, Witthöft M, Rist F.
Department of Clinical Psychology, Central Institute of Mental
Health, Mannheim, Germany. josef.bailer@zi-mannheim.de
J Toxicol Environ Health A. 2008;71(11-12):766-75.
Idiopathic environmental intolerance (IEI), also known as multiple
chemical sensitivity (MCS), is defined as a chronic polysymptomatic
condition that cannot be explained by an organic disease. Previous
studies suggest that IEI may be a variant of somatoform disorders
(SFD), because both disorders overlap with respect to symptoms and
psychological features of somatization. However, little is known
about the short- and medium-term outcome of IEI and psychological
outcome predictors. Two clinical groups (IEI and SFD) and a
comparison group (CG) were followed through 32 mo to assess both the
outcome, and the extent to which trait anxiety and somatic symptom
attribution (assessed at first examination) predict outcome presented
12 and 32 mo later. Outcome measures were the number of self-reported
IEI symptoms, IEI triggers, IEI-associated functional impairments,
and the number of somatoform symptoms. In addition, the course of the
2 syndromes over the 32-mo follow-up period was investigated with
standardized screening scales. The 3 diagnostic groups consisted of
46 subjects with IEI, 38 subjects with SFD but without IEI, and 46
subjects (CG) with neither IEI nor SFD. Syndrome stability was high
over the 32-mo follow-up period, and at both follow-ups IEI and non-
IEI subjects differed on all IEI outcome measures (symptoms,
triggers, functional impairments). Both trait anxiety and somatic
attribution (the tendency to attribute common somatic complaints to
an illness) predicted outcome. In addition, somatic attribution was
found to partially mediate the effect of trait anxiety on outcome in
the IEI group. In conclusion, these results suggest that IEI is a
chronic and disabling condition and that trait anxiety contributes to
the maintenance of the disorder via somatic attributions.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18569575?dopt=AbstractPlus
PMID: 18569575 [PubMed - in process]
----------------
Sequence variations in subjects with self-reported multiple chemical sensitivity (sMCS): a case-control study
Wiesmüller GA, Niggemann H, Weissbach W, Riley F, Maarouf Z, Dott W, Kunert HJ, Zerres K, Eggermann T, Blömeke B.
Institute of Hygiene and Environmental Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany. GA.Wiesmueller@uni-muenster.de
J Toxicol Environ Health A. 2008;71(11-12):786-94.
Polymorphisms in several genes contribute to interindividual differences in the metabolism of xenobiotics, and may lead to toxicity and disease. The balance between activation and/or detoxification processes may influence an individual's susceptibility to disease. One postulated mechanism underlying multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) is based on increased metabolism of xenobiotics. The aim of the present study was to determine such polymorphisms in cases with self-reported MCS (sMCS) and controls. sMCS cases (14 men, 45 women, mean age: 48 yr) and controls (14 men, 26 women, mean age: 44 yr) of the same anthroposphere were characterized using the MCS-questionnaire from Huppe and coworkers (2000) and a standardized questionnaire for living conditions and living factors. Allelic frequencies of genomic variations for 5HTT, NAT1, NAT2, PON1, PON2, and SOD2 were determined. The MCS questionnaire from Huppe et al. (2000) differentiated between cases and controls with 87.5% sensitivity and 90% specificity. Compared to controls the sMCS cases had lower exposures, especially to odorous factors, and worse social conditions. No significant differences of the allelic distribution of genetic polymorphisms in the genes for 5HTT, NAT1, NAT2, PON1, PON2, and SOD2 were found between cases and controls. The results are in contrast to the study of McKeown-Eyssen and coworkers (2004) but in accordance with the German MCS multicenter study. Although the MCS questionnaire from Huppe et al. (2000) allowed us to differentiate sMCS cases and controls, it was not strong enough for a discrimination based on sequence variations in genes for enzymes involved in xenobiotic metabolism. Therefore, further research needs to focus on a unique phenomenological characterization of MCS.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18569577?dopt=AbstractPlus
PMID: 18569577 [PubMed - in process]
-------------
Double-blind placebo-controlled provocation study in patients with subjective Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) and matched control subjects
Bornschein S, Hausteiner C, Römmelt H, Nowak D, Förstl H, Zilker T.
Department of Toxicology, Technical University of Munich, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Muenchen, Germany. s.bornschein@lrz.tum.de
Clin Toxicol (Phila). 2008 Jun;46(5):443-9.
INTRODUCTION: Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) is an acquired disorder with recurrent symptoms referable to multiple organ systems. No widely accepted test of physiologic function correlates with symptoms and it has not been recognized as a distinct entity by the scientific community. Few double-blind placebo-controlled studies have been done. The objectives of this study were to test two hypotheses: that patients with MCS can distinguish reliably between solvents and placebo, and that there are significant differences in objective biological and neuropsychological parameters between solvent and placebo exposures.
METHODS: Twenty patients with MCS and 17 controls underwent six exposure sessions (solvent mixture and clean air in random order, double-blind) in a challenge chamber. Positive reactions were defined as subjective perception of being exposed to solvents, blood pressure or heart rate change of > or = 10%, rash or clinical signs of hypoxia, or symptom severity rise after exposure.
RESULTS: No differences between the groups with regard to sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were found. Cognitive performance was not influenced by solvent exposure, and did not differ between the groups. There was no difference between the groups in serum cortisol levels measured before and after exposures.
CONCLUSION: The hypotheses were not confirmed.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18568800?dopt=AbstractPlus
PMID: 18568800 [PubMed - in process]
---------------
The German Multicentre Study on Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS)
Eis D, Helm D, Mühlinghaus T, Birkner N, Dietel A, Eikmann T, Gieler
U, Herr C, Lacour M, Nowak D, Pedrosa Gil F, Podoll K, Renner B,
Andreas Wiesmüller G, Worm M.
Robert Koch Institute (RKI), Berlin, Germany; Charité-RKI Research
Network "Clinical Environmental Medicine", Berlin, Germany.
Int J Hyg Environ Health. 2008 May 23.
In this multicentre study on multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) 291
consecutive environmental medicine (EM) outpatients were examined in
several environmental medicine outpatient centres/units throughout
Germany in 2000/2003. Of the EM outpatients, 89 were male (30.6%) and
202 were female (69.4%), aged 22-80 (mean 48 years, S.D.=12 years).
The sample was representative for university-based environmental
outpatient departments and represented a cross-sectional study design
with an integrated clinical-based case-control comparison (MCS vs.
non-MCS). Three classifications of MCS were used: self-reported MCS
(sMCS), clinically diagnosed MCS (cMCS), and formalised computer-
assisted MCS with two variants (f1MCS, f2MCS). Data were collected by
means of an environmental medicine questionnaire, psychosocial
questionnaires, the German version of the Composite International
Diagnostic Interview (CIDI), and a medical baseline documentation, as
well as special examinations in partial projects on olfaction and
genetic susceptibility markers. The hypothesis guided evaluation of
the project showed that the patients' heterogenic health complaints
did not indicate a characteristic set of symptoms for MCS. No
systematic connection could be observed between complaints and the
triggers implicated, nor was there any evidence for a genetic
predisposition, or obvious disturbances of the olfactory system. The
standardised psychiatric diagnostics applying CIDI demonstrated that
the EM patients in general and the subgroup with MCS in particular
suffered more often from mental disorders compared to an age and
gender matched sample of the general population and that in most
patients these disorders commenced many years before environment-
related health complaints. Our results do not support the assumption
of a toxicogenic-somatic basis of the MCS phenomenon. In contrast,
numerous indicators for the relevance of behavioural accentuations,
psychic alterations or psychosomatic impairments were found in the
group of EM-outpatients with subjective "environmental illness".
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18502687?dopt=AbstractPlus
PMID: 18502687 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]