Multiple Chemical Sensitivity Syndrome: A Clinical Perspective. II. Evaluation, Diagnostic Testing, Treatment, and Social Considerations

Details

• Personal Author:
  Altman LC ; Black DW ; Daniell W ; Kipen HM ; Simon GE ; Sparks, Patricia J. ; Terr AI
• Description:
  Multiple chemical sensitivity syndrome (MCS) does not appear to fit established principles of toxicology. Social, political, and economic forces are demanding that MCS be defined medically, even though scientific studies have failed as yet to identify pathogenic mechanisms for the condition or any objective diagnostic criteria. Consequently, a working definition of MCS can only rely on a person's subjective symptoms of distress and attribution to environmental exposures rather than currently measurable objective evidence of disease. Nevertheless, patients labeled with MCS are clearly distressed and many are functionally disabled. Without reconciling the different theories of etiology of MCS discussed in Part I of this report, and recognizing that the cause of the syndrome may be multifactorial, strategies are proposed for clinical evaluation and management of patients with MCS using a biopsychosocial model of illness. The social implications of this illness are also discussed. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Coal Dust Explosions Mining Occupational Health Safety
• Keywords:
  Clinical Diagnosis Clinical Tests Environmental Exposure MCS Multiple Chemical Sensitivity Psychological Factors Psychophysiology Sociological Factors
• ISSN:
  0096-1736
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  California ; Iowa ; New Jersey ; New York ; OSHA Region 10 ; OSHA Region 2 ; OSHA Region 7 ; OSHA Region 9 ; Washington
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  36
• Issue:
  7
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20059937
• Citation:
  J Occup Med 1994 Jul; 36(7):731-737
• Contact Point Address:
  Patricia J. Sparks, MD, MPH, Medical Director, Business Health Services, Providence Medical Center, 1600 E. Jefferson, Suite 201, Seattle, WA 98122
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  1994
• Performing Organization:
  Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  19920701
• Source Full Name:
  Journal of Occupational Medicine
• End Date:
  19970630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:db5ad7957f6ab88277cd31b2f4a7e5316239be146e0f17884172650c3e2991766c1d581b9a735ebef14ae266f82d64452a2e0a6c70a6b39708d0c81aefa5b161
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/223990/cdc_223990_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 788.43 KB ]