OBJECTIVE: To characterize patients diagnosed with multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS), chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), or fibromyalgia (FM), to compare their level of function with Canadian population average values, and to assess factors associated with function. DESIGN: Chart review and abstraction of clinical information. SETTING: The Environmental Health Clinic (EHC) at Women's College Hospital in Toronto, Ont, which is a provincial referral centre for patients with illnesses with suspected environmental links, especially MCS, CFS, and FM. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 128 consecutive patients diagnosed with 1 or more of MCS, CFS, or FM, seen between January 2005 and March 2006 at the EHC. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, comorbid diagnoses, duration of illness, health services usage, life stresses, helpful therapeutic strategies, and functional impairment measured by the Short Form-36, compared with Canadian population average values. Factors significantly associated with function in bivariate analyses were included in multiple linear and logistic regression models. RESULTS: The patient population was predominantly female (86.7%), with a mean age of 44.6 years. Seventy-eight patients had discrete diagnoses of 1 of MCS, CFS, or FM, while the remainder had 2 or 3 overlapping diagnoses. Most (68.8%) had stopped work, and on average this had occurred 3 years after symptom onset. On every Short Form-36 subscale, patients had markedly lower functional scores than population average values, more so when they had 2 or 3 of these diagnoses. Having FM, younger age at onset, and lower socioeconomic status were most consistently associated with poor function. CONCLUSION: Patients seen at the EHC demonstrated marked functional impairment, consistent with their reported difficulties working and caring for their homes and families during what should be their peak productive years. Early comprehensive assessment, medical management, and social and financial support might avoid the deterioration of function associated with prolonged illness. Education and information resources are required for health care professionals and the public, along with further etiologic and prognostic research.
OBJECTIVE: To characterize patients diagnosed with multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS), chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), or fibromyalgia (FM), to compare their level of function with Canadian population average values, and to assess factors associated with function. DESIGN: Chart review and abstraction of clinical information. SETTING: The Environmental Health Clinic (EHC) at Women's College Hospital in Toronto, Ont, which is a provincial referral centre for patients with illnesses with suspected environmental links, especially MCS, CFS, and FM. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 128 consecutive patients diagnosed with 1 or more of MCS, CFS, or FM, seen between January 2005 and March 2006 at the EHC. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, comorbid diagnoses, duration of illness, health services usage, life stresses, helpful therapeutic strategies, and functional impairment measured by the Short Form-36, compared with Canadian population average values. Factors significantly associated with function in bivariate analyses were included in multiple linear and logistic regression models. RESULTS: The patient population was predominantly female (86.7%), with a mean age of 44.6 years. Seventy-eight patients had discrete diagnoses of 1 of MCS, CFS, or FM, while the remainder had 2 or 3 overlapping diagnoses. Most (68.8%) had stopped work, and on average this had occurred 3 years after symptom onset. On every Short Form-36 subscale, patients had markedly lower functional scores than population average values, more so when they had 2 or 3 of these diagnoses. Having FM, younger age at onset, and lower socioeconomic status were most consistently associated with poor function. CONCLUSION:Patients seen at the EHC demonstrated marked functional impairment, consistent with their reported difficulties working and caring for their homes and families during what should be their peak productive years. Early comprehensive assessment, medical management, and social and financial support might avoid the deterioration of function associated with prolonged illness. Education and information resources are required for health care professionals and the public, along with further etiologic and prognostic research.
Authors: Wilma M Hopman; Claudie Berger; Lawrence Joseph; Tanveer Towheed; Tassos Anastassiades; Alan Tenenhouse; Suzette Poliquin; Jacques P Brown; Timothy M Murray; Jonathan D Adachi; David A Hanley; Emmanuel A Papadimitropoulos Journal: Can J Public Health Date: 2002 May-Jun
Authors: W M Hopman; T Towheed; T Anastassiades; A Tenenhouse; S Poliquin; C Berger; L Joseph; J P Brown; T M Murray; J D Adachi; D A Hanley; E Papadimitropoulos Journal: CMAJ Date: 2000-08-08 Impact factor: 8.262
Authors: Richard Herrell; Jack Goldberg; Suzanne Hartman; Megan Belcourt; Karen Schmaling; Dedra Buchwald Journal: Qual Life Res Date: 2002-08 Impact factor: 4.147
Authors: Jonathan R Kerr; Robert Petty; Beverley Burke; John Gough; David Fear; Lindsey I Sinclair; Derek L Mattey; Selwyn C M Richards; Jane Montgomery; Don A Baldwin; Paul Kellam; Tim J Harrison; George E Griffin; Janice Main; Derek Enlander; David J Nutt; Stephen T Holgate Journal: J Infect Dis Date: 2008-04-15 Impact factor: 5.226
Authors: Paolo D Pigatto; Claudio Minoia; Anna Ronchi; Lucia Brambilla; Silvia M Ferrucci; Francesco Spadari; Manuela Passoni; Francesco Somalvico; Gian Paolo Bombeccari; Gianpaolo Guzzi Journal: Oxid Med Cell Longev Date: 2013-12-03 Impact factor: 6.543