Charakterisierung der Lebensgewohnheiten und des Lebensumfeldes von Patienten mit selbstberichteter Multipler Chemikaliensensitivität (sMCS)
Introduction: Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) is a syndrome with many speculations about etiology, risk factors and pathomechanism, but few scientifically consolidated findings. Therefore living conditions and living factors of persons with self-reported MCS (sMCS) in comparison to a control group of the same anthroposphere were systematically investigated. Research methods: In a case-control study patients with sMCS were investigated in comparison to a not MCS affected control group of the same anthroposphere. The sMCS group was characterized using the modified MCS-questionnaire from Hüppe et al. concerning symptom inducing substances. The data about living conditions and living factors was collected by a posted questionnaire all participants filled in personally. The dependence of questionnaire-obtained living conditions and living factors on sMCS and controls were analyzed with Pearson’s chi²-, Fisher’s exact- and Mann-Whitney-U-test. Results: The sMCS group consists of 59 persons concerned (14 men, 45 women, mean age: 48.4 ± 9.4 years), the control group of 40 persons (14 men, 26 women, mean age: 43.9 ± 9.0 years). The modified MCS-questionnaire from Hüppe et al. differentiated between the sMCS and control group with 91.8% sensitivity and 83.9% specifity. The observed differences in living conditions and living factors between cases and controls regarded mainly nutrition (e.g., more special nutrition habit of sMCS-affected persons), social area (e.g., more invalidity allowance of sMCS-affected persons), odorous annoyance (e.g., lesser use of universal cleaners by sMCS-affected persons) and dental prothesis (e.g., fewer amalgam fillings in sMCS-affected persons). Altogether, compared to the control group the sMCS-affected persons had worse social conditions and lower exposures, esp. to odorous factors. Conclusion: Exposures which might possibly be causative for MCS could not be observed. Even if an exogenous cause of MCS should not exist, a special susceptibility could still be a possible etiologic factor. Under this suspicion further investigations should focus on genetics and polymorphisms of the metabolism of foreign substances. The low exposures of the sMCS-affected persons seem to be a result of avoidance behavior of sMCS-affected persons. The low exposure to odorous factors fits in the hypothesis that the olfactory systems might be involved in the pathogenesis and/or pathophysiology of MCS.
info:eu-repo/classification/ddc/610, Medizin, Fragebogen, Exposition, Lebensgewohnheiten, Lebensumfeld, Multiple chemical sensitivity, living conditions, living factors
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