Background: Electric sensitivity is a syndrome that still lacks diagnostic criteria and proven aetiology. The suffering of afflicted persons motivates development and evaluation of effective handling and treatments. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of cognitive behavioural therapy in patients with electric sensitivity. Methods: Cognitive behavioural treatment, as part of a multidisciplinary treatment package for patients with electric sensitivity, was evaluated in a controlled trial. Ten patients who received treatment were compared to 12 controls. Outcome measures included different dimensions such as symptoms, beliefs, behaviour, and biochemical measurements of stress-related variables. All outcome measures were collected prior to the study, post-treatment, and after an additional 6-month follow-up. Results: The therapy group rated their electric sensitivity as significantly lower than did the control group at the 6-month follow-up, and reduction of self-rated discomforts from triggering factors was significant in the therapy group. There were no systematic changes in the biochemical variables. The symptom indices were significantly reduced over time, and ability to work continued to be good in both groups. Conclusion: The prognosis for this syndrome is good with early intervention and cognitive therapy may further reduce the perceived hypersensitivity. This may have important implications on handling of patients with electric sensitivity.
In a plastic boat company we studied workers' attitudes toward wearing respiratory protective equipment and differences in styrene exposure received with and without respirators. The workers studied used either half-facepiece air-purifying or full-face air-supplied respirators as much as possible during the first day of the study. On the second day respirators were used only for short periods or not at all. Individual styrene exposures were measured by personal air sampling in the breathing zone. When using respirators the exposure was measured both inside and outside the respirators. The styrene metabolites mandelic and phenylglyoxylic acids were determined in urine samples collected during the workday. The eleven workers studied used the respirators 52% of the time on the first day and 7% of the time on the second. The reasons for not wearing respirators were that they delayed work, were too tight and uncomfortable, made it difficult to breath, and/or became too warm. The use of respirators during work operations such as spraying, laminating, and painting reduced the styrene exposure by 56%-92%. The excretion rate of mandelic and phenylglyoxylic acids in urine collected at the end of the working day was 30%-99% lower when respirators were worn than when they were not.
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