Are syndromes in environmental medicine variants of somatoform disorders?

Wiesmüller, G. A.; Ebel, Hermann; Hornberg, Claudia; Kwan, Oliver; Friel, Jon

doi:10.1016/s0306-9877(03)00185-3

Cited by 41 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 56 publications

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“…The study by Bailer and his co-workers (53) provides support for this hypothesis, as cases of idiopathic environmental intolerance and somatoform disorders were shown to overlap, not only in regard to symptoms, but also with respect to certain behavioral and psychological features characteristic of somatization, such as somatic attribution of symptoms, negative affectivity, trait anxiety, a self-concept of bodily weakness, and heightened vigilance toward bodily sensations. The results of our study are also in line with more complex explanatory models of idiopathic environmental intolerance that propose that it could be the result of an interaction between environmental influences, individual predispositions, such as an organic disease and personality traits, psychological influences, and cognitive processes (36,53).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 88%

“…In a Finnish study, somatizing patients showed reduced neuropsychological performance with regard to attentional processing, semantic memory, verbal episodic memory and visuospatial tasks (33); these findings correspond to our findings with respect to idiopathic environmental intolerance. Due to the large proportion of patients with idiopathic environmental intolerance satisfying the diagnostic criteria of somatoform disorders (34), and the overlap of the latter and idiopathic environmental intolerance with regard to symptom profiles and psychological features, it has been argued that idiopathic environmental intolerance itself can be interpreted as a somatoform disorder (35,36). Memory deficits in both conditions can be plausibly explained by the fact that these patients are often preoccupied by their bodily sensations, by which their attention is distracted.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Neuropsychological and positron emission tomography correlates in idiopathic environmental intolerances

Bornschein¹,

Hausteiner²,

Drzezga³

et al. 2007

Scand J Work Environ Health

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 88%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Neuropsychological and positron emission tomography correlates in idiopathic environmental intolerances

Bornschein¹,

Hausteiner²,

Drzezga³

et al. 2007

Scand J Work Environ Health

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“…MCS refers to patients showing hypersensitivity towards all sorts of chemicals at such low concentrations that healthy persons show no discernable reaction [14]; this includes hypersensitivity to drugs as well as other chemicals often present in our environment such as paints, detergents, perfumes, etc. MCS has been associated with fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome [15,16], comorbid conditions often found in IBS patients, and MCS patients frequently complain of GI symptoms suggestive of IBS [17].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Extra Digestive Manifestations of Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Intolerance to Drugs?

et al. 2007

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Patients with IBS frequently complain of medication side effects. The goals of this study were to assess the prevalence of drug intolerance as an extra GI manifestation in patients with IBS and to verify the association between drug intolerance and psychological comorbidity. Female patients followed in a tertiary care center completed questionnaires assessing the presence of drug intolerance as well as somatic and psychological extra GI conditions. IBS patients (Rome II criteria; n = 71) were compared to inflammatory bowel disease patients (IBD; n = 96) or to healthy controls (HC; n = 67). The relationship to psychological comorbidity was verified in two different paradigms: (1) by looking at the statistical correlation between drug intolerance and the psychological extra GI symptoms in our IBS patients, and (2) by comparing in a meta-analysis the side effects to placebo (the nocebo effect is presumably increased due to hypervigilance or amplification in psychological disorders) in IBS patients or in patients with comparable medical conditions included in various drug trials approved by Health Canada. Our results show that prevalence of drug intolerance was significantly more elevated in IBS (41% patients) than in HC (7%) or in IBD (27%); somatic and psychological extra GI symptoms were also markedly increased in IBS. In addition, drug intolerance in our IBS patients was significantly associated with somatic comorbidities such as fatigue or multiple symptoms (P < 0.001), but not with psychological factors such as depression, anxiety, mood instability, or sleep disorder. A meta-analysis revealed that the nocebo effect was not different in patients with IBS than in control patients. In conclusion, drug intolerance is a frequent extra GI manifestation of IBS that is not associated with psychological comorbidity; thus, a somatic origin must be explored.

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“…Solche Befindlichkeitsstörungen können sich auch in umweltmedizinischen Syndromen 3 manifestieren [76,80].…”

Section: Befindlichkeitsstörungenunclassified

Schimmelpilzbelastung in Innenräumen – Befunderhebung, gesundheitliche Bewertung und Maßnahmen

Dott¹,

Drexler²,

Dunkelberg³

et al. 2007

Bundesgesundheitsbl.

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Are syndromes in environmental medicine variants of somatoform disorders?

Cited by 41 publications

References 56 publications

Neuropsychological and positron emission tomography correlates in idiopathic environmental intolerances

Neuropsychological and positron emission tomography correlates in idiopathic environmental intolerances

Extra Digestive Manifestations of Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Intolerance to Drugs?

Schimmelpilzbelastung in Innenräumen – Befunderhebung, gesundheitliche Bewertung und Maßnahmen

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