Multiple Chemical Sensitivities Addendum to Biologic Markers in Immunotoxicology (1992) / Chapter Skim
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Considerations for the Diagnosis of Chemical Sensitivity
Considerations for the Diagnosis of Chemical Sensitivity
Pages 169-192
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From page 169... ...
Our observations reveal that individual or multiple organs may be involved. The brain Is the target organ in only a subset of chemically sensitive patients, and its involvement should not be confused with psychosomatic disease.
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From page 170... ...
Selye was among the first to describe this compensatory mech~nism.33 Because of adaptation or tolerance, the patient's total body load may increase undetected because the perception of a cause-and-effect relationship is lost. With no apparent correlated symptoms, repeated exposures may condnue to damage his immune and enzyme detoxification systems.34~5 The eventual result of continued toxic exposure over a period of days, weeks, months to years Is end-organ failure.
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From page 171... ...
BIOCHEMICAL INDIVIDUALITY Another principle necessary to understand environmental aspects of health and disease, and especially chemical sensitivity, is that of biochemical m~ duality. Biochemical ndi~nduality of response is the m~ dual's u~queness.39 This uniqueness of response depends on the differing quantities of carbohydrates, fats, proteins, enzymes, vita, minerals, immune and enzyme detoxification parameters tenth which an individual Is equipped to handle pollutant ~ its.
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From page 172... ...
may occur allowing for still greater sensitivity. In contrast to patients who experience increased sensitivity to multiple triggering agents, some chemically sensitive patients may have one Isolated organ Involved ~ their disease process for years, only to have dysfunction spread to other organs as their resistance mechar isms break down.
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From page 173... ...
POLLUTION FACTS In order to accomplish concise studies of the chemical sensitivity phenomena, one must understand some facts about environmental polButants. Modern technology~s rapidly accelerating rate of growth has produced a wide vanes of chemical products, that contribute to the total chemical environment.
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From page 174... ...
Polluted ground water exists at 347 of the nations 418 worst chemical dumps, and probably is occurring the rest.- Iaseter7 and others have shown that a virtual organic chemistry laboratory exists In most Inking water. In die early 1980s, California, New York, New Jersey, Arizona, Nova Scotia, and Pennsylvania condemned dozens of public water supply wells due to trichloroe~ylene or tetra`~oroethylene poBution.'~ Leaking fuel tanks contaminated nine Kansas public Rater supplies in 1981.7i Officials in New Mexico identified 25 aties where hydrocarbons and solvents contaminated the ground water.'' Analysis of New Orleans drinking water alone revealed the presence of 13 halogenated hydrocarbons.
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From page 175... ...
Alternatives to treating water with chionne include owne, c~orammes, ultra-v~olet irradiation, iodination, or home re~rerse-osmosis and charcoal f~tration.68 Chlonde, added at many sewage treatment plants, can also react with organic matter ~ the u ater to form chIormated hydrocarbons, many of which are also known to cause cancer. Copper sulfate, alumina sulfate and fluorine are other major contaminants which may add to the total body burden.68 Over a thousand different tome chemicals have been found ~ public water supplies including pesticides, herbicides, industrial solvents, and polychlonnated biphenyls, just to name a few.
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From page 176... ...
Failure to consider ad three ~ the chemically sensitive patient may color or negate otherwise a clearly defined case of chemical sensitivity. CHEMICAL INClTA~i IN THE HOME ENVIRONMENT Indoor air pollution in the home environment has produced a multitude of sensitivities to c3~emicals.8~95 Time and space limitations allow only a cursory review of the numerous commercial hyg~mc products which can be noxious for chemically susceptible indited tale.
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From page 177... ...
In our e~enenoe, failure to evaluate building and home environments before challenge testing wiD often make challenge studies invalid for the diagnosis of chemical sensitintr. MECHANISMS The mech~ms involved in chemical sensitivity, are becoming clearer, one of which has pollutant injury occurring to the lungs or liver, with resultant free radical generational.
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From page 178... ...
, companag them with 60 normal controls, showed that those manifesting a chemical sensitivity through their vascular tree had suppression of the suppressor T-cells (greater than 4 S.D.~47. Clearly the larger portion of our patients with immunological involvement fad into the Type III and IV categories.
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From page 179... ...
Once this occurs, there Is a viscous cycle of dysmetabolism, often with production or worsening of chemical sensitivity. These detoxification and metabolic defects are often measurable and have been accomplished in over 2,000 chemically sensitive patients.
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From page 180... ...
Lab tests for pentachlorophenols and organic solvents like hectare and pentane, are also BOW available, as are herbicide levels. General volatile organic hydrocarbons are found in a large portion of chemically sensitive patients.
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From page 181... ...
Metals including lead, mercury, cadmium, and aluminum are sometimes found ~ the intracellular contents of some chemically sensitive patients. These ~ are found In 10% of the patients.
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From page 182... ...
This approach gives tile physician valuable, accurate information, in the pursuit of opts health for these enviror~entally-sensitive patients.
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From page 183... ...
Chemical sensitivity and the environment. hnmun Allerg Prac, Sept/Oct: 21-31, 1982.
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From page 184... ...
.; Pan,Y. et al: Toxic Volatile Organic Hydrocarbons in Chemically Sensitive Patients, Clin Ecol 5~2~:7~74,1987.
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From page 185... ...
Biochemical Individuality. New York: Wiley, 1963.
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From page 186... ...
T & B Lymphocytes. Parameters Measured ~ Chemically Sensitive Patients and Controls.
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From page 187... ...
Bishop, Do.; Rowan, Cot. The role of skin absorption as a route of exposure for volatile organic compounds ~ drinking water, Am J Pub Health 74: 479484, 1984.
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From page 188... ...
Ann Allergy 46~5~:260-3, May, 1981. Bell, I, King, D.: Psychological and physiological research relevant to clinical ecology: An ovemew of the recent literature.
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From page 189... ...
ed. Workers with Multiple Chemical Sensitivities.
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From page 190... ...
111. SertoE, A., Di Fonzo, E., Spallanzam, P., Panconesi E.: Allergic contact dermatitis from thmerosal In a soft contact lens wearer.
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From page 191... ...
The effects of environmental chemicals on the immune system: a selected bibliography with abstracts, Oalc Ridge, Tennessee: Tomcoiogy Information Response Center, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 1981, pp.
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From page 192... ...
149. Miner IB, Intradermal Provocative/Neutrali~g Food Testing and Subcutaneous Food Extract Injection Therapy.
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