Clinical Characteristics of Disability in Patients with Indoor Air–Related Environmental Intolerance
Background: Chronic nonspecific symptoms attributed to indoor nonindustrial work environments are common and may cause disability, but the medical nature of this disability is unclear. The aim was to medically characterize the disability manifested by chronic, recurrent symptoms and restrictions to...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2019-09-01
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| Series: | Safety and Health at Work |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2093791119302094 |
| _version_ | 1797716765711532032 |
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| author | Aki Vuokko Kirsi Karvala Hille Suojalehto Harri Lindholm Sanna Selinheimo Marja Heinonen-Guzejev Sami Leppämäki Sebastian Cederström Christer Hublin Katinka Tuisku Markku Sainio |
| author_facet | Aki Vuokko Kirsi Karvala Hille Suojalehto Harri Lindholm Sanna Selinheimo Marja Heinonen-Guzejev Sami Leppämäki Sebastian Cederström Christer Hublin Katinka Tuisku Markku Sainio |
| author_sort | Aki Vuokko |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Chronic nonspecific symptoms attributed to indoor nonindustrial work environments are common and may cause disability, but the medical nature of this disability is unclear. The aim was to medically characterize the disability manifested by chronic, recurrent symptoms and restrictions to work participation attributed to low-level indoor pollutants at workplace and whether the condition shares features with idiopathic environmental intolerance. Methods: We investigated 12 patients with indoor air–related work disability. The examinations included somatic, psychological, and psychiatric evaluations as well as investigations of the autonomic nervous system, cortisol measurements, lung function, and allergy tests. We evaluated well-being, health, disability, insomnia, pain, anxiety, depression, and burnout via questionnaires. Results: The mean symptom history was 10.5 years; for disabling symptoms, 2.7 years. Eleven patients reported reactions triggered mainly by indoor molds, one by fragrances only. Ten reported sensitivity to odorous chemicals, and three, electric devices. Nearly all had co-occurrent somatic and psychiatric diagnoses and signs of pain, insomnia, burnout, and/or elevated sympathetic responses. Avoiding certain environments had led to restrictions in several life areas. On self-assessment scales, disability showed higher severity and anxiety showed lower severity than in physician assessments. Conclusion: No medical cause was found to explain the disability. Findings support that the condition is a form of idiopathic environmental intolerance and belongs to functional somatic syndromes. Instead of endless avoidance, rehabilitation approaches of functional somatic syndromes are applicable. Keywords: Building-related intolerance, Disability evaluation, Environmental intolerance, Functional somatic syndromes, Indoor air |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T08:26:25Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-055b82604b234edab7c3391b8b21806c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2093-7911 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T08:26:25Z |
| publishDate | 2019-09-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Safety and Health at Work |
| spelling | doaj.art-055b82604b234edab7c3391b8b21806c2023-09-02T18:01:33ZengElsevierSafety and Health at Work2093-79112019-09-01103362369Clinical Characteristics of Disability in Patients with Indoor Air–Related Environmental IntoleranceAki Vuokko0Kirsi Karvala1Hille Suojalehto2Harri Lindholm3Sanna Selinheimo4Marja Heinonen-Guzejev5Sami Leppämäki6Sebastian Cederström7Christer Hublin8Katinka Tuisku9Markku Sainio10Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Helsinki, Finland; Corresponding author. Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Topeliuksenkatu 41 b, 00250 Helsinki, Finland.Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Helsinki, FinlandFinnish Institute of Occupational Health, Helsinki, FinlandNokia Bell Labs, Nokia Group, Espoo, FinlandFinnish Institute of Occupational Health, Helsinki, FinlandUniversity of Helsinki, Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Helsinki, FinlandDepartment of Psychiatry, Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, FinlandOutpatient Clinic for Assessment of Ability to Work, Department of Psychiatry, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, FinlandFinnish Institute of Occupational Health, Helsinki, FinlandOutpatient Clinic for Assessment of Ability to Work, Department of Psychiatry, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, FinlandFinnish Institute of Occupational Health, Helsinki, FinlandBackground: Chronic nonspecific symptoms attributed to indoor nonindustrial work environments are common and may cause disability, but the medical nature of this disability is unclear. The aim was to medically characterize the disability manifested by chronic, recurrent symptoms and restrictions to work participation attributed to low-level indoor pollutants at workplace and whether the condition shares features with idiopathic environmental intolerance. Methods: We investigated 12 patients with indoor air–related work disability. The examinations included somatic, psychological, and psychiatric evaluations as well as investigations of the autonomic nervous system, cortisol measurements, lung function, and allergy tests. We evaluated well-being, health, disability, insomnia, pain, anxiety, depression, and burnout via questionnaires. Results: The mean symptom history was 10.5 years; for disabling symptoms, 2.7 years. Eleven patients reported reactions triggered mainly by indoor molds, one by fragrances only. Ten reported sensitivity to odorous chemicals, and three, electric devices. Nearly all had co-occurrent somatic and psychiatric diagnoses and signs of pain, insomnia, burnout, and/or elevated sympathetic responses. Avoiding certain environments had led to restrictions in several life areas. On self-assessment scales, disability showed higher severity and anxiety showed lower severity than in physician assessments. Conclusion: No medical cause was found to explain the disability. Findings support that the condition is a form of idiopathic environmental intolerance and belongs to functional somatic syndromes. Instead of endless avoidance, rehabilitation approaches of functional somatic syndromes are applicable. Keywords: Building-related intolerance, Disability evaluation, Environmental intolerance, Functional somatic syndromes, Indoor airhttp://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2093791119302094 |
| spellingShingle | Aki Vuokko Kirsi Karvala Hille Suojalehto Harri Lindholm Sanna Selinheimo Marja Heinonen-Guzejev Sami Leppämäki Sebastian Cederström Christer Hublin Katinka Tuisku Markku Sainio Clinical Characteristics of Disability in Patients with Indoor Air–Related Environmental Intolerance Safety and Health at Work |
| title | Clinical Characteristics of Disability in Patients with Indoor Air–Related Environmental Intolerance |
| title_full | Clinical Characteristics of Disability in Patients with Indoor Air–Related Environmental Intolerance |
| title_fullStr | Clinical Characteristics of Disability in Patients with Indoor Air–Related Environmental Intolerance |
| title_full_unstemmed | Clinical Characteristics of Disability in Patients with Indoor Air–Related Environmental Intolerance |
| title_short | Clinical Characteristics of Disability in Patients with Indoor Air–Related Environmental Intolerance |
| title_sort | clinical characteristics of disability in patients with indoor air related environmental intolerance |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2093791119302094 |
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