Idiopathic environmental intolerance (IEI) is a descriptor for a phenomenon that has many names including environmental illness, multiple chemical sensitivity and chemical intolerance. Toxicogenic and psychogenic theories have been proposed to explain IEI. This paper presents a causality analysis of the toxicogenic theory using Bradford Hill's nine criteria (strength, consistency, specificity, temporality, biological gradient, biological plausibility, coherence, experimental intervention and analogy) and an additional criteria (reversibility) and reviews critically the scientific literature on the topic. The results of this analysis indicate that the toxicogenic theory fails all of these criteria. There is no convincing evidence to support the fundamental postulate that IEI has a toxic aetiology; the hypothesised biological processes and mechanisms are implausible.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|---|
| http://dx.doi.org/10.2165/00139709-200322040-00005 | DOI Listing |
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
Idiopathic environmental intolerance: Part 2: A causation analysis applying Bradford Hill's criteria to the psychogenic theory.
Toxicol Rev
September 2004
Behavioral Medicine, Multi-Disciplinary Toxicology, Treatment and Research Center, Denver, Colorado 80222, USA.
Toxicogenic and psychogenic theories have been proposed to explain idiopathic environmental intolerance (IEI). Part 2 of this article is an evidence-based causality analysis of the psychogenic theory using an extended version of Bradford Hill's criteria. The psychogenic theory meets all of the criteria directly or indirectly and is characterised by a progressive research programme including double-blind, placebo-controlled provocation challenge studies.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIdiopathic environmental intolerance: Part 1: A causation analysis applying Bradford Hill's criteria to the toxicogenic theory.
Toxicol Rev
September 2004
Behavioral Medicine, Multi-Disciplinary Toxicology, Treatment and Research Center, Denver, Colorado 80222, USA.
Idiopathic environmental intolerance (IEI) is a descriptor for a phenomenon that has many names including environmental illness, multiple chemical sensitivity and chemical intolerance. Toxicogenic and psychogenic theories have been proposed to explain IEI. This paper presents a causality analysis of the toxicogenic theory using Bradford Hill's nine criteria (strength, consistency, specificity, temporality, biological gradient, biological plausibility, coherence, experimental intervention and analogy) and an additional criteria (reversibility) and reviews critically the scientific literature on the topic.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNerve entrapment conditions and peripheral neuropathies are sometimes related to injurious events, toxicosis, and repetitive microtrauma to soft tissue and nerve structures. An interesting theory concerning peripheral entrapment neuropathy has been discussed in the literature. This theory is called the double crush syndrome.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIdiopathic environmental intolerances (IEI): myth and reality.
Toxicol Lett
March 2001
Behavioral Medicine and Biofeedback Clinic, 5800 East Evans Avenue, Denver, CO 80222, USA.
The psychogenic theory presupposes that idiopathic environmental intolerance (IEI) is an overvalued idea explained by psychological and psychosocial processes. The polysomatic symptoms are amplifications of complaints common to the general population, psychophysiological manifestations of stress and the stress-response, or symptoms of psychiatric clinical syndromes. The psychogenic theory is supported by provocation challenge studies which demonstrate that appraisals of 'reactions' are unreliable and cognitively mediated.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPsychological treatment of psychogenic idiopathic environmental intolerance.
Occup Med
October 2000
Behavioral Medicine and Biofeedback Clinic of Denver, Denver, CO 80222, USA.
This chapter focuses on the psychotherapy of individuals who suffer distress from functional somatic syndromes; specifically, idiopathic environmental intolerance (IEI). While patients believe environmental intolerances cause their distress, its origin is treated as psychological, mediated through psychophysiological systems and mechanisms associated with the stress response. Factors considered include stress and trauma premorbid to the alleged onset of IEI; somatization and its expression through affective, anxiety, and somatoform disorders; personality disorders and associated psychological defenses; motivation for the sick role; and iatrogenic suggestion and reinforcement of unsubstantiated toxicogenic theories and treatments.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWant AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!