[No relationship between so-called 'haemopyrrollactamuria' and fatigue in secondary-school students].

Objective: To determine the relationship between urinary haemopyrrollactam (HPL) and subjective fatigue in secondary-school students.

Design: Cross-sectional and descriptive.

Method: Urine samples were collected from 75 secondary-school students (43 boys and 32 girls, aged 16-18 years) in Nijmegen, the Netherlands. The samples were tested for HPL complex at the Centre for Environmental Medicine (Klinisch Ecologisch Allergie Centrum; KEAC) in Weert. Students also completed the 'Abbreviated fatigue questionnaire'. A score of 21 points was considered the threshold for fatigue.

Results: Of the 75 participants, 22 (29%) had increased HPL complex excretion, including 15 boys (35%) and 7 girls (22%). Overall, 19 (25%) had a fatigue score > 21: 16 boys (37%) and 3 girls (9%). There was no statistical relationship between increased HPL complex excretion and fatigue score.

Conclusion: These findings do not support a relationship between fatigue and increased urinary HPL complex excretion.