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Idiopathic environmental intolerance

MedGen UID:
116716
•Concept ID:
C0242992
•
Disease or Syndrome
Synonyms: Chemical Sensitivities, Multiple; Chemical Sensitivity, Multiple; Environmental Intolerance, Idiopathic; Environmental Intolerances, Idiopathic; Idiopathic Environmental Intolerance; Idiopathic Environmental Intolerances; Intolerance, Idiopathic Environmental; Intolerances, Idiopathic Environmental; Multiple Chemical Sensitivities; Multiple Chemical Sensitivity; Multiple Chemical Sensitivity Syndrome; Sensitivities, Multiple Chemical; Sensitivity, Multiple Chemical
SNOMED CT: Idiopathic environmental intolerance (702772003)

Definition

Idiopathic environmental intolerance (IEI) formerly called multiple chemical sensitivity, is a subjective illness marked by recurrent, nonspecific symptoms attributed to low levels of chemical, biologic or physical agents. [from SNOMEDCT_US]

Term Hierarchy

CClinical test,  RResearch test,  OOMIM,  GGeneReviews,  VClinVar  
  • Idiopathic environmental intolerance

Professional guidelines

PubMed

Reply to correspondence on "Multiple chemical sensitivity/idiopathic environmental intolerance: A practical approach to diagnosis and management".
Binkley K, Staudenmayer H
J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract 2024 Jan;12(1):267-268. doi: 10.1016/j.jaip.2023.11.024. PMID: 38185500
Idiopathic environmental intolerance attributed to electromagnetic fields (IEI-EMF): a systematic review of identifying criteria.
Baliatsas C, Van Kamp I, Lebret E, Rubin GJ
BMC Public Health 2012 Aug 11;12:643. doi: 10.1186/1471-2458-12-643. PMID: 22883305Free PMC Article
ACOEM position statement. Multiple chemical sensitivities: idiopathic environmental intolerance. College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.
J Occup Environ Med 1999 Nov;41(11):940-2. PMID: 10570497

Recent clinical studies

Etiology

A survey on electromagnetic hypersensitivity: the example from Poland.
Tatoń G, Kacprzyk A, Rok T, Pytlarz M, Pawlak R, Rokita E
Electromagn Biol Med 2022 Jan 2;41(1):52-59. Epub 2021 Oct 22 doi: 10.1080/15368378.2021.1995873. PMID: 34686066
Becoming electro-hypersensitive: A replication study.
Dieudonné M
Bioelectromagnetics 2019 Apr;40(3):188-200. doi: 10.1002/bem.22180. PMID: 30920673
Environmental Intolerance, Symptoms and Disability Among Fertile-Aged Women.
Vuokko A, Karvala K, Lampi J, Keski-Nisula L, Pasanen M, Voutilainen R, Pekkanen J, Sainio M
Int J Environ Res Public Health 2018 Feb 8;15(2) doi: 10.3390/ijerph15020293. PMID: 29419757Free PMC Article
Anaesthesia for patients with idiopathic environmental intolerance and chronic fatigue syndrome.
Fisher MM, Rose M
Br J Anaesth 2008 Oct;101(4):486-91. doi: 10.1093/bja/aen242. PMID: 18782886
Idiopathic environmental intolerance: case definition issues.
Kreutzer R
Occup Med 2000 Jul-Sep;15(3):511-7. PMID: 10903546

Diagnosis

Metagenomic gut microbiome analysis of Japanese patients with multiple chemical sensitivity/idiopathic environmental intolerance.
Watai K, Suda W, Kurokawa R, Sekiya K, Hayashi H, Iwata M, Nagayama K, Nakamura Y, Hamada Y, Kamide Y, Fukutomi Y, Nakabayashi T, Tanaka K, Kamita M, Taniguchi M, Hattori M
BMC Microbiol 2024 Mar 11;24(1):84. doi: 10.1186/s12866-024-03239-y. PMID: 38468206Free PMC Article
Multiple Chemical Sensitivity: Catching up to what kind of science?
Pitron V, Köteles FG, Nordin S, Haanes JV, Hillert L, Léger D, Lemogne C, Szemerszky R, van Kamp I, van Thriel C, Witthöft M, Van den Bergh O
Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2024 Feb;157:105524. Epub 2023 Dec 27 doi: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105524. PMID: 38154656
Multiple Chemical Sensitivity/Idiopathic Environmental Intolerance: A Practical Approach to Diagnosis and Management.
Binkley KE
J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract 2023 Dec;11(12):3645-3649. Epub 2023 Sep 3 doi: 10.1016/j.jaip.2023.08.039. PMID: 37660733
Perspectives on multisensory perception disruption in idiopathic environmental intolerance: a systematic review.
Viziano A, Micarelli A, Pasquantonio G, Della-Morte D, Alessandrini M
Int Arch Occup Environ Health 2018 Nov;91(8):923-935. Epub 2018 Aug 7 doi: 10.1007/s00420-018-1346-z. PMID: 30088144
Diagnostic evaluation and treatment of the patient presenting with idiopathic environmental intolerance.
Sparks PJ
Occup Med 2000 Jul-Sep;15(3):601-9. PMID: 10903553

Therapy

Metagenomic gut microbiome analysis of Japanese patients with multiple chemical sensitivity/idiopathic environmental intolerance.
Watai K, Suda W, Kurokawa R, Sekiya K, Hayashi H, Iwata M, Nagayama K, Nakamura Y, Hamada Y, Kamide Y, Fukutomi Y, Nakabayashi T, Tanaka K, Kamita M, Taniguchi M, Hattori M
BMC Microbiol 2024 Mar 11;24(1):84. doi: 10.1186/s12866-024-03239-y. PMID: 38468206Free PMC Article
Does electromagnetic hypersensitivity originate from nocebo responses? Indications from a qualitative study.
Dieudonné M
Bioelectromagnetics 2016 Jan;37(1):14-24. Epub 2015 Sep 15 doi: 10.1002/bem.21937. PMID: 26369906
Idiopathic environmental intolerance attributed to electromagnetic fields (formerly 'electromagnetic hypersensitivity'): An updated systematic review of provocation studies.
Rubin GJ, Nieto-Hernandez R, Wessely S
Bioelectromagnetics 2010 Jan;31(1):1-11. doi: 10.1002/bem.20536. PMID: 19681059
Idiopathic environmental intolerance: case definition issues.
Kreutzer R
Occup Med 2000 Jul-Sep;15(3):511-7. PMID: 10903546
ACOEM position statement. Multiple chemical sensitivities: idiopathic environmental intolerance. College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.
J Occup Environ Med 1999 Nov;41(11):940-2. PMID: 10570497

Prognosis

Symptoms of Idiopathic Environmental Intolerance associated with chemicals (IEI-C) are positively associated with perceptual anomalies.
Speck MJ, Witthöft M
J Psychosom Res 2022 Jun;157:110808. Epub 2022 Apr 3 doi: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2022.110808. PMID: 35421699
Representative survey on idiopathic environmental intolerance attributed to electromagnetic fields in Taiwan and comparison with the international literature.
Huang PC, Cheng MT, Guo HR
Environ Health 2018 Jan 15;17(1):5. doi: 10.1186/s12940-018-0351-8. PMID: 29334987Free PMC Article
Dispositional aspects of body focus and idiopathic environmental intolerance attributed to electromagnetic fields (IEI-EMF).
Dömötör Z, Doering BK, Köteles F
Scand J Psychol 2016 Apr;57(2):136-43. Epub 2016 Feb 10 doi: 10.1111/sjop.12271. PMID: 26861662
Is There a Connection Between Electrosensitivity and Electrosensibility? A Replication Study.
Szemerszky R, Gubányi M, Árvai D, Dömötör Z, Köteles F
Int J Behav Med 2015 Dec;22(6):755-63. doi: 10.1007/s12529-015-9477-z. PMID: 25778471
Idiopathic environmental intolerance attributed to electromagnetic fields (IEI-EMF) and electrosensibility (ES) - are they connected?
Köteles F, Szemerszky R, Gubányi M, Körmendi J, Szekrényesi C, Lloyd R, Molnár L, Drozdovszky O, Bárdos G
Int J Hyg Environ Health 2013 Jun;216(3):362-70. Epub 2012 Jun 13 doi: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2012.05.007. PMID: 22698789

Clinical prediction guides

Metagenomic gut microbiome analysis of Japanese patients with multiple chemical sensitivity/idiopathic environmental intolerance.
Watai K, Suda W, Kurokawa R, Sekiya K, Hayashi H, Iwata M, Nagayama K, Nakamura Y, Hamada Y, Kamide Y, Fukutomi Y, Nakabayashi T, Tanaka K, Kamita M, Taniguchi M, Hattori M
BMC Microbiol 2024 Mar 11;24(1):84. doi: 10.1186/s12866-024-03239-y. PMID: 38468206Free PMC Article
Symptoms of Idiopathic Environmental Intolerance associated with chemicals (IEI-C) are positively associated with perceptual anomalies.
Speck MJ, Witthöft M
J Psychosom Res 2022 Jun;157:110808. Epub 2022 Apr 3 doi: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2022.110808. PMID: 35421699
Does electromagnetic hypersensitivity originate from nocebo responses? Indications from a qualitative study.
Dieudonné M
Bioelectromagnetics 2016 Jan;37(1):14-24. Epub 2015 Sep 15 doi: 10.1002/bem.21937. PMID: 26369906
Idiopathic environmental intolerance attributed to electromagnetic fields (IEI-EMF): a systematic review of identifying criteria.
Baliatsas C, Van Kamp I, Lebret E, Rubin GJ
BMC Public Health 2012 Aug 11;12:643. doi: 10.1186/1471-2458-12-643. PMID: 22883305Free PMC Article
Drug intolerance in patients with idiopathic environmental intolerance syndrome.
Niedoszytko M, Chelminska M, Buss T, Roik E, Jassem E
Int J Clin Pract 2006 Oct;60(10):1327-9. Epub 2006 Jun 19 doi: 10.1111/j.1742-1241.2006.00846.x. PMID: 16787439

Recent systematic reviews

Methodological limitations in experimental studies on symptom development in individuals with idiopathic environmental intolerance attributed to electromagnetic fields (IEI-EMF) - a systematic review.
Schmiedchen K, Driessen S, Oftedal G
Environ Health 2019 Oct 22;18(1):88. doi: 10.1186/s12940-019-0519-x. PMID: 31640707Free PMC Article
Perspectives on multisensory perception disruption in idiopathic environmental intolerance: a systematic review.
Viziano A, Micarelli A, Pasquantonio G, Della-Morte D, Alessandrini M
Int Arch Occup Environ Health 2018 Nov;91(8):923-935. Epub 2018 Aug 7 doi: 10.1007/s00420-018-1346-z. PMID: 30088144
Idiopathic environmental intolerance attributed to electromagnetic fields (IEI-EMF): a systematic review of identifying criteria.
Baliatsas C, Van Kamp I, Lebret E, Rubin GJ
BMC Public Health 2012 Aug 11;12:643. doi: 10.1186/1471-2458-12-643. PMID: 22883305Free PMC Article
Do people with idiopathic environmental intolerance attributed to electromagnetic fields display physiological effects when exposed to electromagnetic fields? A systematic review of provocation studies.
Rubin GJ, Hillert L, Nieto-Hernandez R, van Rongen E, Oftedal G
Bioelectromagnetics 2011 Dec;32(8):593-609. Epub 2011 Jul 18 doi: 10.1002/bem.20690. PMID: 21769898
Idiopathic environmental intolerance attributed to electromagnetic fields (formerly 'electromagnetic hypersensitivity'): An updated systematic review of provocation studies.
Rubin GJ, Nieto-Hernandez R, Wessely S
Bioelectromagnetics 2010 Jan;31(1):1-11. doi: 10.1002/bem.20536. PMID: 19681059

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