Abstract
The onset of all diseases is more or less related to both environmental factors and hereditary factors. The onset of multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) is undoubtedly closely related to environmental factors. The Quick Environmental Exposure and Sensitivity Inventory (QEESI) is a screening questionnaire for MCS which has four scales: symptom severity, chemical intolerance, other intolerance, and life impact. Thirty-two patients who visited our MCS clinic were interviewed using QEESI. All of them had some initial chemical exposure event at the onset of their symptoms. We examined the relationship between chemical intolerance and symptom severity, and the relationship between chemical intolerance and life impact. There was a strong correlation between the items of chemical intolerance such as insecticide, gasoline, paint or paint thinner, cleaning products and nail polish, nail polish remover or hairspray and each symptom, that is musculo skeletal symptom, cognitive symptom and neuromuscular symptom. The items of chemical intolerance such as diesel or gas engine exhaust, insecticide, and gasoline, which are regarded as outdoor environmental factors, had a strong influence on several items of life impact. Therefore we should appeal more to the government to improve outdoor environmental factors to prevent MCS.
