| 1. |
- Lind, Nina, 1989-, et al.
(författare)
-
Comorbidity and multimorbidity of asthma and allergy and intolerance to chemicals and certain buildings
- 2017
-
Ingår i: Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. - 1076-2752 .- 1536-5948. ; 59:1, s. 80-84
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objectives: We tested the hypothesis of high comorbidity between asthma/allergy and chemical intolerance (CI) and between asthma/allergy and building intolerance (BI), and high multimorbidity between asthma/allergy, CI, and BI.Methods: Population-based questionnaire data were used from 530 participants with asthma/allergy (allergic asthma, nonallergic asthma, allergic rhinitis, and/or atopic dermatitis), 414 with self-reported and 112 with physician-diagnosed CI, and 165 with self-reported and 47 with physician-diagnosed BI. Separate reference groups were formed for each of the five case groups.Results: Adjusted odds ratios varied from 4.6 to 13.1 for comorbidity, and from 6.6 to 46.4 for multimorbidity.Conclusion: The large comorbidity and multimorbidity between asthma/allergy, CI, and BI evokes the question as to whether there are similarities in underlying mechanisms between these conditions.
|
|
| 2. |
|
|
| 3. |
- Claeson, Anna-Sara, 1974-, et al.
(författare)
-
Physical and chemical trigger factors in environmental intolerance
- 2018
-
Ingår i: International journal of hygiene and environmental health. - : Elsevier. - 1438-4639 .- 1618-131X. ; 221:3, s. 586-592
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Individuals with environmental intolerance (EI) react to exposure from different environmental sources at levels tolerated by most people and that are below established toxicological and hazardous thresholds. The main aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of attributing symptoms to chemical and physical sources in the environment among individuals with different forms of self-reported EI and in referents.Methods: Cross-sectional data from a population-based study, the Västerbotten Environmental Health Study (n = 3406), were used and individuals with self-reported EI to chemicals, buildings, electromagnetic fields and sounds as well as a group with multiple EIs were identified. The Environmental-Symptom Attribution Scale was used to quantify degree to which health symptoms are attributed to 40 specific environmental exposures and sources, with subscales referring to the four types of EI.Results: All EI groups, except the group with building related intolerance (BRI), reported more symptoms from the expected sources compared to the referents. In addition, individuals with chemical and sound intolerance reported symptoms from building related trigger factors, and individuals with electromagnetic hypersensitivity reported symptoms from chemical trigger factors.Conclusions: The study suggests that individuals with BRI react to fewer and more specific trigger factors than do individuals with other EIs, and that it is important to ask about different sources since three of the EI groups attribute their symptoms to a wide variety of sources in addition to the sources to which their EI implicates.
|
|
| 4. |
- Gruber, Michael, et al.
(författare)
-
Characteristics of perceived electromagnetic hypersensitivity in the general population
- 2018
-
Ingår i: Scandinavian Journal of Psychology. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 0036-5564 .- 1467-9450. ; 59:4, s. 422-427
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Health problems evoked in the presence of electrical equipment is a concern, calling for better understanding for characteristics of electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS) in the general population. The present study investigated demographics, lifestyle factors, frequency and duration, coping strategies, proportion meeting clinical criteria for intolerance attributed to electromagnetic fields (EMF) and comorbidity. Using data from a large-scale population-based questionnaire study, we investigated persons with self-reported (n=91) EHS in comparison to referents (n=3,250). Middle age, female sex and poor perceived health was found to be associated with EHS. More than 50% in the EHS group reported having EMF-related symptoms more often than once a week, and the mean number of years experiencing EHS was 10.5. More than half of the EHS group reported that their symptoms started after a high-dose or long-term EMF exposure, that they actively tried to avoid EMF sources and that they mostly could affect the EMF environment. A minority of the EHS group had sought medical attention, been diagnosed by a physician or received treatment. Exhaustion syndrome, anxiety disorder, back/joint/muscle disorder, depression, functional somatic syndrome and migraine were comorbid with EHS. The results provide ground for future study of these characteristic features being risk factors for development of EHS and or consequences of EHS.
|
|
| 5. |
|
|
| 6. |
- Palmquist, Eva, 1977-, et al.
(författare)
-
Coping and social support in environmental intolerance
-
Annan publikation (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Purpose: Environmental intolerance (EI) is a broad term encompassing several conditions characterized by unspecific symptom patterns attributed to certain environmental exposure, such as odorous/pungent chemicals, electromagnetic fields (EMFs) and sounds. Limited documentation of the role of coping strategies and social support in these EIs motivated the present study of (i) combinations of coping strategies and social support in high and low intolerance severity at baseline, and (ii) combinations of coping strategies and social support at baseline that are associated with recovery from EI at follow-up, three years later.Methods: The study used cross-sectional and longitudinal data from the Västerbotten Environmental Health Study in Sweden, which is a large questionnaire-based survey. Individuals with EI attributed to chemicals, EMFs or sounds were identified through self-report (n=301 at baseline, n=213 at follow-up). The extent of use of four problem- and four emotion-focused strategies were assessed as well as perceived emotional, instrumental and informative support from seven sources.Results: The low and high intolerance severity groups differed as a function of relatively high problem-focused coping and instrumental support compared to lower reported levels of informational support, emotion-focused coping and emotional support. The groups not recovering and recovering from EI differed as a function of relatively high instrumental support and problem-focused coping compared to lower reported levels of informational support, emotional support and emotion-focused coping.Conclusions: The combination of coping strategies and perceived social support seem to be important in recovering from EI, for which emotion-focused coping, emotional and informational support seem to enhance recovery.
|
|
| 7. |
- Palmquist, Eva, 1977-
(författare)
-
Environmental intolerance : psychological risk and health factors
- 2017
-
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Environmental intolerance (EI) is an embracing term for a number of conditions characterized by a wide range of non-specific symptoms attributed to certain environmental exposures (e.g. pungent/odorous chemicals, residing in a certain building, electromagnetic fields and everyday sounds). EI often leads to lifestyle alterations (e.g. not taking part of activities formerly engaged in) and functional impairment (e.g. not being able to work, social deprivation). The etiology of the conditions is largely unknown, though there is growing empirical evidence for associations between mental ill-health and EI. However, mainly cross-sectional studies have been conducted which cannot demonstrate temporality. Further on, the prognosis for EI is not well-known.This thesis includes four studies based on cross-sectional (Study 1) and longitudinal (Study 2-4) data from the Västerbotten Environmental Health Study (VEHS). The VEHS contains data from three data collections performed on the same set of respondents in 2010 (T1; n=3406), 2013 (T2; n=2336) and 2016 (T3; n=1837). In Study 1 the co-prevalence between EI attributed to chemicals, certain buildings, EMFs and sounds was investigated. The co-prevalence between all types of self-reported EI was greater than predictions based on coincidence, indicating that the different types of EI are associated, possibly sharing the same pathogenesis or that the afflicted individuals share some common predisposition to acquire the conditions. In Study 2 coping strategies and social support in EI were investigated and particularly whether certain combinations of different types of coping and social support may be important in recovering from EI. The participants who recovered from EI showed different combinations of coping strategies and social support than those who did not recover. In Study 3 the temporality between EI (attributed to chemicals, buildings and sounds) and psychological factors was investigated. The results showed that stress, anxiety, depression and burnout are risk factors for EI attributed to chemicals and sounds, but not for EI attributed to buildings. Changing perspective, EI attributed to buildings was a significant predictor of burnout, whereas EI attributed to sounds and chemicals were not. In Study 4 the prognosis of EI during a six-year period was studied. The probability of recovering from a state of specific EI was 44.3%, the probability of a specific EI to spread to other types of EI was 12.8%, and the probability of relapse was 3.9%. The participants who recovered showed lower levels of emotional and behavioral disruption than those who did not recover. The participants who showed spreading from one to several EIs perceived more stress than those who remained in a state of a specific EI, but had lower levels of burnout.Based on the findings of the studies in the thesis it is suggested that psychotherapy focusing on reducing the emotional and behavioral reactions of exposure might be helpful. Even though the causation of EI is unknown, negative expectations about exposure might accumulate symptoms, setting a vicious circle into motion. The task of the psychologist might be to break this circle.
|
|
| 8. |
- Palmquist, Eva, 1977-, et al.
(författare)
-
Odor perception and symptoms during acrolein exposure in individuals with and without building-related symptoms
- 2022
-
Ingår i: Scientific Reports. - : Springer Nature. - 2045-2322. ; 12:1
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Building-related symptoms (BRS) is a significant work-related and public health problem, characterized by non-specific symptoms occurring in a particular building. The cause of BRS is unknown, but certain reactive compounds are suggested risk factors. The aim of this controlled exposure study was to investigate whether BRS cases report more odor annoyance and symptoms and show altered autonomous nervous system (ANS) response during exposure to the reactive aldehyde, acrolein in comparison with referents. Individuals with BRS (n = 18) and referents (n = 14) took part in two exposure sessions (80 min). One session contained heptane alone, and the other heptane and acrolein. Perceived odor annoyance; eye, nose, and throat symptoms; and ANS response were measured continuously. BRS cases did not experience more odor annoyance; eye, nose, and throat symptoms; or altered ANS response in comparison with referents during the exposures. Supplementary analyses revealed that BRS cases that also reported chemical intolerance perceived more symptoms than referents during acrolein exposure. Acrolein exposure at a concentration below previously reported sensory irritation detection thresholds is perceived as more irritating by a subgroup of BRS individuals compared with referents. The results of this study indicate that a subset of individuals with building related symptoms (BRS) has a lowered sensory irritation threshold towards acrolein exposure. Future guidelines on chemical exposures to acrolein should take time and individual sensitivity into account.
|
|
| 9. |
- Palmquist, Eva, 1977-, et al.
(författare)
-
Who recovers from environmental intolerance?
-
Annan publikation (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Purpose: Environmental intolerance (EI) is a condition characterized by the attribution of symptoms to, and experience of negative hedonics of certain aspects in the environment (such as odorous/pungent chemicals, everyday sounds, and electromagnetic fields – EMFs). To date few studies have reported the prognosis of EI (i.e. recovery or generalization of a certain EI to an additional EI, thus general EI). Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to assess the chances of recovery from a specific EI as well as the chances of a specific EI to spread into general EI during a six-year period. The study also aimed to investigate whether levels of stress, burnout, anxiety, depression and emotional/behavioral disturbance of environmental sources could predict recovery from a specific EI.Methods: Longitudinal data were used (three data-collection waves - T1: 2010, T2: 2013, T3: 2016) from the Västerbotten Environmental Health Study in Sweden. At T1, 539 participants reported a specific EI, constituting the sample. Two different probability calculations were used to estimate the chances of recovering from a specific EI or to develop general EI. The first calculation considered only those individuals who responded to the questionnaire at all three data-collection waves. The second calculation was based on the Chapman-Kolmogorov equation to calculate the 2-step transition probabilities, including all participants from T1. Multinomial logistic regression was used to test whether burnout (Shirom Melamed Burnout Questionnaire), anxiety and depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale), perceived stress (Perceived Stress Scale-10) and emotional and behavioral disturbance by environmental sources (Chemical Sensitivity Scale for Sensory Hyperreactivity, Electromagnetic Field Sensitivity Scale-11, and Noise Sensitivity Scale-11) were predictors of recovering from EI or spreading into general EI.Results: The probability of recovering from EI was 44.3% according to the probability calculation based on the participants that remained in the study at T3. The probability of specific EI spreading into general EI was 12.8%. Based on the Chapman-Kolmogorov equation, 34.6% recovered and 10.0% reported general EI. The only significant predictor of recovery found in this study was CSS-SHR, in which one step increase of the scale reduced the odds of recovering by 0.94 times.Conclusion: The results indicate that the prognosis for EI is fairly good and that low emotional and behavioral disruption by environmental exposure increases the odds of recovering.
|
|
| 10. |
- Ståhlberg, Linnea, et al.
(författare)
-
Intolerance to environmental chemicals and sounds in irritable bowel syndrome : explained by central sensitization?
- 2018
-
Ingår i: Journal of Health Psychology. - : Sage Publications. - 1359-1053 .- 1461-7277. ; 23:10, s. 1367-1377
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This study tested the hypotheses of irritable bowel syndrome showing (1) comorbidity with chemical and sound intolerance, other types of functionally somatic syndromes, and psychiatric disorders and (2) stronger than normal affective reactions to and behavioral disruptions from odorous/pungent chemicals and sounds in daily life. These hypotheses were tested by means of data from a large-scale population-based questionnaire study. The results showed comorbidity in irritable bowel syndrome with chemical and sound intolerance, fibromyalgia, migraine, post-traumatic stress disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, panic syndrome, and depression as well as strong reactions/disruptions from odorous/pungent chemicals and sounds in irritable bowel syndrome.
|
|
| 11. |
- Thesleff, Alexander, 1986, et al.
(författare)
-
Loads at the implant-prosthesis interface during free and aided ambulation in osseointegrated transfemoral prostheses
- 2020
-
Ingår i: IEEE Transactions on Medical Robotics and Bionics. - 2576-3202. ; 2:3, s. 497-505
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Bone-anchored attachment of amputation limb prostheses is increasingly becoming a clinically accepted alternative to conventional socket suspension. The direct transfer of loads demands that the percutaneous implant system and the residual bone withstand all forces and moments transferred from the prosthesis. This study presents load measurements recorded at the bone-anchored attachment in 20 individuals with unilateral transfemoral amputation performing the everyday ambulatory activities: level ground walking, stairs ascent/descent and slope ascent/descent. Mean peak values for the sample populations across activities ranged from 498–684 N for the resultant force, 26.5–39.8 Nm for the bending moment, and 3.1–5.5 Nm for the longitudinal moment. Significant differences with respect to level walking were found for the resultant force during stairs ascent, (higher, p = 0.002), and stairs descent, (lower, p = 0.005). Using a crutch reduced the peak resultant forces and the peak bending moments with averages ranging from 5.5–12.6 % and 13.2–15.6 %, respectively. Large inter-participant variations were observed and no single activity resulted in consistently higher loading of the bone-anchored attachment across the participants. Results from this study can guide future development of percutaneous osseointegrated implant systems for limb prostheses and their rehabilitation protocols.
|
|
