Evidence map›Paper›PMID 31497334›Full record

ArticleSafety and health at work2019

Clinical Characteristics of Disability in Patients with Indoor Air-Related Environmental Intolerance.

Aki Vuokko, Kirsi Karvala, Hille Suojalehto, Harri Lindholm, Sanna Selinheimo, Marja Heinonen-Guzejev, Sami Leppämäki, Sebastian Cederström, Christer Hublin, Katinka Tuisku and 1 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Safety and health at work, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
9citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

9 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Environmental exposure-related health worries, work ability and health, surveyed by occupational health services.International journal of occupational medicine and environmental health · 2025
    Article
  4. Review
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. Multiple Chemical Sensitivity.Brain sciences · 2021
    Review
  8. Killing Two Birds with One Stone: Mold-induced Pulmonary Immune Responses and Arterial Remodeling.American journal of respiratory cell and molecular biology · 2020
    Article
  9. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Aki VuokkoFinnish Institute of Occupational Health, Helsinki, Finland.
Kirsi KarvalaFinnish Institute of Occupational Health, Helsinki, Finland.
Hille SuojalehtoFinnish Institute of Occupational Health, Helsinki, Finland.
Harri LindholmNokia Bell Labs, Nokia Group, Espoo, Finland.
Sanna SelinheimoFinnish Institute of Occupational Health, Helsinki, Finland.
Marja Heinonen-GuzejevUniversity of Helsinki, Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Helsinki, Finland.
Sami LeppämäkiDepartment of Psychiatry, Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.
Sebastian CederströmOutpatient Clinic for Assessment of Ability to Work, Department of Psychiatry, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.
Christer HublinFinnish Institute of Occupational Health, Helsinki, Finland.
Katinka TuiskuOutpatient Clinic for Assessment of Ability to Work, Department of Psychiatry, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.
Markku SainioFinnish Institute of Occupational Health, Helsinki, Finland.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundChronic nonspecific symptoms attributed to indoor nonindustrial work environments are common and may cause disability, but the medical nature of this disability is unclear. The aim was to medically characterize the disability manifested by chronic, recurrent symptoms and restrictions to work participation attributed to low-level indoor pollutants at workplace and whether the condition shares features with idiopathic environmental intolerance.

methodsWe investigated 12 patients with indoor air-related work disability. The examinations included somatic, psychological, and psychiatric evaluations as well as investigations of the autonomic nervous system, cortisol measurements, lung function, and allergy tests. We evaluated well-being, health, disability, insomnia, pain, anxiety, depression, and burnout via questionnaires.

resultsThe mean symptom history was 10.5 years; for disabling symptoms, 2.7 years. Eleven patients reported reactions triggered mainly by indoor molds, one by fragrances only. Ten reported sensitivity to odorous chemicals, and three, electric devices. Nearly all had co-occurrent somatic and psychiatric diagnoses and signs of pain, insomnia, burnout, and/or elevated sympathetic responses. Avoiding certain environments had led to restrictions in several life areas. On self-assessment scales, disability showed higher severity and anxiety showed lower severity than in physician assessments.

conclusionNo medical cause was found to explain the disability. Findings support that the condition is a form of idiopathic environmental intolerance and belongs to functional somatic syndromes. Instead of endless avoidance, rehabilitation approaches of functional somatic syndromes are applicable.

Indexed as

Building-related intoleranceDisability evaluationEnvironmental intoleranceFunctional somatic syndromesIndoor air

Identifiers

PMID31497334
PMCPMC6717934

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.