TY - JOUR
T1 - Cognitive dysfunction and disability in geriatric veterans with self- reported intolerance to environmental chemicals
AU - Bell, Iris R.
AU - Walsh, Michele E.
AU - Goss, Anita
AU - Gersmeyer, Jane
AU - Schwartz, Gary E.
AU - Kanof, Philip
N1 - Funding Information:
Iris R. Bell is affiliated with the Departments of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Family & Community Medicine, university of ~rizonaa,n d Department of Psychiatry, Tucson Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Tucson, AZ. Michele E. Walsh is affiliated with the Department of Psychology, University of Arizona, and Department of Psychiatry, Tucson Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Tucson, AZ. Anita Goss is affiliated with the Department of Psychiatry, Tucson Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Tucson, AZ. Jane Gersmeyer is afiliated with the College of Nursing, University of Arizona, and Department of Psychiatry, Tucson Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Tucson. AZ. Gary E. Schwartz is affiliated with the Departments of Psychology, Neurology, and Psychiatry, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ. Philip Kanof is affiliated with the Department of Pharmacology, University of Arizona, and Department of Psychiatry. Tucson Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Tucson, AZ. Address correspondence to: Iris R. Bell. Department of Psychiatry, Tucson Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Mail Stop 116A. 3601 S. Sixth Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85723. The authors express their appreciation to Anthony Gerdeman. Robin Fain, Rosemarie Johnson, and Lydia Warg-Damiani for their valuable assistance in the completion of this study. This work was supported in pan by a VA Hcalth Services Rcscarch and Development Service Developmental Project Program grant (#94-024) and by a grant from the Wallace Genetic Foundation.
PY - 1997
Y1 - 1997
N2 - The symptom of sensitivity or intolerance to low levels of environmental chemicals (CI) is a characteristic of several clinical conditions, such as multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS), chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), fibromyalgia (FM), and the 'Persian Gulf Syndrome.' Lesser degrees of CI also occur in 15-30% of non-clinical populations. The present study examined the prevalence and concomitant health patterns of CI in elderly veterans in a VA primary care medical clinic (N = 160, primarily men). Thirty-seven percent of the sample endorsed the screening question asking whether or not they considered themselves 'especially sensitive to certain chemicals'. The group with CI reported a significantly higher rate of physical disability and increased susceptibility to becoming sick. The CI group reported significantly decreased rates of current cigarette smoking and alcohol use. Those with and those without CI did not differ in level of depression or in past occupational chemical exposures. However, the CI group scored significantly lower on a screening test for cognitive dysfunction, including a verbal memory performance pattern consistent with early dementia. When the groups were subdivided into individuals high and low in depression, the depressives without CI reported the highest rate of prior occupational exposure to pesticides. The subgroup who had both CI and depression performed most poorly on the attention/concentration screening test. Taken together, the data suggest that CI as a symptom is extremely common in older male veterans and may be a marker for increased risk of further cognitive decline and/or loss of functional independence. However, the role of occupational chemical exposures in initiating CI in these non-MCS patients is unclear and requires additional study.
AB - The symptom of sensitivity or intolerance to low levels of environmental chemicals (CI) is a characteristic of several clinical conditions, such as multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS), chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), fibromyalgia (FM), and the 'Persian Gulf Syndrome.' Lesser degrees of CI also occur in 15-30% of non-clinical populations. The present study examined the prevalence and concomitant health patterns of CI in elderly veterans in a VA primary care medical clinic (N = 160, primarily men). Thirty-seven percent of the sample endorsed the screening question asking whether or not they considered themselves 'especially sensitive to certain chemicals'. The group with CI reported a significantly higher rate of physical disability and increased susceptibility to becoming sick. The CI group reported significantly decreased rates of current cigarette smoking and alcohol use. Those with and those without CI did not differ in level of depression or in past occupational chemical exposures. However, the CI group scored significantly lower on a screening test for cognitive dysfunction, including a verbal memory performance pattern consistent with early dementia. When the groups were subdivided into individuals high and low in depression, the depressives without CI reported the highest rate of prior occupational exposure to pesticides. The subgroup who had both CI and depression performed most poorly on the attention/concentration screening test. Taken together, the data suggest that CI as a symptom is extremely common in older male veterans and may be a marker for increased risk of further cognitive decline and/or loss of functional independence. However, the role of occupational chemical exposures in initiating CI in these non-MCS patients is unclear and requires additional study.
KW - Activities of daily living
KW - Attention and concentration
KW - Chemical sensitivity and intolerance
KW - Dementia
KW - Frailty
KW - Geriatrics
KW - Late life depression
KW - Memory
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U2 - 10.1300/J092v03n03_02
DO - 10.1300/J092v03n03_02
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:0030883772
SN - 1057-3321
VL - 3
SP - 15
EP - 42
JO - Journal of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
JF - Journal of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
IS - 3
ER -