Psychological test performance during experimental challenge to toluene and n-butyl acetate in cases of solvent-induced toxic encephalopathy

The feasibility of aromatherapy massage to reduce symptoms of Idiopathic Environmental Intolerance: a pilot study

OBJECTIVES

Idiopathic Environmental Intolerance (IEI) is an acquired disorder with multiple recurrent symptoms, which is associated with diverse environmental factors that are tolerated by the majority of people. IEI is an illness of uncertain aetiology, making it difficult to treat using conventional medicine. Therefore, there is a need for novel therapies to control the symptoms of IEI. The objective of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and impact of aromatherapy massage for individuals with IEI.

DESIGN

Non-blinded crossover trial.

SETTING

IEI patients who attended a clinic in Sapporo city were recruited, and sixteen patients were enrolled. Participants were clinically examined by an experienced medical doctor and met the criteria included in the working definition of IEI disorder.

INTERVENTIONS

During the active period, participants received four one-hour aromatherapy massage sessions every two weeks. During the control period, the participants did not receive any massages.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS

Scores on the IEI-scales trigger checklist, symptoms, life impact, and the State Anxiety Inventory were assessed before and after each period. Short-term mood enhancement was evaluated using the Profiles of Mood Status (POMS) before and after sessions.

RESULTS

Due to period effects, evaluation of the results had to be restricted to the first period, and the result showed no effect of intervention. All six sub-scales of the POMS improved after each session (mean score differences: 4.89-1.33, P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Aromatherapy was well tolerated by subjects with IEI; however, aromatherapy, as applied in this study, did not suggest any specific effects on IEI condition.

Dados sociodemográficos e condições de trabalho de pintores expostos a solventes em uma universidade pública da cidade do Rio de Janeiro

O artigo apresenta os dados sociodemográficos e as condições de trabalho de pintores de uma universidade pública da cidade do Rio de Janeiro expostos a solventes. O desenho de pesquisa utilizado foi estudo transversal. Foram avaliados 55 pintores, sendo os dados sociodemográficos e da história ocupacional coletados através do Bloco de Entrevista de Saúde do Trabalhador. A faixa etária mais freqüente foi de 41-50 anos de idade (38,18%) e a maioria dos pintores trabalhava na universidade há mais de 10 anos (70,91%). Quanto às condições de trabalho, 58,2% dos pintores informaram que nunca usavam equipamento de proteção individual; 52,73% desconheciam a existência da Comissão Interna de Prevenção de Acidentes de Trabalho; 92,73% realizavam algum tipo de movimento repetitivo; 60% deles possuíam outra fonte de renda (sendo a maioria como pintor autônomo) e 87,3% consideravam bom o relacionamento no trabalho. Vinte e cinco (45,45%) já exerciam atividade como pintores antes de trabalharem na universidade. O inventário do local de trabalho revelou que o ambiente e as condições de trabalho eram inadequados.

Impact of trait anxiety and social conformity on responses to experimental chemical challenge

The study examined the impact of trait anxiety and social conformity on ratings and test performance during controlled solvent challenge. Healthy women (n=20) and men (n=18) were exposed to increasing levels of toluene and n-butyl acetate in a challenge chamber, during which they repeatedly rated smell intensity and annoyance, and completed neurobehavioral tests. Trait anxiety was measured by the Psychasthenia scale of the Karolinska Scales of Personality (KSP), and social conformity by the KSP Social Desirability scale. Among women, high Psychasthenia was related to higher increase in ratings of mucous membrane irritation, fatigue, and annoyance from other aspects of the environment than smell during challenges, and was related to a higher increase in reaction time variability. Among men, Psychasthenia was unrelated to annoyance ratings, and was inversely related to the increase in smell intensity ratings. Social desirability was unrelated to any rating or performance dimension for either gender.

Solvent-related chronic toxic encephalopathy as a target in the worker's mental health research

The article is aimed at discussing the theoretical grounds which support the diagnosis of solvent-related chronic encephalopathy in the field of the worker's mental health, having it as a target in this area. The psychiatric, neurological and labor health postulates which contribute to the multidisciplinary description of such diagnostic category are presented.

A comparison of neuropsychological tests for the assessment of chronic toxic encephalopathy

BACKGROUND

From the viewpoint of the clinical neuropsychologist, it is not evident if the detection of solvent induced toxic encephalopathy (TE) could be optimized by a modification of the traditional test batteries, adding tests covering new dimensions or monitoring further functional domains.

METHODS

To clarify this issue, TE patients were re-examined with (a) the tests traditionally used in screening for TE and (b) some tests hitherto less utilized within neurotoxicology, involving complex attention and frontal lobe functioning.

RESULTS

The results do not indicate that tests of the latter category would be more sensitive to TE than the tests traditionally used. Using an optimized core battery, compiled of tests from both categories, the sensitivity and specificity levels reached a maximum of around 0.7 when using as criterion the reproduction of a subnormal test profile (TE type 2B).

CONCLUSIONS

A combination of several traditional and a few newer tests is suggested to optimize the detection of TE. Repeated assessments over time are also recommended.