Pesticide-initiated idiopathic environmental intolerance in South Korean farmers This study was designed to study patients with intolerance to pesticide smells. Ten subjects chosen were complaining of vague symptoms such as headache, dizziness, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, myalgia, flu-like symptoms, etc., whenever exposed to the pesticide smells even at low intensity. To determine whether the etiology of this kind of pesticide hypersensitivity was of organic or psychiatric nature, all the subjects underwent tests as follows: complete blood cell count, urinalysis, and blood chemistry as routine tests; esophogastroduodenoscopy and abdomen ultrasonography for the gastrointestinal symptoms; chest x-ray, pulmonary function tests, and electrocardiography for the respiratory and/or cardiac symptoms; nerve conduction velocity and brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for peripheral and central nerve system symptoms; and K-WAIS, Rey-Kim memory test, Rorschach, Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE), and Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) for psychoanalysis. Of the 10 cases in which the chief complaint was headache, symptoms of two cases were caused by maxillary sinusitis. Another two showed typical multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) or idiopathic environmental intolerance (IEI). Six out of the 10 cases, whose symptoms closely resembled the others, did not conclusively meet the criteria of classic MCS or IEI. The subjects of this case shared vague fears, both fear of pesticides and hypochondriasis. Some subjects faced financial insecurity and social uncertainty; others felt uneasy about the future of their farming life. Thus, to help verify the causes of MCS or IEI, which is strongly suggestive of pesticide smells, diagnosis needs a dual approach: on the anima and soma. Psychoanalysis can delve into the mental status of the patients to see whether the patients are aware of their symptoms. Clinical tests can see through the physical structure and functions of the organs on which patients' complaints are centered https://www.upress.umn.edu/test-division/bibliography/2000-2009/2007/lee_pesticide-initiated_2007 https://www.upress.umn.edu/logo.png

H.S. Lee, S.Y. Hong, Z.R. Hong, H.O. Gil, J.O. Yang, E.Y. Lee, M.J. Han, N.W. Jang, and S.Y. Hong (2007)

Pesticide-initiated idiopathic environmental intolerance in South Korean farmers

Inhal.Toxicol., 19(6-7):577-585.

Keywords

Blood
Brain
Chemistry
Clinical tests
Diagnosis
Dizziness
Environmental exposure
Etiology
Fatigue
Fear
Gastrointestinal symptoms
Headache
Hypersensitivity
Hypochondriasis
idiopathic environmental intolerance
Insecurity
Intelligence
Intensity
Intolerance
Memory
Memory Test
Mental state
Mental State Examination
Mental status
Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory
MMPI
Need
PAIN
Patients
Personality
Psychoanalysis
Research
Rorschach
Sensitivity
State
Subjects
Symptoms
Test
University

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Pesticide-initiated idiopathic environmental intolerance in South Korean farmers