Apparent poisoning by wood preservatives: An attributional syndrome

• Published in: Journal of psychosomatic research Vol. 43; no. 4; pp. 391 - 398
• Main Authors: Gupta, K., Perharic, Lucija, Volans, G.N., Murray, Virginia S.G., Watson, J.P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Inc 01.10.1997
• Subjects: Adult; Air Pollution, Indoor - adverse effects; Attitude to Health; Causal attributions; Chemical sensitivities; Environmental Exposure - adverse effects; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Models, Psychological; Multiple chemical sensitivities; Multiple Chemical Sensitivity - physiopathology; Multiple Chemical Sensitivity - psychology; Multiple Chemical Sensitivity - therapy; Pesticides - poisoning; Poisoning; Retrospective Studies; Sick Role; Sociopsychosomatic syndrome; Solvents - poisoning; Somatoform Disorders - etiology; Somatoform Disorders - physiopathology; Somatoform Disorders - therapy; Wood preservatives; Chemical sensitivities; Multiple chemical sensitivities; Sociopsychosomatic syndrome; Wood preservatives
• ISSN: 0022-3999; 1879-1360
• DOI: 10.1016/S0022-3999(97)87485-5

Recent reports have pointed to an increased number of patients presenting with multisystem symptoms which they attribute to chemical exposures or to heightened chemical sensitivity. Twenty patients exposed to wood preservative products, who attended a joint toxicology and psychiatric clinic, were reviewed by a retrospective case note analysis. Thirteen patients attributed their symptoms to the wood preservative soon after the exposure, and seven patients developed the attribution only at a later date. Reported symptoms referred to all body systems, but there were few physical signs. Clinical findings suggest that the acute symptoms were consistent with the expected toxic effects, but the chronic symptoms could not be explained physically. Patient's beliefs about chemical poisoning could be understood as arising in the context of an attributional process, representing a sociopsychosomatic syndrome precipitated by wood preservative exposure. Patient management included a discussion of findings from assessments, published information, along with counseling where appropriate. Follow-up information from their general practitioners indicated a possible improvement in 50% of patients.