title: Multiple chemical sensitivity syndrome in Sjögren's syndrome patients: casual association or related diseases?
abstract: Multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) is defined by multiple symptoms, affecting multiple organs, that wax and wane in response to varying chemical exposures at or below previously tolerated levels. Sjögren's syndrome (SS) is a common autoimmune disease affecting 3% of women aged over 55 years. Except for keratoconjunctivitis sicca (which is associated with SS not MCS), systemic features are common between the 2 diseases, leading to considerable morbidity and, occasionally, mortality. The authors report 3 cases of association between SS and MCS. Three women who were diagnosed with SS showed MCS symptoms and also were diagnosed with MCS. Further studies are needed to understand physiopathogenic mechanisms that eventually may be revealed as common to the 2 syndromes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology at San Pietro- Fatebenefratelli Hospital and Centro Ricerche, Association Fatebenefratelli for Research, Rome, Italy. albertomigliore@terra.es
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Migliore
authors.forename: Emanuele
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bizzi
authors.forename: Umberto
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Massafra
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Capuano
authors.forename: Luis Severino
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Martin Martin
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D018777:Multiple Chemical Sensitivity / Q000150:complications*; D012859:Sjogren's Syndrome / Q000150:complications*