Fibromyalgia as a manifestation of petroleum fume toxicity in a family of four.
The etiology of fibromyalgia (FM) is unknown, although there are many associations and theories attempting to explain this very common rheumatic syndrome. This case report presents four persons, all of whom developed fibromyalgia after several months of exposure to environmental contamination of their house by petroleum fumes. All had multiple but variable symptoms consistent with toxic exposure in addition to all having characteristic FM findings by American College of Rheumatology (ACR) 1990 criteria. After evacuation from their contaminated home, their constitutional symptoms quickly resolved, but their FM persisted from 6-12 months as it gradually remitted spontaneously. The unusual features accompanying these cases and their possible relationship to FM are discussed.
Godfrey
R G
RG
Department of Medicine, Division of Allergy, Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology; University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City, Kansas.