Does PB Lead to MCS?
Multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) is a putative condition without a widely accepted clinical case definition, in which persons report new subjective sensitivity to low-level exposures to multiple chemicals and foods, typically following a (self-reported) environmental exposure to pesticides, organic solvents, or building remodeling. The condition has also recently been termed “toxicant-induced loss of tolerance” (TILT) (Miller, 1997; Miller, Ashford, et al., 1997). Symptoms referable to multiple organ systems are reported by subjects with MCS; these include ear-nose-and-throat, CNS, GI, genitourinary, skin, and musculoskeletal symptoms, among others (Davidoff and Keyl, 1996; Miller and Mitzel, 1995). Many ill veterans report new intolerances to chemicals (Gordon 1997), and some studies are underway to further assess chemical sensitivity in ill PGW veterans (Fiedler, Kipen, et al., 1996). The lack of a clinical case definition for either MCS or illnesses in PGW veterans complicates ex
