Hypersensitivity to electricity : symptoms, risk factors and therapeutic interventions

Abstract: Persons reporting nonspecific health complaints attributed to activated electrical equipment have been a growing concern in Sweden in the last decades. The aims of this thesis were to investigate possible risk factors (personal and work-related), symptoms, and complaints associated with reported hypersensitivity to electricity (HE) and to test hypotheses concerning possible biological mechanisms and effective treatments. In a survey of an unselected population in Stockholm. County, 1.5% of the respondents reported hypersensitivity to electric or magnetic fields. In selected populations, for example, IT companies, the proportion who reports HE may be substantially higher Reported HE is associated with higher prevalence of complaints with regard to symptoms, other hypersensitivities and traditional allergies and disturbances from different environmental factors, compared to groups not reporting HE. Reported asthma and hay fever were also more common in the HE group. No specific symptom constellation was identified. Persons who report HE seem to be characterized, at least in early stages, by skin complaints. Fatigue was, except for skin complaints in the group that reported HE, the most commonly reported complaint in the HE group and in referents who did not report this syndrome. General but not physical fatigue was associated with the perceived influence of electromagnetic fields. Scores on sleep indices and sleep quality were similar in cases of HE and referents. The hypothesis that fatigue in HE might be due to a decrease in cholinesterase activity wasn't confirmed. Persons who reported HE did not differ from referents with regard to mental well being, personal traits, anxiety or psychosocial work characteristics. Patients who reported ]HE scored within the normal range in questionnaires on symptom dimensions (SCL-90), alexithymia (TAS-20), attributional style (ASQ) and sense of coherence (SOC) according to the evaluation guidelines for these respective instruments. Two interventions were evaluated. In a randomized controlled clinical trial, antioxidant supplementation wasn't shown to reduce symptoms and ill health in HE. Cognitive therapy was offered as part of a multidisciplinary team program. The prognosis of HE seems to be good in most cases, at least in case of early intervention based on a broad approach. Cognitive therapy may farther reduce perceived hypersensitivity to electricity. Clinical studies on HE have revealed that the group of persons reporting this syndrome is very heterogeneous. A multidimensional characterization (including symptom indices, belief, reported triggering factors, temporal aspects and behavior) is proposed to facilitate comparisons between study groups. Individuals who report ]HE seem to be suffering from an increase in ill health and report a wide range of complaints. The nature of associations and interactions between different observations and complaints isn't known. Some observations may represent risk indicators for a vulnerable group, while others may be consequences of long time suffering from ill health. Individually determined response to different kinds of stressors in everyday life is discussed. Medical, psychosocial and environmental factors of possible importance should be considered in the investigation of patients who report ]HE. In case of persisting symptoms, individual recommendations should be given based on this broad evaluation. More research is motivated to increase our knowledge on the background for the reported complaints and ill health.