The Diagnosis of Sick House Syndrome: the Contribution of Diagnostic Criteria and Determination of Chemicals in an Indoor Environment.

OBJECTIVE

The study group for sick house syndrome (SHS) in Japan has proposed the classifications, definition and diagnostic criteria for chemical-associated SHS. We compared the physicians' diagnoses to the diagnoses based on the patients' interview sheets including diagnostic criteria only.

METHODS

We examined 287 patients with complaints of SHS-like symptoms. We also checked determinations of chemical substances in the patients' homes.

RESULTS

A total of 76.0% of the patients were diagnosed as having SHS. Physicians diagnosed 87.6% of those patients as having chemical-associated SHS based on SHS classifications, definition and diagnostic criteria. Based on the patients' interview sheets, 50.3% of the patients who were diagnosed as chemical-associated SHS corresponded to the diagnostic criteria. The 51 of those chemical-associated SHS patients had answered that the chemical substance levels in their homes had been checked, and 20 of those patients answered that at least one of the chemical substance levels was above that set in the guideline by the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.

CONCLUSIONS

Physicians should use all of the classifications, definition and diagnostic criteria. Even if the chemical levels in the home are under the guideline levels, the diagnosis of chemical-associated SHS should not be excluded.