A case of sick-house syndrome

Abstract

Sick-house syndrome is characterized by diverse physical disorders caused by a variety of indoor environmental factors. A 27-year-old female with a history of atopic dermatitis visited our clinic complaining of chemical hypersensitivity of the upper respiratory tract. Exposure to tobacco smoke or perfume made her feel headache, nausea and pain in the throat. She was suspected of having sick-house syndrome because indefinite complaints such as headache and nausea appeared soon after the move to her new house. Blood examination showed no manifestations of allergic diseases or significant elevation of IgE for particular chemical substances. The level of formaldehyde in her house turned out to exceed the concentration recommended by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare of Japan. Ventilating her house for twenty-four hours diminished her complaints immediately. Sick-house syndrome may have some correlation with allergy, for among her family no one except her had a history of allergic disease or of complaints like hers.