Background: Multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) is a chronic condition characterized by an exaggerated response to toxicants.We ascertained the prevalence of allergy to metals and toxicological aspects in MCS patients. Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of medical records of 41 patients with MCS. We performed patch testing (n = 21) for dental series and did lymphocyte transformation test (n = 18) for metals. We measured mercury in samples of blood (n = 19), urine (n = 19), saliva (n = 20),and scalp hair (n = 17) to investigate the association between mercury levels and cases of MCS. Results. The prevalence of metal immune hypersensitivity in a subset of 26 patients was 92.3 percent. Elevations of mercury occurred in 81.2 percent (26 of 32). The mean (±SD) in blood concentrations of mercury was 7.6 ± 13.6 ?g/L; mean in urine was 1.9 ± 2.5 ?g/L; mean in scalp hair was 2.2 ± 2.5 ?g/g; mean in saliva was 38.1 ± 52.1 ?g/L. Subgroup analyses showed that elevation of mercury levels in biological matrices were associated with mercury amalgams in patients with MCS (22 patients), compared with controls (8 patients) (odds ratio 11 : 95 percent confidence interval 1.5 to 81.6; n = 0.023). Conclusions: Our data show an increased prevalence of metal allergy and elevation of mercury levels in bioindicators among patients with MCS.

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