Dr. Shoemaker/ Dr. Hudnell study is published

[Guest guest]

For those interested,

The research done by Dr. Ritchie Shoemaker (private physician), Dr.

Ken Hudnell (EPA neurotoxicologist) and Dennis House (Retired EPA

Statistician)has finally been published in a peer reviewed,

scientific journal (for Daubert examination purposes). I hear

someone very prominent is listed as a reviewer:

Neurotoxicology and Teratology

A time-series study of sick building syndrome: chronic, biotoxin-

associated illness from exposure to water-damaged buildings

Ritchie C. Shoemaker a, b, and Dennis E. House b

a Chronic Fatigue Center, 500 Market Street, Suite 103, Pocomoke

City, MD 21851, United States

b Center for Research on Biotoxin-Associated Illness, 500 Market

Street, Suite102, Pocomoke City, MD 21851, United States

Received 6 April 2004; revised 30 July 2004; accepted 30 July 2004.

Available online 13 September 2004.

Abstract

The human health risk for chronic illnesses involving multiple body

systems following inhalation exposure to the indoor environments of

water-damaged buildings (WDBs) has remained poorly characterized and

the subject of intense controversy. The current study assessed the

hypothesis that exposure to the indoor environments of WDBs with

visible microbial colonization was associated with illness. The

study used a cross-sectional design with assessments at five time

points, and the interventions of cholestyramine (CSM) therapy,

exposure avoidance following therapy, and reexposure to the

buildings after illness resolution. The methodological approach

included oral administration of questionnaires, medical

examinations, laboratory analyses, pulmonary function testing, and

measurements of visual function. Of the 21 study volunteers, 19

completed assessment at each of the five time points. Data at Time

Point 1 indicated multiple symptoms involving at least four organ

systems in all study participants, a restrictive respiratory

condition in four participants, and abnormally low visual contrast

sensitivity (VCS) in 18 participants. Serum leptin levels were

abnormally high and alpha melanocyte stimulating hormone (MSH)

levels were abnormally low. Assessments at Time Point 2, following 2

weeks of CSM therapy, indicated a highly significant improvement in

health status. Improvement was maintained at Time Point 3, which

followed exposure avoidance without therapy. Reexposure to the WDBs

resulted in illness reacquisition in all participants within 1 to 7

days. Following another round of CSM therapy, assessments at Time

Point 5 indicated a highly significant improvement in health status.

The group-mean number of symptoms decreased from 14.9±0.8 S.E.M. at

Time Point 1 to 1.2±0.3 S.E.M., and the VCS deficit of approximately

50% at Time Point 1 was fully resolved. Leptin and MSH levels showed

statistically significant improvement. The results indicated that

CSM was an effective therapeutic agent, that VCS was a sensitive and

specific indicator of neurologic function, and that illness involved

systemic and hypothalamic processes. Although the results supported

the general hypothesis that illness was associated with exposure to

the WDBs, this conclusion was tempered by several study limitations.

Exposure to specific agents was not demonstrated, study participants

were not randomly selected, and double-blinding procedures were not

used. Additional human and animal studies are needed to confirm this

conclusion, investigate the role of complex mixtures of bacteria,

fungi, mycotoxins, endotoxins, and antigens in illness causation,

and characterize modes of action. Such data will improve the

assessment of human health risk from chronic exposure to WDBs.

Regards,

Greg Weatherman

aerobioLogical Solutions Inc.

Arlington VA 22202

gw@...