Table 2: Elements Common to Proposed Definitions for MCS since 1985.

Element

Ontario
(1985)

Cullen
(1987)

Ashford
& Miller
(1991)

AAEM
(1992)

NRC
(1992)

AOEC
(1992)

Nethercott
et al.
(1993)

IPCS
(1996)
Multiple environmental causes

X

X

X

X

  

X

X

X
Time (chronicity)

X

X

  

X

X

X

X

  
Multiorgan symptoms

X

X

  

X

X

X

  

X
Symptoms at very low levels

X

X

    

X

X

X

X
Symptoms affected by presence/
absence of exposure

X

  

X

  

X

  

X

  
Exclusion of  other etiologies  

X

    

X

X

  

X
Symptoms acquired  

X

      

X

  

X
Demonstrable  exposure  

X

            

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