Neuropsychological and emotional sequelae of eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome.

Abstract

In recent years there has been an increasing number of cases presenting with a newly recognized multiple systemic disorder, Eosinophilia-Myalgia Syndrome (EMS), in the United States. This report documents demographic data and scores from intelligence, memory, neuropsychological, and achievement testing from eight patients, and Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2) profiles obtained by nine patients, all of whom were referred to a doctoral level neuropsychologist in private practice. Intelligence scores revealed a Full Scale Mean IQ of 90.6, with a Verbal IQ Mean of 92.3, and a Performance IQ Mean of 90.9 for the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale--Revised. For the Wechsler Memory Scale, the patients earned a mean Memory Quotient of 80.5. On the Halstead-Reitan Neuropsychological Test Battery, the patients earned a mean Impairment Index of .82, and Achievement Test scores on the Wide Range Achievement Test--Revised ranged from a grade level of 4th grade to a grade level of above 12th grade for reading, and from a grade level of 5th grade to a grade level of above 12th grade for arithmetic. Both the modal and mean MMPI-2 profiles had 2-3/3-2 two point codes suggesting feelings of depression, tension, nervousness, fatigue, helplessness, somatic complaints and overcontrol. In all, the neuropsychological, intellectual, memory and achievement test scores suggested a pattern of moderate to severe impairment and the MMPI-2 test scores suggested a pattern of moderate emotional disturbance.