after vaccination. Whether this is because of adjuvants in the
vaccines or because the vaccine contained an attenuated virus
(weakened virus such as found in MMR vaccines) that overwhelms an
already compromised immune system is not known at this time. More
research is required.
One way of determining causality is through the use of an
epidemiological tool called Hill's Criteria of Causation. In 1965
Austin Bradford Hill detailed criteria for assessing evidence of
causation. These guidelines are sometimes referred to as the
Bradford-Hill criteria, but this makes it seem like it is some sort of
checklist. For example, Phillips and Goodman (2004) note that they are
often taught or referenced as a checklist for assessing causality,
despite this not being Hill's intention. Hill himself said "None of my
nine viewpoints can bring indisputable evidence for or against the
cause-and-effect hypothesis and none can be required sine qua non".
The criteria addresses:
Strength: A small association does not mean that there is not a causal
effect, though the larger the association, the more likely that it is
causal.
Consistency: Consistent findings observed by different persons in
different places with different samples strengthens the likelihood of
an effect.
Specificity: Causation is likely if a very specific population at a
specific site and disease with no other likely explanation. The more
specific an association between a factor and an effect is, the bigger
the probability of a causal relationship.
Temporality: The effect has to occur after the cause (and if there is
an expected delay between the cause and expected effect, then the
effect must occur after that delay).
Biological gradient: Greater exposure should generally lead to greater
incidence of the effect. However, in some cases, the mere presence of
the factor can trigger the effect. In other cases, an inverse
proportion is observed: greater exposure leads to lower incidence.[
Plausibility: A plausible mechanism between cause and effect is
helpful (but Hill noted that knowledge of the mechanism is limited by
current knowledge).
Coherence: Coherence between epidemiological and laboratory findings
increases the likelihood of an effect. However, Hill noted that "...
lack of such [laboratory] evidence cannot nullify the epidemiological
effect on associations".
Experiment: "Occasionally it is possible to appeal to experimental evidence=
".
Analogy: The effect of similar factors may be considered.
Austin Bradford Hill, =93The Environment and Disease: Association or Causat=
ion?,=94
Proceedings of the Royal Society of Medicine, 58 (1965), 295-300.
Gulf War Syndrome as a part of the autoimmune (autoinflammatory)
syndrome induced by adjuvant (ASIA) =96 Source: Lupus, Feb 2012
ProHealth.com
by Eitan Israeli
January 13, 2012
[Note: This article suggests GWS could be a manifestation of a newly
described autoimmune syndrome induced by adjuvants (ASIA). Adjuvants
are agents added to vaccines to achieve a greater immune response
using a minimum amount of antigen. GWS patients were subjected to
heavy vaccination programs, and studies show adjuvants "may trigger
inflammatory or autoimmune illnesses in genetically susceptible
people." The=A0February 2012 issue of=A0Lupusis dedicated to ASIA.
http://lup.sagepub.com/content/current ]
Gulf War syndrome (GWS) is a multi-symptom condition comprising a
variety of signs and symptoms described in the literature, which have
not been fully resolved.
The various symptoms of the condition include muscle fatigue and
tiredness, malaise, myalgia [muscle pain], impaired cognition, ataxia,
diarrhea, bladder dysfunction, sweating disturbances, headaches,
fever, arthralgia [joint pain], skin rashes, and gastrointestinal and
sleep disturbances.
In addition, excessive chemical sensitivity and odor intolerance is reporte=
d.
The etiology of the condition is unclear, but many reviews and
epidemiological analyses suggest association with pyridostigmine
bromide (PB), certain vaccination regimes, a variety of possible
chemical exposures, including smoke from oil-well fires or depleted
uranium from shells, as well as physical and psychological stress.
Recently, Shoenfeld et al. suggested that four conditions -
siliconosis, macrophagic myofaciitis (MMF), GWS and post-vaccination
phenomena - which share clinical and pathogenic resemblances, may be
incorporated into common syndrome called 'Autoimmune
(Autoinflammatory) Syndrome induced by Adjuvants' (ASIA).
Symptoms and signs of the four conditions described by Shoenfeld et
al. show that at least 8 out of 10 main symptoms are in correlation in
all four conditions. Namely:
=95 Myalgia,
=95 Arthralgias,
=95 Chronic fatigue,
=95 Neurological cognitive impairment,
=95 Gastrointestinal symptoms,
=95 Respiratory symptoms,
=95 Skin manifestations
=95 And appearance of autoantibodies [antibodies manufactured by the
immune system and directed against proteins in one=92s own tissues].
Regardless of the etiology of GWS, be it exposure to environmental
factors or chemical drugs, vaccinations or the adjuvants in them, GWS
fits well with the definition of ASIA and is included as part of
'Shoenfeld's syndrome'.
Source:=A0Lupus, Feb 2012; 21(2):190-4. Israeli E. The Zaludowicz Center
for Autoimmune Diseases, Tel-Hashomer, Israel.
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