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Multiple Comparison Tests

Multiple Comparison Tests

Multiple comparison test, abbreviated as MCT, is a post hoc analysis generally performed after comparing multiple samples with one or more tests. An MCT will help identify a significantly different sample among multiple samples or a factor among multiple factors.
It would be easy to compare two samples using a significance alpha level of 0.05. In other words, there is only one sample pair to be compared. However, it would be difficult to identify a significantly different sample if the number...

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Updated: Jul 5, 2026

Assessment of Endothelial Cell Migration After Exposure to Toxic Chemicals

Assessment of Endothelial Cell Migration After Exposure to Toxic Chemicals

Published on: July 10, 2015

The German Multicentre Study on Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS).

Dieter Eis¹, Dieter Helm, Tilman Mühlinghaus

¹Robert Koch Institute (RKI), Berlin, Germany. EisD@rki.de

International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health

|May 27, 2008

Summary

This study found no evidence for a toxicogenic basis of multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS). Instead, environmental medicine patients, particularly those with MCS, showed higher rates of mental disorders predating their symptoms.

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Area of Science:

Environmental Medicine
Psychosomatic Medicine
Clinical Epidemiology

Background:

Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) is a condition characterized by diverse health complaints attributed to chemical exposures.
The underlying pathophysiology and etiological factors of MCS remain debated, with theories ranging from toxicological to psychological origins.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the etiological basis of MCS in a cohort of environmental medicine outpatients.
To examine potential links between MCS, genetic predisposition, olfactory function, and psychiatric disorders.

Main Methods:

A multicentre cross-sectional study involving 291 environmental medicine outpatients in Germany.
Utilized environmental medicine questionnaires, psychosocial assessments, the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI), and specialized examinations for olfaction and genetics.
Employed multiple MCS classification methods: self-reported (sMCS), clinically diagnosed (cMCS), and formalized computer-assisted (f1MCS, f2MCS).

Main Results:

No characteristic symptom set or systematic connection between complaints and triggers was identified for MCS.
No evidence of genetic predisposition or significant olfactory system disturbances was found in MCS patients.
Standardized psychiatric diagnostics revealed higher rates of mental disorders in environmental medicine patients, especially those with MCS, often preceding environmental complaints.

Conclusions:

The findings do not support a toxicogenic-somatic basis for the MCS phenomenon.
Results suggest a greater relevance of behavioral, psychic, or psychosomatic factors in patients with subjective "environmental illness."
Further research into the psychological and behavioral aspects of MCS is warranted.