Table 4. Number of patients and controls, and odds ratios of patients to controls, for Q4 Masking Index in QEESI.
| Subscale | MCS patients | Controls | Odds ratio (95% CI) | P-valuea |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q4 Masking Index, n (%) | ||||
| q4.1 Tobacco | 4 (3.7) | 45 (10.4) | 0.33 (0.12–0.94) | 0.026* |
| q4.2 Alcohol | 21 (19.1) | 183 (41.8) | 0.33 (0.20–0.55) | <0.001*** |
| q4.3 Caffeine | 72 (66.1) | 364 (82.7) | 0.41 (0.25–0.65) | <0.001*** |
| q4.4 Scented personal care products | 38 (34.9) | 318 (72.1) | 0.21 (0.13–0.32) | <0.001*** |
| q4.5 Insecticides | 47 (43.5) | 188 (42.9) | 1.02 (0.67–1.57) | 0.914 |
| q4.6 Chemical or smoke exposure in job or hobby | 65 (59.6) | 56 (12.8) | 10.02 (6.24–16.11) | <0.001*** |
| q4.7 Second-hand smoke | 15 (13.6) | 104 (23.5) | 0.51 (0.29–0.92) | 0.027* |
| q4.8 Gas or propane stove | 38 (34.9) | 205 (46.6) | 0.61 (0.40–0.95) | 0.031* |
| q4.9 Scented fabric softener | 25 (22.7) | 283 (64.2) | 0.16 (0.10–0.27) | <0.001*** |
| q4.10 Drugs | 42 (38.2) | 90 (20.5) | 2.40 (1.53–3.76) | <0.001*** |
| Total Q4 score, median (IQR) | 3 (3) | 4 (2) | 0.73 (0.64–0.84) | <0.001*** |
aTwo-tailed Fisher's exact test for n and Wald test for median; significant at *p < 0.05, ***p < 0.001
QEESI, Quick Environmental Exposure and Sensitivity Inventory; CI, confidence interval; IQR, interquartile range; MCS, Multiple chemical sensitivity.