Wilson's temperature syndrome

Not to be confused with Wilson's disease, a medically recognized condition caused by a defect in copper metabolism.

Wilson’s (temperature) syndrome, also called Wilson’s thyroid syndrome or WTS, is an alternative medical diagnosis consisting of various common and non-specific symptoms that are attributed to a below-median body temperature and impaired conversion of thyroxine (T4) to triiodothyronine (T3), despite normal thyroid function tests. E. Denis Wilson, a physician who named the syndrome after himself, advocates treating these symptoms with sustained-release triiodothyronine.

Wilson's syndrome is not recognized as a medical condition by mainstream medicine.^[1] The American Thyroid Association (ATA) describes Wilson's syndrome as at odds with established knowledge of thyroid function. The ATA described the diagnostic criteria for Wilson's syndrome as imprecise and non-specific, and found a lack of any scientific evidence supporting Wilson's claims. The ATA further raised concern that the proposed treatments were potentially harmful.^[2] Florida State Medical Board members described Wilson's syndrome as a "phony syndrome" and a scam during disciplinary action against Wilson,^[3][4] while Quackwatch has stated it is "bogus diagnosis".^[5]

Origins and claims

The term "Wilson’s syndrome" was coined in 1990 by E. Denis Wilson, M.D., of Longwood, Florida. Wilson said that the syndrome's manifestations included fatigue, headaches, PMS, hair loss, irritability, fluid retention, depression, decreased memory, low sex drive, unhealthy nails, easy weight gain, and about 60 other symptoms. Wilson wrote that the syndrome can manifest itself as "virtually every symptom known to man." He also says that it is "the most common of all chronic ailments and probably takes a greater toll on society than any other medical condition."^[6]

Wilson says that low thyroid symptoms and low temperatures in the presence of normal thyroid function tests are not due to hypothyroidism, and might be reversed with a few months of treatment. To distinguish this condition from hypothyroidism, he named it Wilson's (temperature) syndrome. He states that it is "especially brought on by stress" and can persist after the stress has passed. He says that the main diagnostic sign is a body temperature that averages below 98.6 °F (37.0 °C) (oral), and that the diagnosis is confirmed if the patient responds to treatment with a "special thyroid hormone treatment". He says that certain herbs can also help support normal body temperatures. According to Wilson,^[7] persons whose body temperature is routinely below 98.2 °F (36.8 °C) should be tested for hypothyroidism using the thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) test. However, if a person's body temperature is low and the test is normal, Wilson argues that the person may have Wilson's Temperature Syndrome.

Patient death leads to suspension of Wilson's medical license

In 1988 a 50-year-old woman died of an arrhythmia and heart attack while taking excessive amounts of thyroid hormone prescribed by Wilson; around that time she confessed to not taking the medicine as regularly as prescribed.^[8]

Four years later, in 1992, the Florida Board of Medicine took disciplinary action against Wilson,^[9] accusing him of "fleecing" patients with a "phony diagnosis".^[3] The Board of Medicine and Wilson settled the disciplinary action by agreeing to a 6-month suspension of Wilson's medical license, after which Wilson would need to attend 100 hours of continuing medical education, submit to psychological testing, and pay a $10,000 fine to resume practice. Wilson also agreed not prescribe any thyroid medicine to anyone unless and until the Board of Medicine determined that the medical community has accepted “Wilson's Syndrome” and Wilson’s methods and modalities of treatment.^[8][10]

Evaluations

During disciplinary action against Wilson, members of the Florida Board of Medicine stated that there was no evidence [Wilson's] syndrome existed. They described Wilson's treatments as dangerous and a scam, stating that Wilson was fleecing insurance companies and patients with treatments for "a phony syndrome".^[3][4] They described the treatments as dangerous.^[3][4]

The American Thyroid Association (ATA), a professional association dedicated to promoting thyroid health, disavows Wilson's Syndrome. The ATA stated in 2005 that a "thorough review of the biomedical literature has found no scientific evidence supporting the existence of 'Wilson's Syndrome'." The statement added that the mean temperature of normal persons in the AM on waking is 97.5 °F, not 98.5 °F, and that many of the symptoms described by Wilson are nonspecific and typical of depression, anxiety, and psychological and social stress. It also notes that a similar set of symptoms occurs in the alternative diagnoses of neurasthenia, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, multiple chemical sensitivity, chronic Ebstein-Barr virus syndrome, and chronic candidiasis. Finally, the Association notes that chronic supplementation with triiodothyronine (T3) is particularly difficult and problematic, since various tissues set their own cellular levels of this hormone by making it individually from thyroxine, and supplementation of T3 may overwhelm this normal regulatory mechanism in some of these tissues.^[2] The ATA statement was a primary reference for the Mayo Clinic website statement that Wilson's syndrome is not an accepted medical diagnosis, and warning patients against the diagnosis and associated unproven therapies.^[1]

Current status

Although there is no evidence that the condition exists or that the proposed treatment is either safe or effective for it,^[1] Wilson's temperature syndrome is somewhat popular in complementary and alternative medicine practices, and is being taught in naturopathic medical schools.^[11]

See also

• Broda Otto Barnes, another physician who made similar claims

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} Nippoldt, Todd (November 21, 2009). "Is Wilson's syndrome a legitimate ailment?". Mayo Clinic. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/wilsons-syndrome/AN01728. Retrieved April 9, 2010. 
2. ^ ^{a b} "Public Health Statement: "Wilson’s Syndrome"". American Thyroid Association. http://www.thyroid.org/professionals/publications/statements/99_11_16_wilsons.html. 
3. ^ ^{a b c d} Gentry, Carol (February 8, 1992). "Doctor's syndrome a sham, board says". St. Petersburg Times. http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/sptimes/access/54192748.html?dids=54192748:54192748&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Feb+08%2C+1992&author=CAROL+GENTRY&pub=St.+Petersburg+Times&desc=Doctor%27s+syndrome+a+sham%2C+board+says&pqatl=google. Retrieved April 9, 2010. 
4. ^ ^{a b c} "Board:Physician is fleecing patients". Lakeland Ledger. February 9, 1992. http://news.google.ca/newspapers?id=gZcsAAAAIBAJ&sjid=JvwDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2485,5288440&dq=e-denis-wilson&hl=en. Retrieved 2010-05-27. 
5. ^ Barrett, Stephen. "Wilson's syndrome". Quackwatch. http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/fad.html#wilson. Retrieved April 9, 2010. 
6. ^ Wilson, E. Denis (1992). Wilson's Temperature Syndrome - A Reversible Low Temperature Problem. Cornerstone Publishing. ISBN 09708510-1-4. 
7. ^ Wilson's Temperature Syndrome - Hypothyroidism - Hypothyroid - Thyroid disease
8. ^ ^{a b} State of Florida, Department of Health. February 12, 1992. Final Order Number: DPR9200039ME
9. ^ "License Verification: E. Denis Wilson". Florida Department of Health. http://ww2.doh.state.fl.us/irm00PRAES/PRASINDI.asp?LicId=40535&ProfNBR=1501. Retrieved April 2, 2009. 
10. ^ Berdanier, Carol, ed (2002). Handbook of Nutrition and Food. CRC Press. p. 1498. ISBN 9780849327056. http://books.google.com/?id=ysrzdCPc4dAC. Retrieved April 2, 2009. 
11. ^ Friedman, Michael (2005). Fundamentals of Naturopathic Medicine. Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine Press. ISBN 1-897025-02-5. 

Additional reading

• American Thyroid Association statement on Wilson's syndrome
• Thomas, Mike (September 22, 1991). "The Wilson Syndrome". Orlando Sentinel. http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/1991-09-22/news/9109201143_1_wilson-syndrome-wilson-syndrome-denis-wilson. 
• Ricks, Delthia (February 8, 1992). "Longwood Doctor Is Censured". Orlando Sentinel. http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/1992-02-08/news/9202081153_1_wilson-syndrome-denis-wilson-medical-board.