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Pediatrics International : Official... Feb 2007Mercury is a well-known neurotoxin. There are three kinds of mercury exposure: elemental mercury poisoning, inorganic mercury poisoning and organomercury poisoning.... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Mercury is a well-known neurotoxin. There are three kinds of mercury exposure: elemental mercury poisoning, inorganic mercury poisoning and organomercury poisoning. Organomercury is the most toxic. Twenty-four hour urine for mercury and blood mercury are the gold standards for diagnosis of mercury poisoning, including low-level chronic mercury exposure. Other tests for mercury level are discussed. The purpose of the present paper was to review recent data on the nature, pathophysiology, pharmacokinetics, diagnostic methods, treatment and the linkage to neurodevelopmental disabilities of mercury exposure in children.
METHODS
A literature search was undertaken of MEDLINE (1980-2003), and American Academy of Pediatrics, American Medical Association, American Dental Association, World Health Organization and Center for Disease Control websites. The search string 'mercury' was used in MEDLINE and articles were selected as appropriate by two independent reviewers. All relevant information was reviewed and data were extracted by two independent reviewers.
RESULTS
Based on the meta-analysis of the accuracy of hair mercury, hair mercury levels correlated with mercury level in blood (sample size weighted correlation coefficient, r w = 0.61), with 24 h urine ( r w = 0.46) and with cord blood ( r w = 0.64). However, the correlation for hair mercury level with 24 h urine level and blood level was not high enough to replace them in clinical decision-making of individual patient. Epidemiological evidence has shown that low-level mercury poisoning is not a cause of autism (relative risk = 0.49, 95%CI = 0.36-0.66). The risk of neurodevelopmental disabilities from low-level exposure to methylmercury from the regular consumption of fish is still controversial even after combining results from different epidemiological studies worldwide. There is a lack of data in the literature about the effect of chelation therapy in children with neurodevelopmental disabilities.
CONCLUSION
Mercury poisoning should be diagnosed only with validated methods. There is no evidence to support the association between mercury poisoning and autism.
Topics: Adolescent; Breath Tests; Chelation Therapy; Child; Chronic Disease; Environmental Exposure; Feces; Hair; Humans; Mercury; Mercury Poisoning
PubMed: 17250511
DOI: 10.1111/j.1442-200X.2007.02303.x -
Clinical Rheumatology Feb 2002Mercury is a toxic metal that is widely used in everyday life. It has organic and inorganic forms that are both toxic. As acute mercury poisoning is uncommon, diagnosis...
Mercury is a toxic metal that is widely used in everyday life. It has organic and inorganic forms that are both toxic. As acute mercury poisoning is uncommon, diagnosis is difficult if the exposure is not manifest. It has usually a slow onset and non-specific symptoms. In this paper we report a patient who developed polyarthritis after mercury exposure.
Topics: Arthritis; Deglutition; Humans; Male; Mercury Poisoning; Middle Aged
PubMed: 11954892
DOI: 10.1007/s100670200018 -
Journal of Wildlife Diseases Jul 2010A moribund 5-year-old female northern river otter (Lontra canadensis) was found on the bank of a river known to be extensively contaminated with mercury. It exhibited...
A moribund 5-year-old female northern river otter (Lontra canadensis) was found on the bank of a river known to be extensively contaminated with mercury. It exhibited severe ataxia and scleral injection, made no attempt to flee, and died shortly thereafter of drowning. Tissue mercury levels were among the highest ever reported for a free-living terrestrial mammal: kidney, 353 microg/g; liver, 221 microg/g; muscle, 121 microg/g; brain (three replicates from cerebellum), 142, 151, 151 microg/g (all dry weights); and fur, 183 ug/g (fresh weight). Histopathologic findings including severe, diffuse, chronic glomerulosclerosis and moderate interstitial fibrosis were the presumptive cause of clinical signs and death. This is one of a few reports to document the death of a free-living mammal from presumed mercury poisoning.
Topics: Animals; Animals, Wild; Fatal Outcome; Female; Mercury Poisoning; Otters
PubMed: 20688719
DOI: 10.7589/0090-3558-46.3.1035 -
Boletin de La Asociacion Medica de... Dec 1982
Review
Topics: Acute Disease; Chronic Disease; Humans; Mercury Poisoning; Occupational Diseases
PubMed: 6086116
DOI: No ID Found -
Human & Experimental Toxicology Jan 1994A case of severe mercuric chloride poisoning with clinical signs of mucosal damage of the gastrointestinal tract and anuric renal failure, is presented. The initial...
A case of severe mercuric chloride poisoning with clinical signs of mucosal damage of the gastrointestinal tract and anuric renal failure, is presented. The initial whole blood mercury concentration was 14,300 micrograms l-1. This concentration is supposed to be associated with fatal outcome due to multiple organ failure. Because of anuric renal failure, haemodialysis was necessary. Kidney function returned to normal within 10 days. Haemodialysis proved to be ineffective with regard to total mercury elimination. Treatment with DMPS was started because of very severe poisoning, anuric renal failure and optimistic reports on the "new" chelating agent 2,3-dimercapto-1 propanesulphonic acid (DMPS) in mercury poisoning. DMPS was administered by parenteral route initially and was continued thereafter by oral route, until whole blood and urine mercury concentrations had decreased below a level considered as toxic. Except for a temporary pruritic erythema of the skin, no side effects of DMPS treatment were observed. The clinical course was mild, despite continuing high whole blood mercury concentrations. Recovery was uneventful and complete. DMPS treatment, administered by intravenous and oral route, was shown to be an effective alternative for BAL in life-threatening mercuric chloride intoxication. The pharmacokinetic data presented in this case report suggest that non-renal mercury clearance may considerably exceed renal mercury clearance.
Topics: Adult; Humans; Male; Mercury Compounds; Mercury Poisoning; Models, Biological; Renal Dialysis; Renal Insufficiency; Unithiol
PubMed: 8198824
DOI: 10.1177/096032719401300103 -
Praxis May 1997A young patient suffering from schizophrenia had intense headaches and photophobia which were induced by intra-ocular injections of mercury. The clinical diagnosis was... (Review)
Review
A young patient suffering from schizophrenia had intense headaches and photophobia which were induced by intra-ocular injections of mercury. The clinical diagnosis was established once foreign bodies were visualized on regular X-rays of the patients skull. The mercury intoxication in combination with the secondary irreversible lesions to the eyes necessitated a bilateral enucleation and the use of a chelating treatment with sodium-dimercapto-1-propane sulfate (DMP). Automutilation is a very rare and dramatic complication of schizophrenia. The psychiatric handling and meaning of such dramatic automutilation is discussed in this case report together with a recent review of the toxicologic treatment of mercury intoxication in humans.
Topics: Adult; Combined Modality Therapy; Eye Foreign Bodies; Female; Humans; Injections; Mercury Poisoning; Patient Care Team; Schizophrenia; Schizophrenic Psychology; Self Mutilation
PubMed: 9289793
DOI: No ID Found -
Cutaneous and Ocular Toxicology Mar 2010
Topics: Acantholysis; Chelating Agents; Humans; Macular Degeneration; Mercury; Mercury Poisoning
PubMed: 19827971
DOI: 10.3109/15569520903266268 -
Naika. Internal Medicine Mar 1971
Topics: History, 20th Century; Humans; Japan; Mercury Poisoning
PubMed: 4926318
DOI: No ID Found -
JAMA Jan 2000
Topics: Cause of Death; Famous Persons; Hair; History, 19th Century; Humans; Mercury; Mercury Poisoning; Methylmercury Compounds
PubMed: 10634333
DOI: No ID Found -
Canadian Family Physician Medecin de... Jan 1999One of my pregnant patients, a dental hygienist, uses mercury in her workplace, but appears to have no symptoms of mercury toxicity. She has heard that mercury might... (Review)
Review
QUESTION
One of my pregnant patients, a dental hygienist, uses mercury in her workplace, but appears to have no symptoms of mercury toxicity. She has heard that mercury might affect her fetus. What should I recommend to her? What is a safe level of mercury in the air for pregnant women?
ANSWER
Testing for levels of mercury in whole blood and, preferably, urine is useful for confirming exposure. Currently, mercury vapour concentrations greater than 0.01 mg/m3 are considered unsafe. Also, women of childbearing age should avoid contact with mercury salts in the workplace.
Topics: Dental Hygienists; Female; Humans; Maternal Exposure; Maternal-Fetal Exchange; Mercury Poisoning; Occupational Exposure; Pregnancy; Threshold Limit Values
PubMed: 10889853
DOI: No ID Found