Document Detail


Clinical features and therapy of acute thallium poisoning.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  3271337     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
Severe acute thallium poisoning in a young man is described. He presented with transient loss of consciousness and paraesthesiae of finger tips and lips, with a blood thallium concentration of 5750 micrograms/l (levels above 200 micrograms/l are toxic). He rapidly lost limb sensation and power and later required temporary mechanical ventilation and nasogastric feeding. The neurological sequelae one year afterwards are a flaccid paraparesis, cerebellar ataxia and mental impairment. Immediate cardiovascular complications included hypertension, sinus tachycardia, ECG abnormalities and an episode of ventricular fibrillation. We were able to assess the relative merits of different methods advocated for enhancing thallium excretion. Oral Prussian blue, forced diuresis and haemodialysis were found to be the most effective: 2000 mg of thallium were eliminated over 20 days, 820 mg over 46 days and 225 mg over 25 days respectively by these methods. Haemofiltration was ineffective. Diethyldithiocarbamate, a chelating agent, brought about a rise in serum thallium concentration accompanied by clinical deterioration and its use should be abandoned.
Authors:
A P Wainwright; W J Kox; I M House; J A Henry; R Heaton; W A Seed
Related Documents :
3144067 - The effect of total parenteral nutrition-induced cholestasis on theophylline clearance ...
6734707 - Lack of clinically important interaction between erythromycin and theophylline.
8581337 - Acetazolamide-induced inhibition of carbonic anhydrase influences energy metabolism and...
7864477 - Correlation of drug pharmacokinetics and effectiveness of multiple-dose activated charc...
22918857 - Development of a subcutaneous formulation for trastuzumab - nonclinical and clinical br...
3763137 - Treatment of facial spasm with botulinum toxin. an interim report.
Publication Detail:
Type:  Case Reports; Journal Article    
Journal Detail:
Title:  The Quarterly journal of medicine     Volume:  69     ISSN:  0033-5622     ISO Abbreviation:  Q. J. Med.     Publication Date:  1988 Nov 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  1990-03-01     Completed Date:  1990-03-01     Revised Date:  2004-11-17    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  0401027     Medline TA:  Q J Med     Country:  ENGLAND    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  939-44     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Department of Anaesthesia, Charing Cross Hospital, London.
Export Citation:
APA/MLA Format     Download EndNote     Download BibTex
MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Acute Disease
Adult
Diuresis
Humans
Male
Neural Conduction
Renal Dialysis
Thallium / analysis,  poisoning*
Chemical
Reg. No./Substance:
7440-28-0/Thallium

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


Previous Document:  Development and assessment of a computerized index of clinical disease activity in systemic lupus er...
Next Document:  Polychemotherapy of leprosy in the Central African Republic, 1987