Citation

Štěpánek L, Nakládalová M, Klementa V, Ferenčíková V. Med. Pr. 2020; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Affiliation

Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovak Republic (Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin, Clinic of Occupational Medicine and Toxicology).

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, Panstwowy Zaklad Wydawnictw Lekarskich)

DOI

10.13075/mp.5893.00930

PMID

32118873

Abstract

The presented case demonstrates that acute lead poisoning may occur due to just short-term exposure to a mixture of lead-containing dust and ammunition. Such exposure may result in high blood lead levels persisting for years in the absence of any symptoms. A middle-aged male with a history of an approximately 7-day cleanup of an old recreational firing range with large ammunition and dust deposits presented to an emergency department with abdominal pain, dyspnea, fatigue and impaired cognitive function. Given his occupational history, specific tests were performed that showed high lead concentrations in both blood and urine. The patient was diagnosed with acute lead poisoning. He was started on chelation therapy that improved both clinical and laboratory parameters. Over a subsequent nearly 3-year follow-up, the patient's blood lead levels fluctuated and continued to be increased. Given the absence of other sources of lead exposure, these were likely due to the formation of bone deposits.

This work is available in Open Access model and licensed under a CC BY-NC 3.0 PL license.

Language: en

Keywords

anemia; blood lead level; chelation therapy; lead poisoning; occupational exposure to lead; urine lead level