Characteristics, Treatment, and Prognosis of Elemental Mercury Intoxication in Children: A Single-Center Retrospective Study

We present data on 49 children with mercury intoxication (MI) and 60 children with mercury exposure from Turkey. Results The most common source of mercury was broken thermometer in schools. Inhaling mercury vapor was the most common route of exposure. The median exposure time was 6 (6–16) hours in the MI group, and the time to 1st symptoms was 10 (0–24) hours. In the MI group, the median blood mercury level was 21 μg/L (13–32.3), the median spot urine mercury level was 40 μg/L (7.66–78), and the median 24-hour urine mercury level was 25.8 μg/L (11–64). The most common symptoms in patients with MI were malaise, muscle pain, muscle cramps, abdominal pain, nausea, headache, and decreased appetite. The patients were treated with n-acetyl cysteine, 2,3-dimercaptopropane sulfonic acid, D-penicillamine, and meso 2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid. A positive correlation was found between exposure time and urinary mercury level in the MI group (r = 0.793, P
Source: Pediatric Emergency Care - Category: Emergency Medicine Tags: Original Articles Source Type: research