Toxicity Flashcards
1
Q
lead poisoning
A
- lead poisoning (plumbism) is typically a pediatric condition that results from children ingesting lead-containing paint chips.
- lead poisoning can also occur in adults.
- Affected individuals are usually miners or industrial workers (especially those in battery manufacturing) who inhale particulate lead while working.
Adults with lead poisoning present with weakness, abdominal pain, and constipation
- In severe cases, there may be neurologic manifestations (eg, headache, cognitive symptoms, peripheral neuropathy)
patients may have blue “lead lines” at the junction of the teeth and gingivae.
- classic diagnostic finding on peripheral blood smear is coarse basophilic stippling on a background of hypochromic microcytic anemia
- Basophilic stippling results from the abnormal degradation of ribosomal RNA (due to lead-induced inhibition of a nucleotidase).
hypochromic microcytic anemia results from inhibition of δ-aminolevulinate dehydratase (δ-ALA dehydratase) and the resultant reduced incorporation of iron into heme.
