title: Lead poisoning during heroin addiction.
abstract: We describe the case of a young man addicted to heroin with the clinical pattern of symmetrical brachial neuropathy, without other neurological involvement. Lead poisoning was detected and chelating therapy induced a marked improvement of the clinical symptoms. The possible toxic effect of heavy metals in the pathogenesis of brachial and lumbar plexopathies during heroin addiction has previously been suggested by other authors, but never detected.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Neurologiche, Università degli Studi di Roma La Sapienza.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Antonini
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Palmieri
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Millefiorini
authors.forename: L G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Spagnoli
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Millefiorini
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003932:Heroin; D006801:Humans; D007855:Lead Poisoning / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications*
chemical_list: D003932:Heroin