Acute lead encephalopathy in early infancy--clinical presentation and outcome.
We studied 19 infants with a mean age of 3.8 months who presented with features consistent with acute lead encephalopathy following the use of traditional medicines. All presented with convulsions; CT scans of the brain on admission showed brain oedema in four, atrophy in four and normal findings in 11. Cerebrospinal fluid analysis in nine patients showed pleocytosis in six and a high protein content in eight. The median lead level in these 19 infants which encephalopathy was 3.6 mumol/l (74.5 micrograms/dl). Seven had a mean lead level of only 2.7 mumol/l (56.9 micrograms/dl) which is much below 70 micrograms/dl, the level usually proposed as the threshold for encephalopathy. Thirteen infants developed brain damage during follow-up; statistical analysis correlated the lead level at 2 months post chelation with an abnormal neurological outcome. Our findings indicate that in very young infants acute lead encephalopathy may occur at lead level lower than previously reported.
al Khayat
A
A
Department of Pediatrics, Al Wasl Maternity & Pediatric Hospital, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Menon
N S
NS
Alidina
M R
MR
D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000628:therapy; D002657:Child Development; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007854:Lead / Q000097:blood; D007855:Lead Poisoning / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D014479:United Arab Emirates
D007854:Lead