title: An uncommon cause of lower limb weakness.
abstract: We describe a case of a severely mentally disabled patient diagnosed as suffering from Guillain-Barré syndrome and treated with repeated plasma exchange. However, the abrupt onset of a cardiovascular collapse prompted a more in-depth diagnostic workup which demonstrated that the neurologic symptoms were likely to be ascribed to poisoning with heavy metals from a large number of ingested coins and other metallic items.
authors.affiliation: University of Trieste, Department of Anesthesia and Intensive Care, Cattinara Hospital, 34100, Trieste, Italy. berlot@univ.trieste.it
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Berlot
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Viviani
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bussani
mesh_terms: D000535:Aluminum / Q000097:blood; D003300:Copper / Q000097:blood; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D020275:Guillain-Barre Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis*; D020260:Heavy Metal Poisoning, Nervous System / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007866:Leg; D008875:Middle Aged; D018908:Muscle Weakness / Q000209:etiology*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D015032:Zinc / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D003300:Copper; D000535:Aluminum; D015032:Zinc