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Pediatric lead poisoning from folk prescription for treating epilepsy

Xiao-Lan Ying1, Jian Xu1, Morri Markowitz2

  • 1MOE-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200092, China.

Clinica Chimica Acta; International Journal of Clinical Chemistry
|August 3, 2016
PubMed

Insights

Folk remedies for epilepsy can cause lead poisoning. This case highlights the importance of considering lead intoxication in children with unexplained abdominal pain and irritability.

Area of Science:

  • Toxicology
  • Pediatrics

Background:

  • Reports a case of lead poisoning in a child attributed to the ingestion of a folk remedy for epilepsy.
  • Highlights the potential for traditional or folk medicines to be sources of toxic heavy metal exposure.

Observation:

  • A 6-year-old boy presented with symptoms including abdominal pain, constipation, and irritability.
  • Initial blood lead concentration was significantly elevated at 63.6 μg/dL.
  • The patient exhibited markedly increased liver function tests.

Findings:

  • Chelation therapy led to a significant reduction in blood lead levels.
  • Clinical symptoms, including abdominal pain and irritability, showed marked improvement following treatment.
  • Kinetic analysis of lead elimination was performed using blood and urine samples.

Implications:

  • Folk remedies for epilepsy should be evaluated as potential sources of lead intoxication.
  • Lead poisoning is a critical differential diagnosis for pediatric patients presenting with unexplained abdominal pain and gastrointestinal symptoms.
  • Awareness of non-traditional sources of lead exposure is crucial for effective diagnosis and management in pediatric populations.
Abstract

Keywords:
Chelation therapyChildrenEpilepsyFolk remedyLead poisoningLiver failure

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