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Lead Toxicity in the Pediatric Patient with Sickle Cell Disease: Unique Risks and Management
Insights
Lead toxicity is a significant risk for children, especially those with sickle cell disease (SCD). Recognizing overlapping symptoms is crucial for accurate diagnosis and timely management of lead poisoning in SCD patients.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Medicine
- Toxicology
- Hematology
Background:
- Lead toxicity is a common pediatric ingestion, with declining rates due to public health efforts.
- Patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) present unique challenges for diagnosing lead toxicity due to overlapping symptoms.
- Inconsistent primary care follow-up can further complicate the diagnosis of lead toxicity in children with SCD.
Abstract:
Lead toxicity is the result of lead ingestion, one of the most common ingestions in the pediatric population. Nationwide and statewide efforts to recognize and curtail this epidemic have led to declining rates of toxicity. In patients with sickle cell disease (SCD), lead toxicity can be an elusive diagnosis due to overlapping symptom profiles, and inconsistent follow-up with a primary care physician can make the diagnosis even more difficult. In this article, two illustrative cases of lead toxicity in patients with SCD are described. The discussion reviews the current risk factors, screening, and inpatient management of lead toxicity, as well as describing the unique and sometimes confounding presentations of lead toxicity versus sickle cell crisis. [Pediatr Ann. 2018;47(1):e36-e40.].
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