Characteristics, Treatment, and Prognosis of Elemental Mercury Intoxication in Children: A Single-Center Retrospective Study

Mercury exposure is common and can be toxic, especially in children. Children are often drawn to elemental mercury because of its density, color, and proclivity to form beads.

We present data on 49 children with mercury intoxication (MI) and 60 children with mercury exposure from Turkey.

The most common source of mercury was broken thermometer in schools. Inhaling mercury vapor was the most common route of exposure. The median exposure time was 6 (6-16) hours in the MI group, and the time to 1st symptoms was 10 (0-24) hours. In the MI group, the median blood mercury level was 21 μg/L (13-32.3), the median spot urine mercury level was 40 μg/L (7.66-78), and the median 24-hour urine mercury level was 25.8 μg/L (11-64). The most common symptoms in patients with MI were malaise, muscle pain, muscle cramps, abdominal pain, nausea, headache, and decreased appetite. The patients were treated with n-acetyl cysteine, 2,3-dimercaptopropane sulfonic acid, D-penicillamine, and meso 2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid. A positive correlation was found between exposure time and urinary mercury level in the MI group (r = 0.793, P < 0.001). A positive moderate correlation was found between exposure time and blood level in the mercury exposure group (r = 0.535, P < 0.00). The neurological and systemic examinations of patients were all normal at the 1st follow-up visit 1 month after discharge.

Diagnosis, removal of the exposure source, and use of chelation therapy can result in complete resolution of the signs and symptoms of MI.