[Argyriasis. Report of a case (author's transl)]

A case of argyriasis in a 45-year-old woman is reported. When the patient was 34 she took for a period of 25 months a silver-containing pharmacological product (colloidal silicon with 0.5 percent of silver) in order to treat an intestinal dyspepsia with diarrheic episodes. A few months after discontinuing the treatment a cutaneous pigmentation of a greyish-blue color extending over the whole body, developed. There was also discoloration of the nails, hair, and of the oral and gingival mucosae. The differential diagnosis with other conditions that also develop anomalies of cutaneous pigmentation was established. It is thought that the appearance of the silver poisoning is due to different factors such as the quantity of silver intake, the individual sensitivity to the metal, and the greater or lesser period of exposure to sunlight. The importance of the skin biopsy in order to confirm the diagnosis is commented on. Typical pathologic findings include the presence of silver granules in the basal membrane of sudoriparous glands, around the pilosebaceous follicles, and in the connective tissue. Lastly, the authors insist on the necessity to avoid the prescription of silver-salt containing drugs as far as possible, since the cutaneous pigmentation is irreversible.