[E.E.G. changes in 15 patients with bismuth encephalopathy (author's transl)]

The authors describe the E.E.G. changes found in 15 cases of iatrogenic encephalopathy caused by bismuth salts. All the patients had been taking bismuth, for periods varying from 6 weeks to 30 years, in doses from 5 to 20 g per day. The clinical picture included mental confusion to varying degrees, disturbances of standing and walking, myoclonus, dysarthria, and convulsions in 5 cases. Myoclonic jerks were not occompanied by E.E.G. paroxysmal features in any of the cases observed. Eleven of the patients presented similar E.E.G. findings at one time or another during the course of the condition: monomorphic, stable 4-6 c/s activity, present bilaterally in the temporo-fronto-rolandic regions, unaffected by eye opening and by photic stimulation. In the other four patients, the above E.E.G. features were not found (recording performed too early or too late? co-existing electrical or metabolic disturbances? post-critical recording?).