[Nutritional lead poisoning--a differential diagnostic problem in abdominal pain]

The authors report on the case of a 44-year-old female patient as well as a 51-year-old male patient, who were taken to hospital with abdominal complaint of unknown origin. The symptoms in the case of the female patient suggested cholecystitis, whereas in the case of the male patient chronic pancreatitis. Following detailed examinations the authors have explored nutritional lead poisoning of a married couple. Within a short time--after Ca-EDTA treatment--they have become free of complaint. After a survey of the literature the authors analyse the diagnostic possibilities of the patients with the symptoms of abdominal colic pain and the way to the diagnosis, respectively.