Lead poisoning in adults - Experience at the Marseilles anti-poison center 1993-2000

Objective Report the experience of the Marseille's anti-poison center with lead poisoning adults. Patients and methods Between 1993 and 2000, 45 adults patients consulted the poison Centre of Marseille for a history of lead exposure (9 women, 36 men, average age 44YO, between 22 an 76 YO). The lead sources were mostly occupational (welding, heavy metal industries...), but some were environmental (shooting as a hobby, hunting,...) Results Ninety-one percent of the patients presented with a clinical feature of possible lead intoxication (asthenia, abdominal pain, anaemia, seizures,...). For 22 patients, calcitetracemate provocation test was negative. 6 patients with a positive test refused to be treated. 16 patients with a positive test were treated with chelation therapy (average lead blood level 566 mug/l - mini 320 mug/l, maxi 943 mug/l - and average lead urine elimination 3 011 mug/ 24 H - mini 789 mug / 24 H, maxi 7 229 mug / 24 H. 58 cores were done (1 to 12 cures for each patient). The average quantities of lead eliminated in the urine during the chelation therapy was 30 912 mug +/- 29 059 mug by case. For 12 patients who stopped the lead exposure after the diagnosis of lead poisoning, the chelaion therapy permitted to decrease the lead blood level of 69%. For 4 patients still exposed during the treatment, the lead blood level decrease of 7% only. For the 16 treated patints, a clinical imprrovement was noted, and no adverse effects of chelation therapy was observed during the 58 cures.