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Syphilis
Published in Scott M. Jackson, Skin Disease and the History of Dermatology, 2023
Mercury treatment spanned a month or longer and led to various side effects and inconveniences. Ulceration of the mouth and throat, swelling of the gums, tooth loss, and constant and excessive production of saliva were just the oral complaints. Persons undergoing mercury treatment had to hide away for the month to avoid the embarrassing giveaway of the salivation in public. Pink disease, also known as acrodynia, is the condition in which mercury poisoning causes red and painful hands and feet. Mercury toxicity can also manifest as nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, hypertension, tachycardia, kidney damage, hair loss, motor weakness, and dementia and other neuropsychiatric effects. One wonders how neurosyphilis was distinguished from mercury-induced brain damage during these times.
Peripheral Autonomic Neuropathies
Published in David Robertson, Italo Biaggioni, Disorders of the Autonomic Nervous System, 2019
Acrodynia is practically confined to infancy and appears to be associated in some cases, with repeated ingestion or contact with mercury. The number of infants exposed to sufficient amounts of mercury and for long periods is, however, far greater than the number of patients with the disease. It remains, therefore, uncertain whether the disorder is due to poisoning with mercury.
Skin manifestations of poisoning
Published in Biju Vasudevan, Rajesh Verma, Dermatological Emergencies, 2019
Skin contact with mercury can have local side effects such as erythema, formation of indurated plaque, ulceration, etc. [78]. Cutaneous mercury granulomas have been reported following accidental injury from mercury [79,80]. Oral lichen planus following dental amalgam filling containing mercury is a well-established entity supported by positive patch test [81]. Allergic contact dermatitis to mercury can occur by both topical as well as systemic exposure [82]. Individuals previously sensitized by small doses of mercury can later develop a form of systemic contact dermatitis known as baboon syndrome [83]. Acrodynia thought to be a hypersensitivity reaction to mercury primarily occurs in infants and children [84], characterized by pinkish discoloration of hands and feet with severe pain and pruritus [85]. There may be blotchy erythema over the trunk as well. Other symptoms such as gingivitis, loosening of teeth, dyspnea, and reduced urine output may also occur [86,87].
A Systematic Review of the Benefit of B-Vitamins as a Complementary Treatment in Cancer Patients
Published in Nutrition and Cancer, 2022
L. Heilfort, S. Kutschan, J. Dörfler, M. Freuding, J. Büntzel, K. Münstedt, J. Hübner
The primary endpoint evaluated in most studies dealing with vitamin B6 was the incidence of chemotherapy-induced HFS (26–30, 32, 33). This syndrome induces similar symptoms as acrodynia, a disease that occurs in vitamin B6-deficient rats (37–39). Ever since, the application of vitamin B6 has been discussed as treatment for HFS. Across all studies, no statistically significant difference for frequency of HFS was found between vitamin B6 and the control group. In addition, the severity of the HFS (≥ grade 2) or the onset of its occurrence do not seem to be influenced by vitamin B6 (26–30, 32, 33). The different studies examined various dosages (60–400 mg per day, all high doses) and intake-periods (between 12 and 24 weeks) of vitamin B6. The individual trials had some methodological shortcomings (e.g., small sample size; unclear randomization process, etc.). However, a lack of efficacy of vitamin B6 with regard to the HFS can be assumed due to the homogeneity of the findings. Only one study found a hint of B6 reducing HFS (27). However, Chalermchai et al. (27) had no passive control arm under capecitabine chemotherapy and placebo, but just performed an active comparison of different vitamin B6 doses. Therefore, it is difficult or impossible to evaluate the effect of vitamin B6 compared to a possible natural severity of the symptoms. To summarize, based on the current clinical research, vitamin B6 does not have a significant effect in alleviating or preventing the chemotherapy-induced side effect HFS.
René Cruchet (1875–1959), beyond encephalitis lethargica
Published in Journal of the History of the Neurosciences, 2022
In 1939, Cruchet and Paul Delmas-Marsalet (1898–1977) published a clarification on “Morvan’s disease” (Cruchet and Delmas-Marsalet 1939), not fibrillary chorea, which is an autoimmune ion channel pathology, but rather syringomyelia (Walusinski and Honnorat 2013). After a beautifully written homage to Augustin Morvan (1819–1897) for his seminal description of analgesic panaris, Cruchet and Delmas-Marsalet recognized the similarity between this pathology and syringomyelia and hypothesized a lesion in the intermedio-lateralis tract to explain the trophic disturbances in syringomyelia. Regarding one of their clinical cases, they made an initial attempt to suggest a link with acrodynia.
Protective Effect of Leaf Ethanolic Extract Etlingera hemisphaerica Blume Against Mercuric Chloride Toxicity in Blood of Mice
Published in Journal of Dietary Supplements, 2019
Aceng Ruyani, Rendi Zulni Eka Putri, Pauzi Jundara, Efri Gresinta, Irwandi Ansori, Agus Sundaryono
Hg poisoning is a disease caused by exposure to Hg compounds. Hg occurs in three forms (elementary, inorganic compounds, and organic compounds), which can produce toxic effects in high enough dosages. The toxic effects include damage to the lungs, brain, and kidney. Symptoms of Hg poisoning typically include disturbed sensation, sensory impairment (speech, vision, and hearing), and a lack of coordination. The type and degree of symptoms exhibited depend upon the individual toxin, dosage, method, and duration of exposure, and then can result in several diseases, including acrodynia (pink disease; Bjørklund, 1995). Compounds of mercury tend to be much more toxic than the salts such as mercuric chloride (HgCl2). Detoxification of organomercury compounds requires special techniques (Zheng et al., 2012), which are not described in this article. HgCl2 affects primarily the gastrointestinal tract and the kidneys, can cause severe kidney damage, and can inflict neurological damage without continuous or heavy exposure. Immediate chelation therapy is the standard of care for a patient showing symptoms of severe Hg poisoning or the laboratory evidence of a large total Hg load. Chelation therapy for acute inorganic Hg poisoning can be done with succinate or meso-2,3-dimercaptosuccinate (DMSA), 2,3-dimercapto-1-propanesulfonic acid (DMPS), D-penicillamine (DPCN), or dimercaprol (Risher and Amler, 2005). Experimental findings in the lab have successfully demonstrated an interaction between selenium and methylmercury, but epidemiological studies have found little evidence that selenium can help protect against the adverse effects of methylmercury (Watanabe, 2002). There is an example that chelation therapy can be hazardous if administered incorrectly. In August 2005, an incorrect form of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) used for chelation therapy resulted in hypocalcemia, causing cardiac arrest that killed a five-year-old autistic boy (Baxter and Krenzelok, 2008).