Lead toxicity

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Lead toxicity is an uncommon thing that occasionlly shows up on exams.

Clinical

Exposure routes:

  • Inhalation.[1]
  • Oral - esp. in children eating lead paint.

Manifestations:

  • Microcytic anemia with basophilic stippling.
  • Abdominal pain.
  • Neurotoxicity - peripheral demyelination (adults), psychomotor impairment (children).

Imaging:

  • Lead lines on X-ray in cartilage.

Microscopic

Features:

  • RBCs with basophilic stippling.[1]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Mitchell, Richard; Kumar, Vinay; Fausto, Nelson; Abbas, Abul K.; Aster, Jon (2011). Pocket Companion to Robbins & Cotran Pathologic Basis of Disease (8th ed.). Elsevier Saunders. pp. 211. ISBN 978-1416054542.