Abstract

BECERRA, Laura et al. Co-existence of peripheral neuropathy secondary to lead poisoning and chronic polymyositis: Case report. Rev.Colomb.Reumatol. [online]. 2016, vol.23, n.3, pp.213-217. ISSN 0121-8123.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rcreu.2016.04.002.

A case is presented on a 47-year-old man with chronic lead poisoning with typical symptoms after 5 years of occupational exposure. He consulted for generalised muscle weakness, early dysphagia, cephaloparesia, and paresthesias in upper and lower limbs. He also had atrophy and decreased proximal muscle strength (deltoid and medial vast) and in both flexor and extensor muscles of the neck. He had a history of high blood lead levels and peripheral neuropathy documented by electromyography. In addition to the diagnosis of lead poisoning, inflammatory myopathy was confirmed based on muscle enzyme elevation, muscular inflammation in magnetic resonance imaging, and typical findings in a muscle biopsy. To our knowledge, this is the first report where both conditions are documented in one patient.

Keywords : Lead poisoning; Peripheral nervous system diseases; Polymyositis.

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