Neurologic features of chronic Minamata disease (organic mercury poisoning) certified at autopsy.
Intern Med
; 34(8): 744-7, 1995 Aug.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-8563113
ABSTRACT
To better understand the neurologic events related to chronic Minamata disease (organic mercury poisoning), we studied data from 77 patients with Minamata disease as certified at autopsies performed from 1976 to 1994 (mean age 72.3 years). Major neurologic findings included sensory impairment in 80.5% of the patients which was limited to the extremities in 42.9%. Impairment of lower extremity coordination was present in 35.8% of the patients, constriction of the visual fields in 28.8%, and retrocochlear hearing loss in 15.3%. There was no correlation between the degree of cerebellar incoordination and the methylmercury concentration in the cerebellum. Compared with the classic type of Minamata disease, the incidence of major neurologic findings was markedly decreased. In light of these findings, supplemental examinations including brain computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), short latency somatosensory evoked potential (SSEP), or tremogram may be necessary to clinically diagnose Minamata disease, especially in atypical or mild cases.
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Colección:
01-internacional
Base de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Trastornos de la Visión
/
Ataxia Cerebelosa
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Intoxicación por Mercurio
Tipo de estudio:
Etiology_studies
/
Observational_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
Límite:
Adult
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Aged
/
Aged80
/
Female
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Humans
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Male
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Middle aged
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Intern Med
Asunto de la revista:
MEDICINA INTERNA
Año:
1995
Tipo del documento:
Article