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. 2020 May 19;10(5):95–100. doi: 10.5498/wjp.v10.i5.95

Table 1.

Reports of lead poisonings due to adulterated-opium abuse and their supplementary data

Type of study Country Gender–age/mean age (y/o) Route of abuse Major clinical findings Laboratory findings BLL (µg/dL) Treatment Ref.
Case report Iran M-34 Ingestion AP, N/V Anemia, basophilic stippling of erythrocytes, elevated liver enzymes 95 CaNa2EDTA [9]
Case report Iran M-57 Ingestion AP, nausea, severe constipation Anemia, elevated liver enzymes 81 CaNa2EDTA [9]
Case report Iran M-45 Ingestion Epigastric and periumbilical AP Anemia, elevated liver enzymes 37.5 Opium cessation [9]
Case report Iran M-65 Ingestion AP, Burton's line, generalized ileus, N/V Anemia, elevated liver enzymes 150 Dimercaprol + CaNa2EDTA [11]
Case report Iran M-25 Ingestion and inhalation AP, malaise, N/V, weakness, excess sweating, dark urine, generalized bone pain Anemia, elevated liver enzymes 350 Dimercaprol + CaNa2EDTA [16]
Case report Netherlands M-40 Ingestion AP Anemia, basophilic stippling, elevated liver enzymes 86 Dimercaprol + CaNa2EDTA [17]
Case report Iran M-40 Ingestion Paresthesia in upper and lower extremities, low muscle strength, abdominal tenderness, late onset quadriplegia Anemia, elevated liver enzymes > 200 Dimercaprol + CaNa2EDTA, followed by Succimer [18]
Case report Iran M-32 Ingestion AP, constipation, loss of appetite Basophilic stippling 50 Dimercaprol [19]
Descriptive, cross-sectional Iran M/F-average age: 41.8 ± 13.5 Ingestion AP, anorexia, weight loss, constipation, nausea Anemia Average: 145 ± 61 NA (referred to toxicologists) [20]
Descriptive, retrospective Iran M-20 to 39 Inhalation Abdominal cramps Anemia Average: 109 ± 37.6 Dimercaprol ± CaNa2EDTA [21]
Case report Iran M-38 Ingestion and inhalation Severe AP, Burton’s line, muscle weakness, myalgias, and bad temper Basophilic stippling 73 Dimercaprol + CaNa2EDTA, DP [22]
Case report Singapore F-40 Ingestion and inhalation Severe lower AP Anemia, punctate basophilia NA Calcium gluconate, calcium disodium versenate [7]
Case report Singapore M-63 Ingestion AP Anemia, punctate basophilia NA Calcium gluconate, calcium disodium versenate [7]
Case report United Kingdom M-46 Inhalation Colicky AP, constipation, irritability and malaise Extravascular haemolytic anaemia with punctate basophilic stippling 113.8 CaNa2EDTA [23]
Case report Iran M-32 Ingestion Dysarthria and progressive upper limb weakness following a refractory AP, constipation, nausea and headache Anemia, high liver function tests and bilirubin 256 DP [24]
Case report Iran F-36 Ingestion Sever colicky AP, NV, Pleuritic chest pain, ejection fraction 30%, massive bilateral pleural effusion Anemia (hypochromic- microcytic) 78 CaNa2EDTA [25]
Case series Iran M/F-average age: 50.4 ± 13.4 Ingestion Acute sever AP Anemia Average: 76.2 NA [26]
Case series Netherlands M-average age: 44 Ingestion AP, NV Anemia, elevated liver enzymes Average: 179.4 CaNa2EDTA [27]
Case series Iran M-average age: 49.82 ± 11.52 Ingestion AP, Loss of Appetite, Sleep Disturbance, Fatigue, Constipation Anemia Average: 93.36 ± 27.84 DP [28]

M: Male; F: Female; N/V: Nausea and/or vomiting; AP: Abdominal pain; BLL: Blood lead level; NA: Not available; DP: D-penicillamine.