If you look on Wikipedia for Pink Disease (Acrodynia) it will redirect you to a minor entry buried in Mercury Poisoning. If you want real evidence based science then Read here
(Journal of the Royal Science of Medicine)
What you will find in that article is that mortality was 10%. Which means 10 percent of the children you had Pink Disease died. You won't find that on Wikipedia (at present). As is often the case, the people removing information from Wikipedia about this are the same ones that constantly remove valid information about mercury in many other articles.
Even so, Old Wikipedia articles can be informative.
Wikipeida article on Acrodynia on 24 June 2006
Acrodynia (or pink disease, erythredema, erythredema polyneuropathy, Bilderbeck's, Selter's, Swift's and Swift-Feer disease) refers to a condition of pain and dusky pink discoloration in the hands and feet most often seen in children chronically exposed to heavy metals, especially mercury.
The word is derived from the Greek, where ακρος means high (as in:in an extremity) and οδυνη means pain. As such, it might be (erroneously) used to indicate that a patient has pain in the hands or feet. However, acrodynia is a disease rather than a symptom[1].
However, mercury poisoning and acrodynia still exist today [3]. Modern sources of mercury intoxication include broken thermometers [4].
Since mercury blocks the degradation pathway of catecholamines, epinephrine excess causes profuse sweating (diaphora), tachycardia, salivation and elevated blood pressure. Mercury is suggested to inactivate S-adenosyl-methionine, which is necessary for catecholamine catabolism by catechol-o-methyl transferase.
Affected children may show red cheeks and nose, red (erythematous) lips, loss of hair, teeth, and nails, transient rashes, hypotonia and photophobia. Other symptoms may include kidney disfunction (e.g. Fanconi syndrome) or neuropsychiatric symptoms (emotional lability, memory impairment, insomnia).
Thus, the clinical presentation may resemble pheochromocytoma or Kawasaki disease.
There is some evidence that the same mercury poisoning may predispose to Young's syndrome (men with bronchiectasis and low sperm count)[5].
The previous version
Acrodynia (or pink disease) refers to a condition of pain and dusky pink discoloration in the hands and feet most often seen in children chronically exposed to heavy metals, especially mercury.
However, mercury poisoning and acrodynia still exist today [2]. Modern sources of mercury intoxication include broken thermometers [3].
Since mercury blocks the degradation pathway of catecholamines, epinephrine excess causes profuse sweating (diaphora), tachycardia, salivation and elevated blood pressure. Mercury is suggested to inactivate S-adenosyl-methionine, which is necessary for catecholamine catabolism by catechol-o-methyl transferase.
Affected children may show red cheeks and nose, red (erythematous) lips, loss of hair, teeth, and nails, transient rashes, hypotonia and photophobia. Other symptoms may include kidney disfunction (e.g. Fanconi syndrome) or neuropsychiatric symptoms (emotional lability, memory impairment, insomnia).
Thus, the clinical presentation may resemble pheochromocytoma or Kawasaki disease.
There is some evidence that the same mercury poisoning may predispose to Young's syndrome (men with bronchiectasis and low sperm count)[4].
(Journal of the Royal Science of Medicine)
What you will find in that article is that mortality was 10%. Which means 10 percent of the children you had Pink Disease died. You won't find that on Wikipedia (at present). As is often the case, the people removing information from Wikipedia about this are the same ones that constantly remove valid information about mercury in many other articles.
Even so, Old Wikipedia articles can be informative.
Wikipeida article on Acrodynia on 24 June 2006
Acrodynia (or pink disease, erythredema, erythredema polyneuropathy, Bilderbeck's, Selter's, Swift's and Swift-Feer disease) refers to a condition of pain and dusky pink discoloration in the hands and feet most often seen in children chronically exposed to heavy metals, especially mercury.
The word is derived from the Greek, where ακρος means high (as in:in an extremity) and οδυνη means pain. As such, it might be (erroneously) used to indicate that a patient has pain in the hands or feet. However, acrodynia is a disease rather than a symptom[1].
Contents |
Causes
Mercury compounds like calomel were historically used for various medical purposes: as laxatives, diuretics, antiseptics or antimicrobial drugs for syphilis, typhus and yellow fever[2] . Teething powders were are widespread source of mercury poisoning until the recognition of mercury toxicity in the 1940s.However, mercury poisoning and acrodynia still exist today [3]. Modern sources of mercury intoxication include broken thermometers [4].
Symptoms
Besides peripheral neuropathy (presenting as paresthesia or itching, burning or pain) and discoloration, swelling (edema) and desquamation may occur.Since mercury blocks the degradation pathway of catecholamines, epinephrine excess causes profuse sweating (diaphora), tachycardia, salivation and elevated blood pressure. Mercury is suggested to inactivate S-adenosyl-methionine, which is necessary for catecholamine catabolism by catechol-o-methyl transferase.
Affected children may show red cheeks and nose, red (erythematous) lips, loss of hair, teeth, and nails, transient rashes, hypotonia and photophobia. Other symptoms may include kidney disfunction (e.g. Fanconi syndrome) or neuropsychiatric symptoms (emotional lability, memory impairment, insomnia).
Thus, the clinical presentation may resemble pheochromocytoma or Kawasaki disease.
There is some evidence that the same mercury poisoning may predispose to Young's syndrome (men with bronchiectasis and low sperm count)[5].
Therapy
The standard of care is discontinuation of the environmental exposure, and chelation therapy (with EDTA or maybe better, DMSA).References
- ^ Horowitz Y, Greenberg D, Ling G, Lifshitz M. Acrodynia: a case report of two siblings. Arch Dis Child 2002; 86: 453.
- ^ Beck C, Krafchik B, Traubici J, Jacobson S. Mercury intoxication: it still exists. Pediatr Dermatol 2004; 21: 254-9. PMID 15165207
- ^ Weinstein M, Bernstein S. Pink ladies: mercury poisoning in twin girls. CMAJ 2003; 168: 201. PMID 12538551
- ^ Torres AD, Rai AN, Hardiek ML. Mercury intoxication and arterial hypertension: report of two patients and review of the literature. Pediatrics 2000; 105: E34. PMID 10699136
- ^ Hendry WF, A'Hern FPA, Cole PJ. Was Young's syndrome caused by mercury exposure in childhood? BMJ 1993;307:1579-82. PMID 8292944
The previous version
Acrodynia (or pink disease) refers to a condition of pain and dusky pink discoloration in the hands and feet most often seen in children chronically exposed to heavy metals, especially mercury.
Contents |
Causes
Mercury compounds like calomel were historically used for various medical purposes: as laxatives, diuretics, antiseptics or antimicrobial drugs for syphilis, typhus and yellow fever[1] . Teething powders were are widespread source of mercury poisoning until the recognition of mercury toxicity in the 1940s.However, mercury poisoning and acrodynia still exist today [2]. Modern sources of mercury intoxication include broken thermometers [3].
Symptoms
Besides peripheral neuropathy (presenting as paresthesia or itching, burning or pain) and discoloration, swelling (edema) and desquamation may occur.Since mercury blocks the degradation pathway of catecholamines, epinephrine excess causes profuse sweating (diaphora), tachycardia, salivation and elevated blood pressure. Mercury is suggested to inactivate S-adenosyl-methionine, which is necessary for catecholamine catabolism by catechol-o-methyl transferase.
Affected children may show red cheeks and nose, red (erythematous) lips, loss of hair, teeth, and nails, transient rashes, hypotonia and photophobia. Other symptoms may include kidney disfunction (e.g. Fanconi syndrome) or neuropsychiatric symptoms (emotional lability, memory impairment, insomnia).
Thus, the clinical presentation may resemble pheochromocytoma or Kawasaki disease.
There is some evidence that the same mercury poisoning may predispose to Young's syndrome (men with bronchiectasis and low sperm count)[4].
Therapy
The standard of care is discontinuation of the environmental exposure, and chelation therapy (with EDTA or maybe better, DMSA).References
- ^ Beck C, Krafchik B, Traubici J, Jacobson S. Mercury intoxication: it still exists. Pediatr Dermatol 2004; 21: 254-9. PMID 15165207
- ^ Weinstein M, Bernstein S. Pink ladies: mercury poisoning in twin girls. CMAJ 2003; 168: 201. PMID 12538551
- ^ Torres AD, Rai AN, Hardiek ML. Mercury intoxication and arterial hypertension: report of two patients and review of the literature. Pediatrics 2000; 105: E34. PMID 10699136
- ^ Hendry WF, A'Hern FPA, Cole PJ. Was Young's syndrome caused by mercury exposure in childhood? BMJ 1993;307:1579-82. PMID 8292944
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