Lead poisoning without encephalopathy. Effect of early diagnosis on neurologic and psychologic salvage
H. K. Sachs, D. A. McCaughran, V. Krall, I. H. Rozenfeld and N. Yongsmith
Medical and psychological status of 166 patients previously treated for
lead poisoning and of 22 sibling controls were evaluated. Maximum blood
lead levels ranged from 40 to 471 microgram/dL. Eighteen patients had
definite symptoms, 32 had questionable symptoms, and 116 were asymptomatic.
No patients developed seizures, other neurological sequelae, or abnormal
nerve conduction velocity. No statistically significant relationship was
found between blood lead concentration (PbB) and subsequent intellectual
function. The mean IQ of the patient cohort was 87, approximately at the
50th percentile for inner-city schoolchildren in Chicago. Detection prior
to encephalopathy and prompt detoxification were effective in preventing or
minimizing sequelae despite high PbBs.
