Long‐term misdiagnosis and neurologic outcomes of thallium poisoning: A case report and literature review

Abstract Introduction Thallium poisoning is a rare occurrence. Therefore, thallium poisoning is easily misdiagnosed and is often accompanied by a series of serious sequelae and can even result in death in severe cases. Here, we report long‐term follow‐up of a case of a patient who was poisoned with...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Hailing Liu, Geng Liao
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2021-03-01
Series:Brain and Behavior
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/brb3.2032
_version_ 1818859377193385984
author Hailing Liu
Geng Liao
author_facet Hailing Liu
Geng Liao
author_sort Hailing Liu
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Introduction Thallium poisoning is a rare occurrence. Therefore, thallium poisoning is easily misdiagnosed and is often accompanied by a series of serious sequelae and can even result in death in severe cases. Here, we report long‐term follow‐up of a case of a patient who was poisoned with thallium on two separate occasions. Methods A 43‐year‐old man was initially misdiagnosed as gastroenteritis, diabetic peripheral neuropathy, and Guillain–Barré Syndrome (GBS) within 21 months. The correct diagnosis was confirmed by blood and urine thallium assays. After Prussian blue treatment, thallium was undetectable in the blood by day 60. Following this investigation, a criminal suspect confessed to two instances of adulterating thallium sulfate in the patient's beverage. A 6‐year follow‐up was performed after discharge, and a comprehensive literature was review. Results We found that the original gastrointestinal symptoms, skin lesions, and hair loss were reversed and had recovered, except for residual neurologic damage, even with long‐term rehabilitation. Discussion Thallium intoxication may have been initially identified if neurologic symptoms had occurred concurrently with gastrointestinal and cutaneous symptoms. Neurologic damage represented the main sequelae of thallium poisoning in our present case report.
first_indexed 2024-12-19T09:11:13Z
format Article
id doaj.art-2246eaaf046844b68d2086c69e2d689c
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2162-3279
language English
last_indexed 2024-12-19T09:11:13Z
publishDate 2021-03-01
publisher Wiley
record_format Article
series Brain and Behavior
spelling doaj.art-2246eaaf046844b68d2086c69e2d689c2022-12-21T20:28:11ZengWileyBrain and Behavior2162-32792021-03-01113n/an/a10.1002/brb3.2032Long‐term misdiagnosis and neurologic outcomes of thallium poisoning: A case report and literature reviewHailing Liu0Geng Liao1Department of Neurology Maoming People's Hospital Maoming ChinaDepartment of Neurology Maoming People's Hospital Maoming ChinaAbstract Introduction Thallium poisoning is a rare occurrence. Therefore, thallium poisoning is easily misdiagnosed and is often accompanied by a series of serious sequelae and can even result in death in severe cases. Here, we report long‐term follow‐up of a case of a patient who was poisoned with thallium on two separate occasions. Methods A 43‐year‐old man was initially misdiagnosed as gastroenteritis, diabetic peripheral neuropathy, and Guillain–Barré Syndrome (GBS) within 21 months. The correct diagnosis was confirmed by blood and urine thallium assays. After Prussian blue treatment, thallium was undetectable in the blood by day 60. Following this investigation, a criminal suspect confessed to two instances of adulterating thallium sulfate in the patient's beverage. A 6‐year follow‐up was performed after discharge, and a comprehensive literature was review. Results We found that the original gastrointestinal symptoms, skin lesions, and hair loss were reversed and had recovered, except for residual neurologic damage, even with long‐term rehabilitation. Discussion Thallium intoxication may have been initially identified if neurologic symptoms had occurred concurrently with gastrointestinal and cutaneous symptoms. Neurologic damage represented the main sequelae of thallium poisoning in our present case report.https://doi.org/10.1002/brb3.2032long‐term follow‐upneuroelectrophysiology: toxicityneurologic outcomethallium poisoning
spellingShingle Hailing Liu
Geng Liao
Long‐term misdiagnosis and neurologic outcomes of thallium poisoning: A case report and literature review
Brain and Behavior
long‐term follow‐up
neuroelectrophysiology: toxicity
neurologic outcome
thallium poisoning
title Long‐term misdiagnosis and neurologic outcomes of thallium poisoning: A case report and literature review
title_full Long‐term misdiagnosis and neurologic outcomes of thallium poisoning: A case report and literature review
title_fullStr Long‐term misdiagnosis and neurologic outcomes of thallium poisoning: A case report and literature review
title_full_unstemmed Long‐term misdiagnosis and neurologic outcomes of thallium poisoning: A case report and literature review
title_short Long‐term misdiagnosis and neurologic outcomes of thallium poisoning: A case report and literature review
title_sort long term misdiagnosis and neurologic outcomes of thallium poisoning a case report and literature review
topic long‐term follow‐up
neuroelectrophysiology: toxicity
neurologic outcome
thallium poisoning
url https://doi.org/10.1002/brb3.2032
work_keys_str_mv AT hailingliu longtermmisdiagnosisandneurologicoutcomesofthalliumpoisoningacasereportandliteraturereview
AT gengliao longtermmisdiagnosisandneurologicoutcomesofthalliumpoisoningacasereportandliteraturereview