1. Hypophosphataemic osteomalacia due to cadmium exposure in the silver industry.
- Author
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Paul J, Cherian KE, Thomas N, and Paul TV
- Subjects
- Acidosis, Renal Tubular chemically induced, Adult, Cadmium blood, Humans, Hypophosphatemia chemically induced, India, Male, Osteomalacia etiology, Silver, Cadmium Poisoning, Occupational Diseases chemically induced, Osteomalacia chemically induced
- Abstract
Chronic heavy metal exposure and the health hazards that ensue are important public-health problems. We highlight the occurrence of hypophosphataemic osteomalacia due to chronic cadmium exposure in the silver industry in India. Three silversmiths presented similarly with clinical, biochemical and radiological evidence of hypophosphataemic osteomalacia. Considering their occupation, their blood samples were screened for heavy metals and were found to have toxic levels of cadmium. They were initiated on neutral phosphate and calcitriol. On follow-up, they reported significant reduction in severity of symptoms. It is essential to maintain a high index of suspicion in diagnosing this condition. A thorough knowledge of the occupational background of patients, as well as ambient conditions at the workplace is of utmost importance in contemplating the possibility of such rare occurrences. Moreover, regulatory agencies and policy makers ought to survey the silver industry and ensure that the metals used are within permissible safe limits of exposure., (© The Author(s) 2020. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Occupational Medicine. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)
- Published
- 2020
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