Successful Treatment of Severe Lead Poisoning Children with Low Dosage of CaNa2EDTA -A Retrospective Study of 8 Cases from China

Abstract

Background: To analyze the clinical features, treatment and prognosis of 8 Chinese children with severe
lead poisoning. Methods: 8 children with blood lead levels (BLLs) over 45ug/dL hospitalized at Beijing
Chaoyang Hospital of Capital Medical University from January 2015 to December 2019 were diagnosed
as severe lead poisoning. Detailed medical data were retrospectively studied. All patients accepted the
chelation therapy with calcium disodium ethyleneaminetetraacetate (CaNa2EDTA). Results: The onset
age ranged from 3 months to 12 years old. BLLs ranged from 46.6ug/dL to 120.2ug/dL. The sources of
lead exposure were different while 3 cases had taken Chinese herbs. 3 cases had symptoms of nervous
system. 3 cases had anemia. 2 cases had abnormal liver function. All patients had normal renal function.
All cases accepted the repeated treatment of consecutive intravenous CaNa2EDTA (20mg/kg/d, 5 days
every month), until BLLs remained below 40ug/dL. 1 case One case got rash and one patient got
transient elevated serum transaminase during the courses. All cases had BLLs under 45ug/dL on followup.
Conclusion: Chinese herbs containing lead might be one of the attributing factors of lead poisoning
in children. Low dosage of CaNa2EDTA was relatively safe and effective in dealing with lead poisoning
in children. .