Iijima M, Mugishima M, Takeuchi M, Uchiyama S, Kobayashi I, Maruyama S
Department of Neurology, Tokyo Women's Medical College, Japan.
No To Shinkei. 1990 Sep;42(9):851-6.
A 51-year-old man, taking beverage containing inorganic germanium (Ge), (90-100 mg/day, total 70 g) for two years, developed body weight loss, anemia, renal dysfunction, peripheral neuropathy, myopathy, autonomic dysfunctions and multiple cranial nerve palsies. Serum CK, GOT, LDH, BUN, and creatinine levels were elevated. The cerebrospinal fluid showed albumino-cytologic dissociation. Sural nerve biopsy showed axonal degeneration, and peroneal muscle biopsy showed neurogenic changes including type 2 fiber atrophy and ragged red fibers. High level of Ge content was detected from the hair and nail by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry. Despite discontinuation of Ge taking, the peripheral neuropathy and autonomic dysfunction progressed. The symptoms remained unchanged even in the treatment with prednisolone. These findings suggest that inorganic Ge has a serious irreversible multiple system toxicity.
一名51岁男性，连续两年每日服用含无机锗（Ge）的饮料（90 - 100毫克/天，总量70克），出现体重减轻、贫血、肾功能不全、周围神经病变、肌病、自主神经功能障碍和多发性颅神经麻痹。血清肌酸激酶（CK）、谷草转氨酶（GOT）、乳酸脱氢酶（LDH）、血尿素氮（BUN）和肌酐水平升高。脑脊液显示蛋白细胞分离。腓肠神经活检显示轴索变性，腓骨肌活检显示神经源性改变，包括2型纤维萎缩和破碎红纤维。通过电感耦合等离子体原子发射光谱法在头发和指甲中检测到高含量的锗。尽管停止服用锗，周围神经病变和自主神经功能障碍仍进展。即使使用泼尼松龙治疗，症状仍无变化。这些发现表明无机锗具有严重的不可逆多系统毒性。
