Department of Occupational Medicine and Toxicology, Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital, Clinical Center for Interstitial Lung Diseases, Capital Medical University, Worker's Stadium No.8, Chao-Yang District, Beijing, 100020, China.
Sci Rep. 2024 May 23;14(1):11777. doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-62653-4.
Psoriasis, characterized as a chronic relapsing disease with a protracted course, often drives patients to seek relief through Chinese folk remedies (CFR). Nonetheless, the complex compositions of these remedies frequently result in unintended adverse effects, notably various types of heavy metal poisoning. Our study involved an exhaustive collection and analysis of clinical data from psoriasis patients who developed heavy metal poisoning due to CFR usage, admitted to Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital from January 2011 to October 2023. Our analysis identified 44 cases of mercury poisoning, 17 of lead poisoning, 21 of arsenic poisoning, and 4 instances of mixed heavy metal poisoning. The folk remedies used ranged from fumigation and inhalation to skin application and oral administration. Distinct pathogenic characteristics were observed in each poisoning type. After treatment with metal chelating agents, all patients experienced a reduction in heavy metal levels in their bodies, accompanied by varying degrees of symptom alleviation. This study underscores the vital necessity of opting for formal, medically approved treatments for psoriasis, thereby avoiding the hazardous consequences of unregulated folk remedies that may lead to severe heavy metal poisoning.
银屑病，一种慢性复发性疾病，病程迁延，常使患者寻求中医偏方（CFR）缓解症状。然而，这些偏方的复杂成分常常导致意想不到的不良反应，特别是各种类型的重金属中毒。本研究通过收集和分析 2011 年 1 月至 2023 年 10 月因使用 CFR 导致重金属中毒的银屑病患者在我院住院的临床资料，共纳入 44 例汞中毒、17 例铅中毒、21 例砷中毒和 4 例混合性重金属中毒患者。所用偏方包括熏洗、吸入、外用和内服。不同类型的中毒具有不同的发病特点。经金属络合剂治疗后，所有患者体内重金属含量降低，症状均有不同程度缓解。本研究强调选择正规、医学认可的银屑病治疗方法的重要性，以避免使用未经规范的偏方可能导致的严重重金属中毒。
