CORRESPONDÊNCIA
Authors reply
Eduardo M. De CapitaniI; Elemir M. de SouzaII; Ronan J. VieiraIII; Paulo R. de MadureiraIV
ICenter for Toxicological Control, Hospital de Clínicas da Universidade Estadual de Campinas - Sao Paulo, Brazil
IIDepartment of Dermatology, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas da Universidade Estadual de Campinas - Sao Paulo, Brazil
IIICenter for Toxicological Control, Hospital de Clínicas da Universidade Estadual de Campinas - Sao Paulo, Brazil
IVCenter for Toxicological Control, Hospital de Clínicas da Universidade Estadual de Campinas - Sao Paulo, Brazil
MAILING ADDRESS MAILING ADDRESS: Eduardo Mello De Capitani Caixa Postal 7042 13076 970 Campinas SP Tel./Fax:19 3788 7595, 3788 7907 / 19 9724 9916 19 3788 7907, 3788 7595 E-mail: capitani@fcm.unicamp.br eduardocapitani@yahoo.com
We thank Pigatto et al. for the careful reading and the remarks made about our clinical case on contact dermatitis due to elemental mercury.
Regarding the absorption of elemental mercury in the presented case, we do not think inhalation was the main route of absorption, since the amount of mercury the patient had contact with was completely limited to his pants front pocket. The mercury slowly leaked through his trousers fabric, getting in direct contact with his leg and foot skin. We do agree with the observation about the low rates of dermal absorption of that form of mercury reported in the literature so far. Nevertheless, we point out that these figures refer to healthy skin, without any local inflammation, which can enable higher absorption, like in our case. Pigatto et al. are right about the lipid solubility of elemental mercury. Nevertheless, due to its high superficial tension, the rate of elemental mercury absorption does not seem to be primarily regulated by lipid solubility but rather by rate of ionization, as seen in the gastrointestinal tract, or even in the skin, in opposition to other lipid soluble substances and elements.
How to cite this article: De Capitani EM, Souza EM, Vieira RJ, Madureira PR. Authors reply. An Bras Dermatol. 2009;84(3):304.
- 1. De Capitani EM, Souza EM, Vieira RJ, Madureira PR. Contact dermatitis to elemental mercury with distant lesion. An Bras Dermatol. 2009;84:75-7
- 2. Sue Y-J. Mercury. In: Goldfrank LR, Flomenbaum NE, Lewin NA, editors. Goldfranks Toxicologic Emergencies. 7th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill; 2002. p. 1239-48
Datas de Publicação
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Publicação nesta coleção
04 Ago 2009 -
Data do Fascículo
Jul 2009