A 2-year-old girl presented with hypertension, anorexia and vomiting, restlessness, insomnia and acrodynia. Her blood pressure
upon arrival was 145/98 mmHg. Ultrasound of the abdomen, CT scan of chest, abdomen and pelvis, and echocardiogram, were normal.
Urinary levels of catecholamines were elevated, urine level of mercury was found to be high (33.2 μg/g creatinine), although
blood level was normal (>0.5 μg/dl, reference value 0–4 μg/dl). Following a 1-month course of oral treatment with dimercaptosuccinic
acid (DMSA) the child’s symptoms and signs resolved, and urinary mercury and catecholamines levels normalized. Mercury intoxication
should be suspected in a patient with severe hypertension, personality changes and acrodynia. Normal blood levels of mercury
do not exclude this diagnosis, and catecholamine levels may serve as a surrogate marker for confirmation of the diagnosis
and to evaluate response to treatment.
Keywords Mercury intoxication - Hypertension - Acrodynia - Catecholamines - DMSA