BROMISOVALUM INTOXICATION: ITS DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS FROM NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS

Abstract

The toxicity of bromisovalum is mainly due to the Br effect, but in part the compound in itself has toxic effects with the consequence, that the toxic symptoms appear with lower serum Br content than in Br intoxication. The toxic symptoms produced by bromisovalum are the same as those of bromism in general. In neurological differential diagnosis particularly the following diseases and syndromes have to be considered: chronic alcoholism, cerebral arteriosclerosis and psychosyndromes based on it, dementia paralytica, encephalitides, cerebellar tumors, multiple sclerosis, neurovegetive dystonia and certain other intoxications, particularly the states caused by barbiturates, antiepileptic drugs, carbon disulphide, carbon monoxide and methyl bromide. The diagnostic problems have been illustrated by means of case reports. The diagnosis of bromism may be based on the clinical picture together with anamnestlcally established use of bromic drugs, but the most important diagnostic method is determination of the serum bromine content.