LEAD POISONING
Lead poisoning is defined as a form of metal toxicity which is brought on by elevated lead levels in the body
and can affect several organ systems
University of Limpopo, BSc Medical Science –
Haematology 2025 Notes: Lead Poisoning
, MECHANISM
• Lead prevents globin and heme formation and disrupts the breakdown of RNA by blocking the pyrimidine-5’ nucleotide
enzyme, which causes denatured RNA to build up in red blood cells.
• RNA causes the Romanovsky stain to seem to have basophilic stippling.
• The anaemia could be haemolytic or hypochromic.
• Ring sideroblasts may be seen in bone marrow.
• There is also an increase in protoporphyrins from unbound erythrocytes
COMPLICATION FOR PATIENTS
• Low IQ, >which results from lead interfering with how the brain functions thus, damaging the brain and ultimately leading
to poor academic performance
• heart disease, > lead also affects the heart muscles and stiffen them, resulting in the heart beating harder leading to
increased blood pressure
• kidney damage, ->lead can end up blocking the nephrons which filter urine in the kidneys, thus reducing kidney function
and damaging it
• hearing issues, > the lead affects the inner ear and disrupts how sound is transmitted thus reducing hearing ability and
possibly leading to hearing loss
• anaemia > lead stops haemoglobin synthesis, which is one of the major components in the red blood cell, reduction
in haemoglobin leads to anemia
Lead poisoning is defined as a form of metal toxicity which is brought on by elevated lead levels in the body
and can affect several organ systems
University of Limpopo, BSc Medical Science –
Haematology 2025 Notes: Lead Poisoning
, MECHANISM
• Lead prevents globin and heme formation and disrupts the breakdown of RNA by blocking the pyrimidine-5’ nucleotide
enzyme, which causes denatured RNA to build up in red blood cells.
• RNA causes the Romanovsky stain to seem to have basophilic stippling.
• The anaemia could be haemolytic or hypochromic.
• Ring sideroblasts may be seen in bone marrow.
• There is also an increase in protoporphyrins from unbound erythrocytes
COMPLICATION FOR PATIENTS
• Low IQ, >which results from lead interfering with how the brain functions thus, damaging the brain and ultimately leading
to poor academic performance
• heart disease, > lead also affects the heart muscles and stiffen them, resulting in the heart beating harder leading to
increased blood pressure
• kidney damage, ->lead can end up blocking the nephrons which filter urine in the kidneys, thus reducing kidney function
and damaging it
• hearing issues, > the lead affects the inner ear and disrupts how sound is transmitted thus reducing hearing ability and
possibly leading to hearing loss
• anaemia > lead stops haemoglobin synthesis, which is one of the major components in the red blood cell, reduction
in haemoglobin leads to anemia
