Abstract

In a 68-year-old man with a painful syndrome of the lower extremities which began at the age of 64 years, workup revealed a generalized osteopathy with sclerosis of the axial skeleton and osteopenia at the extremities associated with pathologic fractures. The occupational history showed exposure to several synthetics such as vinyl chloride, polyethylene, delrine and polyamides over 30 years. However, a presumptive connection between the skeletal disorder and the occupational exposure could not initially be substantiated. In a later analysis of the bone biopsies from 1991, a significant increase of fluorine in the tibia and fibula of the patient was detected and thus the diagnosis of industrial fluorosis established. The fluorine presumably originated from the workup of polytetrafluorethylene plates. A detailed analysis of the workplace is ongoing. The fluorosis may obviously appear as a variable skeletal disease. The clinical picture of fluorosis is incompletely described in most of the German textbooks. It calls for an extended description of the X-ray findings associated with fluorosis and a new definition of the disease.

• Related Studies :

  • Bone mineral structure after six years fluoride treatment investigated by backscattered electron imaging (BSEI) and small angle x-ray scattering (SAXS): a case report

    NaF, a bone formation stimulating agent, is used for the treatment of osteoporosis. Controversy exists concerning the quality of the newly formed bone and the antifracture effectiveness. We report about a 70 years old woman, who had received 50 mg NaF/d for about 6 years. Calcium or Vit D supplements

  • Total knee arthroplasty in a patient with skeletal fluorosis

    Published reports on patients with skeletal fluorosis undergoing total knee arthroplasty are rare. Skeletal fluorosis is a chronic condition that occurs secondary to the ingestion of food and water that contain high levels of fluoride. Although fluorosis may be described as osteosclerotic and marble-like in appearance, features may also include

  • Why did the ancient inhabitants of Palmyra suffer fluorosis?

    The skeletal remains uncovered from the 2nd and 3rd century underground tombs of Palmyra, Syria, retain traces of arthritis and mottled enamel. A brown discoloration was also observed in the teeth. In order to clarify that these facts can be related to fluorosis, the teeth excavated from Tomb C and

  • Total knee arthroplasty for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis caused by endemic skeletal fluorosis

    BACKGROUND: Knee osteoarthritis caused by endemic skeletal fluorosis is a complex and chronic systemic disease,which can cause the damage of surrounding bone and sclerotin of knee joint. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis caused by endemic skeletal fluorosis. METHODS: Nine patients suffered

  • Skeletal fluorosis mimicking seronegative arthritis

    Fluorosis is endemic in certain parts of the world, especially the Asian subcontinent (1). We report an unusual presentation of fluorosis mimicking seronegative spondyloarthritis. Although fluorosis is known to cause irritable bowel syndrome-like disorder and joint pain, this could be wrongly diagnosed as a case of seronegative arthritis. Case report A 35-year-old

• Related FAN Content :

  • Fluoride & Osteoarthritis

    While the osteoarthritic effects that occurred from fluoride exposure were once considered to be limited to those with skeletal fluorosis, recent research shows that fluoride can cause osteoarthritis in the absence of traditionally defined fluorosis. Conventional methods used for detecting skeletal fluorosis, therefore, will fail to detect the full range of people suffering from fluoride-induced osteoarthritis.

  • "Pre-Skeletal" Fluorosis

    As demonstrated by the studies below, skeletal fluorosis may produce adverse symptoms, including arthritic pains, clinical osteoarthritis, gastrointestinal disturbances, and bone fragility, before the classic bone change of fluorosis (i.e., osteosclerosis in the spine and pelvis) is detectable by x-ray. Relying on x-rays, therefore, to diagnosis skeletal fluorosis will invariably fail to protect those individuals who are suffering from the pre-skeletal phase of the disease. Moreover, some individuals with clinical skeletal fluorosis will not develop an increase in bone density, let alone osteosclerosis, of the spine. Thus, relying on unusual increases in spinal bone density will under-detect the rate of skeletal fluoride poisoning in a population.

  • Fluoride Reduces Bone Strength Prior to Onset of Skeletal Fluorosis

    The majority of animal studies investigating fluoride's impact on bone strength have found that fluoride has either no effect, or a detrimental effect, on bone strength. Importantly, several of the animal studies that have found fluoride reductes bone strength have reported that this reduction in strength occurs before signs of skeletal fluorosis

  • Skeletal Fluorosis: The Misdiagnosis Problem

    It is a virtual certainty that there are individuals in the general population unknowingly suffering from some form of skeletal fluorosis as a result of a doctor's failure to consider fluoride as a cause of their symptoms. Proof that this is the case can be found in the following case reports of skeletal fluorosis written by doctors in the U.S. and other western countries. As can be seen, a consistent feature of these reports is that fluorosis patients--even those with crippling skeletal fluorosis--are misdiagnosed for years by multiple teams of doctors who routinely fail to consider fluoride as a possible cause of their disease.

  • Variability in Radiographic Appearance of Skeletal Fluorosis

    Osteosclerosis (dense bone) is the bone change typically associated with skeletal fluorosis, particularly in the axial skeleton (spine, pelvis, and ribs). Research shows, however, that skeletal fluorosis produces a spectrum of bone changes, including osteomalacia, osteoporosis, exostoses, changes resulting from secondary hyperparathyroidism, and combinations thereof. Although the reason for this radiographic variability is not yet fully understood, it is believed to relate to the dose of fluoride consumed, the individual's nutritional status, exposure to aluminum, genetic susceptibility, presence of kidney disease, and area of the skeleton examined.