Dental amalgam & lupus/autoimmune conditions

 

Arnett FC, Fritzler MJ, Ahn C, Holian A. Urinary mercury levels in patients with autoantibodies to U3-RNP (fibrillarin). J Rheumatol. 2000 Feb;27(2):405-10.

 

Mean urinary Hg levels were significantly elevated in the antifibrillarin antibody positive patients compared to those in other patients with SSc and controls

  

 

Mercury & lupus
Cooper GS, Parks CG, et al, Occupational risk factors for the development of systemic lupus erythematosus. J Rheumatol. 2004 Oct;31(10):1928-33.

 

Conclusions:  Positive associations for lupus were seen with self-reported occupational exposure to mercury (OR 3.6, 95% CI 1.3, 10.0), mixing pesticides for agricultural work (OR 7.4, 95% CI 1.4, 40.0), and among dental workers (OR 7.1, 95% CI 2.2, 23.4).


 

Silbergeld EK, Silva IA, Nyland JF.  Mercury and autoimmunity: implications for occupational and environmental health. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 2005 Sep 1;207(2 Suppl):282-92.

 

a recent epidemiological study has demonstrated a link between occupational Hg exposure and lupus. These results suggest a new model for Hg immunotoxicity, as a co-factor in autoimmune disease, increasing the risks and severity of clinical disease in the presence of other triggering events, either genetic or acquired.

 

Via CS, Nguyen P, Niculescu F, Papadimitriou J, Hoover D, Silbergeld EK, Low-dose exposure to inorganic mercury accelerates disease and mortality in acquired murine lupus. Environ Health Perspect. 2003 Aug;111(10):1273-7.

 

These results are consistent with the hypothesis that low-level, nontoxic iHg preexposure may interact with other risk factors, genetic or acquired, to promote subsequent autoimmune disease development.

 

Mercury & arthritis

Karatas GK, Tosun AK, Karacehennem E, Sepici V.  Mercury poisoning: an unusual cause of polyarthritis. Clin Rheumatol. 2002 Feb;21(1):73-5.

 

we report a patient who developed polyarthritis after mercury exposure

 

Hansson M, Djerbi M, et al; Exposure to mercuric chloride during the induction phase and after the onset of collagen-induced arthritis enhances immune/autoimmune responses and exacerbates the disease in DBA/1 mice.
Immunology. 2005 Mar;114(3):428-37.

 

Our findings suggest that exposure to mercury during the development of collagen-induced arthritis(CIA) may influence immunological factors in such a way as to synergistically promote disease development.

*************