Oral Zinc Sulphate in Treatment of Patients with Thallium Poisoning: A Clinical Therapeutic Trial

In a clinical therapeutic trial conducted between February 2008 and February 2010, 37 patients with thallium poisoning were treated with oral zinc sulphate at a dosage of 5 mg/kg three times a day at the Dermatology Departments of Baghdad and Basrah Teaching Hospitals. The patients, aged between 5 and 33 years, exhibited dermatological symptoms similar to zinc deficiency, including anagen hair loss and a red dermatitis-like rash, as well as neurologic symptoms, with 21 patients (55%) reporting peripheral neuropathy. After diagnosis confirmation, 32 patients also received the thallium antidote Prussian blue. The study found that all but two patients responded well to zinc sulphate treatment within a few days, indicating that oral zinc sulphate is an effective and safe treatment for thallium poisoning, particularly for its dermatological symptoms and in preventing its progression and complications.