Abstract
Argyria in a patient with a delusional disorder
- Dermatological Students Scientific Association, Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland
- Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland
- Department of Adult Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland
- Dermatology Clinic, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
Introduction
Argyria is a rare condition caused by the body’s over-exposure to silver compounds marked by blue-gray discoloration of the skin, mucous membranes, nails and internal organs.
Case report
A 55-year-old man was referred to the dermatology clinic for diagnosing melanoderma present for about 5 years. Physical examination revealed a bluish-gray discoloration of the skin with highest intensity in the head and neck area. The patient had a history of an untreated delusional syndrome. He reported that he had consumed a colloid silver solution for several years as a method for self-treatment for viral warts. The presence of silver deposits was confirmed in the histological examination.
Conclusions
The disease should be included in the differential diagnosis of abnormalities in skin color. The diagnosis for argyria is based on a medical history with clinical assessment for the skin in combination with the results of histological examination.
Keywords
argyria, argyrosis, colloidal silver, Nd:YAG laser, delusional disorder
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