BLOOD LEAD OF INTRAVENOUS-DRUG-USERS

Objective: A common method of illegal methamphetamine production uses lead acetate as a reagent. Production errors may result in methampheta mine grossly contaminated with lead. Three reports have documented out breaks of acute lead poisoning in intravenous methamphetamine users. M ethods: This study measured blood lead concentrations in intravenous d rug users of methamphetamine, cocaine or heroin presenting to the emer gency department to determine the prevalence of subclinical lead poiso ning in intravenous methamphetamine users. Results: Mean blood leads f or methamphetamine users (n = 92) were 6.22 mu g/dL or 0.30 mu mol/L ( range 0.10-1.15, SD 0.20) and 7.25 mu g/dL or 0.35 mu mol/L (0.10-0.80 , SD 0.15) for the nonmethamphetamine users (n = 53) with no significa nt difference between groups. Conclusions: The data suggest that previ ous outbreaks of acute intravenous lead poisoning among methamphetamin e users were probably related to episodic contamination of methampheta mine. Subclinical lead poisoning was not found among the methamphetami ne users presenting to the emergency department.