Chrysiasis
Encyclopedia
Chrysiasis is a dermatological condition induced by the parenteral
administration of gold salts, usually for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis
. Such treatment has been superseded as the best practice for treating the disease because of "numerous side effects and monitoring , their limited efficacy, and very slow onset of action".
Similar to silver
, a gold preparation used parenteral
ly for a long period may rarely produce a permanent skin pigmentation - especially if the skin is exposed to sunlight or artificial ultraviolet
radiation.
The skin's pigmentation (in this condition) has been described as uniformly gray, grayish purple, slate gray, or grayish blue, and is usually limited to exposed portions of the body. It may involve the conjunctivae over the sclera
s but usually not the oral mucosa
. Location of pigment predominantly in the upper dermis
leads to the blue component of skin color through the scattering phenomenon
. It is much less likely to be deposited in the nails and hair.
Chrysiasis was said to have been much more common when medicines containing traces of gold were used for treatment of tuberculosis
(commonplace forms of treatment nearly fifty years ago). Treatments containing gold traces were also used to treat cases of rheumatoid arthritis
- but because the dose used for tuberculosis was higher than for arthritis
, it has not afflicted many subscribing to such treatments.
Gold can be identified in the skin chemically by light microscopy, electron microscopy, and spectroscopy.
There is no way to reverse, or treatment for, chrysiasis.
Parenteral
Parenteral is a route of administration that involves piercing the skin or mucous membrane. Parenteral nutrition refers to providing nutrition via the veins.-Etymology:...
administration of gold salts, usually for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, systemic inflammatory disorder that may affect many tissues and organs, but principally attacks synovial joints. The process produces an inflammatory response of the synovium secondary to hyperplasia of synovial cells, excess synovial fluid, and the development...
. Such treatment has been superseded as the best practice for treating the disease because of "numerous side effects and monitoring , their limited efficacy, and very slow onset of action".
Similar to silver
Silver
Silver is a metallic chemical element with the chemical symbol Ag and atomic number 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition metal, it has the highest electrical conductivity of any element and the highest thermal conductivity of any metal...
, a gold preparation used parenteral
Parenteral
Parenteral is a route of administration that involves piercing the skin or mucous membrane. Parenteral nutrition refers to providing nutrition via the veins.-Etymology:...
ly for a long period may rarely produce a permanent skin pigmentation - especially if the skin is exposed to sunlight or artificial ultraviolet
Ultraviolet
Ultraviolet light is electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength shorter than that of visible light, but longer than X-rays, in the range 10 nm to 400 nm, and energies from 3 eV to 124 eV...
radiation.
The skin's pigmentation (in this condition) has been described as uniformly gray, grayish purple, slate gray, or grayish blue, and is usually limited to exposed portions of the body. It may involve the conjunctivae over the sclera
Sclera
The sclera , also known as the white or white of the eye, is the opaque , fibrous, protective, outer layer of the eye containing collagen and elastic fiber. In the development of the embryo, the sclera is derived from the neural crest...
s but usually not the oral mucosa
Oral mucosa
The oral mucosa is the mucous membrane epithelium of the mouth. It can be divided into three categories.*Masticatory mucosa, para-keratinized stratified squamous epithelium, found on the dorsum of the tongue, hard palate and attached gingiva....
. Location of pigment predominantly in the upper dermis
Dermis
The dermis is a layer of skin between the epidermis and subcutaneous tissues, and is composed of two layers, the papillary and reticular dermis...
leads to the blue component of skin color through the scattering phenomenon
Scattering
Scattering is a general physical process where some forms of radiation, such as light, sound, or moving particles, are forced to deviate from a straight trajectory by one or more localized non-uniformities in the medium through which they pass. In conventional use, this also includes deviation of...
. It is much less likely to be deposited in the nails and hair.
Chrysiasis was said to have been much more common when medicines containing traces of gold were used for treatment of tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
(commonplace forms of treatment nearly fifty years ago). Treatments containing gold traces were also used to treat cases of rheumatoid arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, systemic inflammatory disorder that may affect many tissues and organs, but principally attacks synovial joints. The process produces an inflammatory response of the synovium secondary to hyperplasia of synovial cells, excess synovial fluid, and the development...
- but because the dose used for tuberculosis was higher than for arthritis
Arthritis
Arthritis is a form of joint disorder that involves inflammation of one or more joints....
, it has not afflicted many subscribing to such treatments.
Gold can be identified in the skin chemically by light microscopy, electron microscopy, and spectroscopy.
There is no way to reverse, or treatment for, chrysiasis.